You have probably heard some weird or wacky facts about alcohol and what it does to you when you drink and become drunk.
If you are wondering which facts are just plain wrong, look no further as we’ll de-bunk the top 10 myths about alcohol.
Myth #1: Alcohol Increases Your Energy Levels
Drinking alcohol won’t make you feel energized. In fact, alcohol is a depressant drug which slows down your brain and the way you move.
Myth #2: Drinking Different Types of Alcohol Will Make You More Drunk
If you are under the impression that drinking different types of liquor will make you become more drunk, think again!
The only thing that decides how drunk you are is your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC), which is the percentage of the substance found in your bloodstream.
Myth#3: Everyone Feels the Same When They Drink
We are all made differently, so it’s highly likely that alcohol that you won’t feel the same effects of alcohol as someone else when drinking.
There are lots of factors that play a part in the effects that alcohol has on people: their weight, how they feel at the time they drinking, even the time of the day can affect how someone feels when they drink.
Myth #4: Drinking Coffee or Showering Sobers People Up
If you are showering while intoxicated you might be a clean drunk but you definitely won’t be a sober one. Coffee also won’t help.
Time is the only factor that helps make people sober from alcohol.
Myth #5: Beer Won’t Harm You
One beer might not harm you but drinking excessive amounts of it can do serious damage to your body.
Alcohol affects the liver, heart, stomach and many other important organs in the body.
Myth#6: My Friend’s Alcohol Abuse is none of my Business
If you are thinking this, then you obviously don’t give two hoots about the wellbeing of your so-called ‘friend’.
Yes, you might not be able to change them but what you can do is be open and honest with them.
You never know, you might even convince them to get help!
Myth #7: Hangover’s are the Worst Thing that Could Happen
Wrong again. There is a possibility that if someone drinks too much alcohol at quickly, it can kill a person in a matter of hours.
Myth #8: Drugs are worse than Alcohol
Drug experts believe that alcohol is worse than crack and heroin combined.
A scale done by scientists including Great Britain’s Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ISCD), rated alcohol as the most harmful narcotic substance overall, finding it almost three times more damaging than cocaine or tobacco. Myth de-bunked? I think so.
Myth #9: Drinking Makes Me Sexier
Alcohol doesn’t make you sexier; it just makes people feel more comfortable about themselves.
Drinking may make people more interested in engaging in sexual activities; however it does affect the ability to perform.
With these activities comes the risk of falling pregnant, getting AIDS and becoming the victim of sexual assault. Is that really sexy?
Myth #10: Alcohol Abuse Only Affects the Drinker
Wrong again. Binge drinking affects everyone, from family to friends and even co-workers.
These are people that worry about the wellbeing of an alcohol abuser and the stress and anxiety of your problem can negatively affect them as well.
If you or a loved one has an alcohol problem, the best thing to do is to get professional help.
We offer that with access to the best private alcohol rehabilitation centres all over South Africa, the United Kingdom and Thailand. Call us now and let one of our qualified addiction counsellors assist in finding the right treatment available for you.