Alcohol - Why is it so popular? And useful facts you should know
Alcohol has been used by mankind for over 8000 years. It is the most widely used mood altering recreational drug in Australia, with 90% of the population having drunk it at some time during their life. So what accounts for the popularity of alcohol?
Alcohol is legal, which means it is available to the majority of adults who wish to purchase it at any number of outlets. Alcohol is widely advertised and marketed to consumers, and alcohol manufacturers are major sponsors of everything from national sporting, social and cultural events to individuals, local sports clubs and pub competitions.
The consumption of alcohol is embedded within Australian society as a celebratory and social activity. Alcohol is an integral part of sporting functions, birthdays, weddings, funerals and work related functions, and getting drunk is seen as a rite of passage by many young people.
Alcohol, when drunk responsibly, can produce a sense of relaxation, wellbeing and even euphoria in individuals, which enhances their enjoyment of whatever activity they are participating in. This is because alcohol is a central nervous system depressant and directly affects those parts of the brain which regulate emotion, memory, co-ordination and planning. It is rapidly absorbed into the blood stream and affects almost all of the body’s cells and systems. Consequently, for the majority of people who drink alcohol responsibly, it can act as a disinhibiting agent. This may allow them to ‘let their hair down’, feel more socially adept and reduce the anxiety they may feel in social situations. This is why alcohol is known as a ‘social lubricant’! It’s fast acting and loosens a person up so their interaction with their environment and other people seems to occur more smoothly and with a greater degree of pleasure. However, too much alcohol can cause concern.
I was recently a guest on the national ABC Radio program, 'Nightlife', hosted by Tony Delroy, in which we discussed alcohol at length and then opened the lines to talkback callers. One of the first questions I was asked was, “How does a person know when they have an alcohol problem?” As I have said, the vast majority of Australians drink responsibly. However, for some people alcohol can become a major issue in many aspects of their lives.
Some people drink in an attempt to self-medicate personal problems or perceived deficiencies in their lives, and use alcohol to ‘numb the pain’ and avoid thinking about their situation. Domestic violence, abuse, family problems, divorce, bullying, low self-esteem, health issues, unemployment, financial stress – alcohol can be seen as an escape for a while.
For other people, the reasons for alcohol dependence are less obvious and may be associated not with negative personal triggers, but with our drinking culture. Their dependence often develops when the positive effects of alcohol – such as a sense of relaxation, more confidence - become more prominent and the person comes to see alcohol as an essential component of their enjoyment of activities such as attending sporting events, getting together with friends, even relaxing after a hard day’s work.
Regardless of the reasons behind their drinking, as a person drinks more, they develop a tolerance to the effects of alcohol, and have to drink greater quantities of alcohol more frequently to achieve the same positive effects they used to receive from drinking. After a while, drinking alcohol may start to feature more prominently in the person’s life as an activity in its own right, supplanting time usually spent with family, friends and associates; and adversely affecting their ability to perform their job or engage in study or leisure activities.
This type of behaviour, coupled with physical manifestations when a person is not drinking such as nausea, anxiety, depression, tremors, sweating, headaches and difficulty sleeping, are warning signs of alcohol withdrawal, which denotes a dependence on alcohol. If these signs are prevalent, the person in question should seek professional help.
In closing, there are some useful facts to be conscious regarding the consumption of alcohol.
• It takes the body one hour to process one standard drink of alcohol. A standard drink is:
• One glass (schooner) of light beer (2.7% alcohol)
• One glass (a middy) of regular beer (4.9%)
• One 100ml glass of wine (12% alcohol)
• One 30ml nip of spirits (40% alcohol)
• A can of ready-to-drink spirits (5% alcohol) is equal to 1.2 standard drinks
• A can of ready-to-drink spirits (7%) alcohol) is equal to 1.6 – 2.4 standard drinks
• It is a good idea to alternate your drinks between alcohol and non-alcoholic. Start with water and/or juice.
• Drink slowly. Sip your drink; don’t down it in gulps.
• Eat before or while you are drinking. Food in the stomach slows down the rate of absorption of alcohol.
• Select low alcoholic drinks
• Avoid rounds or ‘shouts’
• Drink one drink at a time. Don’t let people ‘top up’ your drink if you haven’t finished it.
(National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 2008. Pfizer Health Report).
If you are concerned about your level of drinking or that of a friend or loved one, you can access our “Alcohol Insights” link on our web site at http://www.odysseyhouse.org.au and take an anonymous five-minute test called the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). It is self-scoring and will indicate whether you are drinking at moderate, risky, or harmful levels.
Please Drink Responsibly!
James A Pitts, MA
Chief Executive Officer
Odyssey House