The Truth About Alcohol

It isn’t a secret that this drug is one of the most widely abused drugs throughout the United States. It is widely available, can be bought at a low price and is generally considered socially acceptable. Studies have shown that no amount of alcohol is considered safe or healthy, especially for those who have alcoholism. 

Did you know that more than 85% of adults report they have tried alcohol at some time in their life? 55% of these people state they have drank at least once a month in the last year. As you can see, this disease is so normal, it isn’t seen as a problem in many circles. There are heavy drinkers who just state they are having fun. 

If you are drinking too much, you aren’t alone and you don’t have to stick with the “social norms”. There are treatment programs available for you here today at Blue Hills Recovery Center. 

How Much Alcohol is Classified as Too Much

The same study that was noted above states that around ¼ of those that said they drank at least once a month, also stated they drank heavily at least once a month over the past year. Heavy drinking is when someone binge drinks 5 or more days in 1 month. 

Defining Binge Drinking

According to the NIAAA (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism), binge drinking is a pattern when someone drinks to the point of a BAC (blood alcohol level) of .08 g/dL or more. Usually, that is when a woman drinks 4 alcoholic beverages in one sitting and when men drink 5 alcoholic beverages in one sitting. One sitting is usually about 2 hours. 

Binge drinking causes someone to have lower inhibitions such as drinking harder beverages, making riskier sexual decisions, drinking and driving, etc. 

It is usually found that alcohol is one of the primary drugs that people abuse before they move to using heavier drugs. For this reason, alcoholism is generally seen as a gateway addiction. In addition, heavy drinking during younger years predisposes people to alcohol addiction later in life. 

Is Alcohol Safe in Any Amount

According to many studies from multiple countries, during the years of 1990 to 2016, there were small benefits that this drug might have such as preventing heart disease. However, the damage that can be done from alcohol abuse is much worse and makes these small benefits not worth it. 

Facts Regarding Alcohol Abuse 

When we start looking hard at the numbers, they show that this drug isn’t as safe as society looked at it as in the past. Here are just some of the devastating facts regarding how serious alcohol use disorders are;

• Nearly 2,000 college students (ages 18 to 24) pass away each year from injuries related to alcohol use (this includes automobile, intentional, and unintentional injuries)
• Over 700,000 students (ages 18 to 24) get physically assaulted by someone else who is abusing alcohol (nearly 100,000 of these students are sexually assaulted)
• Almost 20% of these college students binge drink or have an alcohol addiction

Whether you are a student or not, abusing this drug can and is likely going to negatively impact your life. However, there are numerous programs that can help you to overcome alcohol addiction and get sober. Once you get sober, you can work hard on your recovery, so you can develop the lifestyle that you need and deserve. 

It should also be noted that co-occurring disorder treatment is beneficial for those who struggle with problem drinking and a mental health disorder. Whether you have depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, anxiety or any other mental health condition along with alcoholism, here at Blue Hills Recovery Center, we have treatments that can help you to live a sober, recovering lifestyle. 

Common Effects of Alcohol Abuse 

One of the other things that you may want to know about alcohol abuse is what effects it may have on a person. Generally, if someone is a heavy drinker or they have an alcohol use disorder, they should seek immediate professional treatment to stop any further damage to their life or health. Some of the short-term and long-term ways that alcohol abuse can damage a person’s life include:

• Causing erratic, restless, or violent behaviors
• Losing interest in family, friends, and activities
• Causing depression or other mental health conditions 
• Not being able to stop drinking even if you want to
• Experiencing memory loss and/or blackouts
• Liver disease
• Heart disease
• Brain damage
• Impaired judgment
• Cancer
• Headache
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Reduced inhibitions 
• Risk-taking behaviors
• Relationship issues

Due to alcoholism being glorified by the media, there are numerous people (mostly college students and young adults) who are developing alcohol addictions. No matter what age you are, if you have fallen into an addictive lifestyle, we don’t want you to struggle or feel alone any longer. Here at Blue Hills Recovery Center, we have treatments that can help you to get the lifestyle you deserve, need and want. 

Get Alcohol Abuse or Addiction Treatment Today

For most people who are binge drinkers or heavy drinkers, they do end up with alcoholism. Some people aren’t able to stop drinking by themselves, no matter what they try to do. If you are in this position, the first thing you may need to know is that alcoholism is a disease. It is okay and encouraged for you to seek professional addiction treatment help. You can start with a detox program, attend outpatient treatment or even stay at an inpatient treatment program. There are various other treatment options that you may want to check into, as well. If you want to know more about each of these treatments or you have other questions about how to overcome alcoholism, don’t hesitate to let a member of our team know. We are here to help you develop the best lifestyle possible. 

Quitting drinking alcohol can be one of the toughest things you ever do. However, whether it is for you or someone you know, it is important to know how beneficial professional addiction treatment can be for your lifestyle and health. Contact us here today at Blue Hills Recovery Center to start overcoming alcohol abuse and/or addiction right away.