Alcohol- The reality.

My colleague Bijoy tells me that alcohol helps in bonding the friendship and also it brings guts...oh..he also says its hard to reject a friends invitation to drink...peer pressure...

It’s time to confront some of the most common myths about alcohol. You’ve probably heard them all. So, why waste our time trying to de-bunk a bunch of harmless myths? Because they can be pretty fierce.

You may want to say no to your friends, but sometimes it’s tough. Knowing the truth about these myths will help you say no. And the next time someone tries these lines on you, you’ll know your stuff!

Myth: Alcohol gives you energy.
Reality: Nope. It’s a depressant. It slows down your ability to think, speak, move and all that other stuff you like to do.

Myth: Switching between beer, wine and liquor will make you more drunk than sticking to one type of alcohol.
Reality: Whatever! Your blood alcohol content (BAC - the percent of alcohol in your blood) is what determines how drunk you are. Not the flavors you selected. Alcohol is alcohol!

Myth: Everybody reacts the same to alcohol.
Reality: Not hardly. There are dozens of factors that affect reactions to alcohol - body weight, time of day, how you feel mentally, body chemistry, your expectations, and the list goes on and on.

Myth: A cold shower or a cup of coffee will sober someone up.
Reality: Not on your life. Nothing sobers you up but time. With coffee, you’re simply a wide-awake drunk!

Myth: It’s just beer. It can’t permanently damage you.
Reality: Large amounts of any type of alcohol can do major damage to your digestive system. You can hurt your heart, liver, stomach, and several other critical organs as well as losing years from your life.

Myth: It’s none of my business if a friend is drinking too much.
Reality: If you are a real friend, it is your business. You can’t make someone change but you can be honest. Maybe they’ll listen. You might even talk them into getting help.

Myth: The worst thing that can happen is a raging hangover.
Reality: Sorry. If you drink enough alcohol, fast enough, you can get an amount in your body that can kill you in only a few hours.

Myth: Alcohol makes you more sexy.
Reality: The more you drink, the less you think. Alcohol may loosen you up and make someone more interested in sex, but it interferes with the body’s ability to perform. And then there’s pregnancy, AIDS, sexual assault, car crashes and worse, to worry about. Not sexy at all.

Myth: People who drink too much only hurt themselves.
Reality: Every person who drinks has a mother, grandfather, sister, aunt, best friend, boyfriend or girlfriend who worries about them. Each of the 18 million problem drinkers in this country affects four other people.

What Would You Say? What Would You Do?
You’ve just met someone new at a party that you really like. He or she wants you to be a partner in a drinking game. You don’t really want to, but you want to get to know this person better. What would you say or do?

Your friend tells you that you should party more if you want to meet people. When you look around, it seems like everyone is drinking. Where might you go to meet others like yourself who like to do more than drink?

There’s someone in your class that you would like to get to know better. One day he tells you he will “be at a party” and tells you to stop by around 10:00 p.m. You want to go, but your friends are busy doing other things. What do you do?

You and your friends are at a party where your friend has had too much to drink. You want to go home, but she doesn’t because she’s met someone who she says “is cute.” She tells you to go ahead, she’ll ask him to take her home. What do you say or do?

Ask Yourself These Questions
When you go to a party, what makes it fun for you?
What do people in your peer group think about using alcohol?
What beer commercial stands out for you? Why?
What do young people in your community do, instead of drinking?
How would someone who doesn’t drink alcohol be treated by your peer group?
Is it OK for people of any age to get drunk?