|
Truth
Behind the Myths
I
can be in control when I drink.
Because drinking impairs your judgment, you are more likely to do
something that you will regret, like have unprotected sex, damage
property or be victimized by others.
Eating before I drink
will stop me from getting drunk.
Although eating will slow down the body's process of absorption, the
alcohol will still end up in your bloodstream - and the higher the
level of alcohol in
your bloodstream the more drunk you'll be. There is
no magical way to keep alcohol out of your body
if it is consumed.
|
 |
Drinking
isn't that dangerous, the worst thing that can happen is I'll pass
out and have a hangover tomorrow.
Death can and does occur from drinking too much alcohol. Alcohol
poisoning or acute alcohol intoxication occurs when the level
of alcohol in the body acts as a poison, causing death from drug overdose.
Alcohol is also associated with homicides, suicides, drowning, falls
and traffic fatalities. 33% of 18 to 20 year olds admitted to emergency
rooms for serious injuries have been drinking.
I'm more friendly and social when I drink.
People can also become more sleepy, forgetful, hostile, violent, dangerous,
homicidal, or suicidal when they drink. Your chances of taking serious
risks also increases when you've been drinking. |
If
I need to sober up I can.
Depending on your weight and other factors, it takes about three hours
for your body to eliminate the alcohol content in two drinks. Contrary
to the belief that coffee, water or a cold shower can sober you up
faster; the fact is that NOTHING can speed up this process.
I'm a cheap drunk if I can't keep up
with my boyfriend.
Women process alcohol differently. No matter
how much your boyfriend drinks - if you drink the same amount - you
will likely be more intoxicated and more impaired.
I'm OK to drive after a few drinks.
Almost half of all fatal car accidents among 18-24 year olds involve
alcohol. Do you know for sure what your Blood
Alcohol level is after a night out? Your judgement can be impaired
after even a couple of drinks.
I need to learn how to hold my liquor.
If you are continually drinking larger amounts in order to feel a
buzz, you are developing a tolerance to alcohol. This is an early
warning sign that you are developing a serious alcohol problem.
Beer doesn't have as much alcohol as
hard liquor.
A 12 ounce regular beer, a 5 oz glass of wine, and a 1.5 oz shot of
hard liquor all contain exactly the same amount of alcohol and are
considered a standard drink.
Drugs are more of a problem than alcohol.
Alcohol and tobacco kill more than 50 times the number of people killed
by cocaine, heroin and every other illegal drug combined. Although
alcohol is more socially acceptable than using illegal drugs, it is
still a drug. Alcohol is one of the most abused drugs in society today.
Alcohol is a good way for me to relax
and reduce stress after a tough week at school.
Adrenaline levels increase in your body as you drink. You may feel
more relaxed at first, but when you drink your body actually undergoes
additional stress. Listening to music, doing something physical, or
laughing with your friends are healthier ways to relax and reduce
stress.
Poor and homeless people are the most
likely to have alcohol problems.
Addiction is an equal opportunity disease. It does not discriminate
in any way against any class of people. It strikes equally among individuals
in all ethnic, socio-economic, intelligence and emotional wellness
categories.
People with alcohol problems drink everyday.
A person does not have to drink every day or every week to have a
problem. Some people with problems only drink on weekends and some
abstain for months. Dependence is not determined by how often people
use alcohol, but whether or not they can control their usage once
they start. Even occasional drinkers have higher than normal rates
of of liver cirrhosis.
It is normal to forget things after a night
of drinking.
Forgetting things after a night of drinking is not a normal part of
drinking behaviour. Blackouts and memory loss can be a sign that you
have a drinking problem.
People pass out from drinking all the
time. It's nothing to worry about.
The fact is you pass out due to the body's inability to tolerate the
amount of alcohol that you have put into it. Alcohol is a central
nervous system depressant that works to slow down the heart rate,
lower your blood pressure, and slow your breathing rate. Once your
brain has been depressed enough by the alcohol, you pass out. The
amount of alcohol it takes to make you pass out is dangerously close
to the amount of alcohol it takes to make you dead |
|
