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Alcoholism can affect all aspects of your life. Drinking is so common in many cultures and the effects vary so widely from person to person, that it can be hard to figure out if or when your alcohol intake has become a problem. Drinking problems can sneak up on you, so it’s important to be aware of the warning signs of alcoholism and take steps to cut back if you recognize them.
Drinking On Moderation Is A Good Thing
Moderate intake of alcohol appears to have a relatively low health risk for many people.
- A standard drink is typically defined as:
- Beer: 12 fluid ounces (355 milliliters)
- Wine: 5 fluid ounces (148 milliliters)
- Distilled spirits (80 proof): 1.5 fluid ounces (44 milliliters)
The following recommendations are for people who are of legal drinking age. Several studies indicate that drinking alcohol by children under 21 carries significant risks. Therefore, this age group should not consume any alcohol.
Here, we dig into the research about the promising health benefits of moderate drinking.
- Helps Your Heart. Moderate drinking makes you 25%-40% less likely to have a heart attack, hardened arteries, or stroke. This may be in part because small amounts of alcohol can raise your HDL levels.
- Gets You More Active. Moderate drinkers are far more likely to exercise than people who don’t drink and may even get more healthy effects from it.
- Prevents Kidney Stones. Regular moderate drinkers are less likely to get kidney stones. Drinking makes you pee more often which helps clear out the tiny crystals that form stones.
- Makes You More Social. People who have a drink or two together are likely to spend more time talking. But don’t overdo it, it’s called happy hour for a reason.
- Gives Your Sex Life A Boost. Intimacy helps you deal with stress, and a little alcohol may move things along. A drink may help raise a man’s testosterone levels, which makes both men and women friskier.
- Helps Your Brain. A drink or two a few times a week may make you less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease. It also reduces the risk of stroke and heart disease.
- Balances Blood Sugar. That happy-hour cocktail or glass of wine with dinner may make you less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
Why Do People Become Too Dependent On Alcohol?
Professionals believe that these factors may play a role in the development of alcohol use disorders as they have been evident in the lives of many individuals who suffer from alcoholism.
- Family History
- Drinking from an Early Age
- Mental Health Disorders
- Stressful Environments
- Taking Alcohol with Medication
- Peer Pressure
- Frequent Alcohol Consumption Over Time
- Trauma
- Drinking to Cope
- Lack of Family Supervision
How Much Is Too Much?
Men: 4 or Fewer Drinks per Day
For men, low-risk alcohol consumption is considered drinking four or fewer standard drinks on any single day and less than 14 drinks during a given week.
Women: 3 or Fewer Drinks per Day
Research has shown that women develop alcohol use disorders at lower levels of consumption compared to men. Therefore, the guidelines for low-risk drinking are lower for women. The guideline for low-risk consumption for women is three or fewer standard drinks a day and no more than seven drinks per week.
Recovering from Alcoholism
It can be challenging and complex to treat alcoholism. An alcohol addict must want to get sober for treatment to succeed. If they aren’t ready to stop drinking, you can’t force them. Getting better depends on a person’s desire.
- Alcohol Rehabilitation – the beginning of the process of recovering from alcoholism.
- Alcohol Detox – the procedure by which alcohol is removed from the body through a forced period of withdrawal.
- Alcohol Rehab
- Therapy – this helps alcoholics identify and deal with stress that increases their urges to drink.
- Alcohol Recovery
Someone with an alcoholism may also benefit from other treatments including:
- Acamprosate – this works by restoring the natural balance of neurotransmitters in the brain. The drug can reduce the urge for alcohol because it works directly on the neurotransmitter.
