The Truth About Alcohol

CEBU, Philippines - Slang—Booze, Sauce, Brews, Brewskis, Hooch, Hard Stuff, Juice, Toma. Alcohol affects your brain. Drinking alcohol leads to a loss of coordination, poor judgment, slowed reflexes, distorted vision, memory lapses, and even blackouts.

Alcohol affects your body. Alcohol can damage every organ in your body. It is absorbed directly into your bloodstream and can increase your risk for a variety of life-threatening diseases, including cancer.

Alcohol affects your self-control. Alcohol depresses your central nervous system, lowers your inhibitions, and impairs your judgment. Drinking can lead to risky behaviors, such as driving when you shouldn’t, or having unprotected sex.

Alcohol can kill you. Drinking large amounts of alcohol at one time or very rapidly can cause alcohol poisoning, which can lead to coma or even death. Driving and drinking also can be deadly.

Alcohol can hurt you—even if you’re not the one drinking. If you’re around people who are drinking, you have an increased risk of being seriously injured, involved in car crashes, or affected by violence. At the very least, you may have to deal with people who are sick, out of control, or unable to take care of themselves.

Before you risk it, know the facts:

• It is illegal to buy or possess alcohol if you are under age 21.

• One drink can make you fail a breath test.

• “Binge” drinking means having five or more drinks on one occasion. Studies show that more than 35 percent of adults with an alcohol problem developed symptoms—such as binge drinking—by age 19.2

• Alcohol is a drug. Mixing it with any other drug can be extremely dangerous. Alcohol and acetaminophen—a common ingredient in pain and fever reducers—can damage your liver. Alcohol mixed with other drugs can cause nausea, vomiting, fainting, heart problems, and difficulty breathing. Mixing alcohol and drugs also can lead to coma and death.

• Alcohol is a depressant, or downer, because it reduces brain activity. If you are depressed before you start drinking, alcohol can make you feel worse.

How can you tell if a friend has a drinking problem? Sometimes it’s tough to tell. But there are signs you can look for. If your friend has one or more of the following warning signs, he or she may have a problem with alcohol:

• Getting drunk on a regular basis

• Lying about how much alcohol he or she is using

• Believing that alcohol is necessary to have fun

• Having frequent hangovers

• Feeling run-down, depressed, or even suicidal

•Having “blackouts”—forgetting what he or she did while drinking

What can you do to help someone who has a drinking problem? Be a real friend. You might even save a life. Encourage your friend to stop or seek professional help. For more information please feel free to contact We Do Recover at 32-2315229 or 32-2389143. You may email us at [email protected], or visit our website at http://www.wedorecover.net. You may also visit us at Left 3rd. St. La Guardia, Lahug, Cebu City.