Alcohol

Alcohol consumption is pervasive in our culture and everyday lives, and is generally seen as socially acceptable. Understanding the impact of alcohol is crucial, and this page serves as a centralized resource of facts and information — general overviews, myths, research, etc. — to empower you to make informed choices.

Research increasingly highlights that alcohol consumption poses health risks for people of all ages, and is particularly harmful to individuals under 21 due to its potential for causing long-term health and behavioral issues. From its effects on the brain to the role stress plays in decision-making, the impact of alcohol can snowball before you realize it. With these resources, you can learn how to assess if your drinking has become a problem and learn more to achieve your own goals, including those involving prevention, moderation, and/or abstinence.

Why Talk About Drinking?

During times of crisis, people often turn to alcohol as a way to numb emotional pain, manage stress, or escape overwhelming feelings of uncertainty. This reliance on alcohol as a coping mechanism can provide temporary relief but often exacerbates underlying issues, creating a cycle of dependence and harm. So why do we need to keep talking about it? Even though the warnings are familiar, addressing the root causes and promoting healthier coping strategies has never been more crucial.

People have long used alcohol to relax or reduce inhibitions. But with anxiety, fear, and boredom at an all-time high, alcohol use as a coping mechanism has surged. The problem is that isolation increases psychological distress, and alcohol, which is a depressant, worsens this. While it might initially feel like a stimulant, alcohol slows down the central nervous system once it hits the brain, impacting how you think, act, and feel while lowering blood pressure and heart rate.

Finally, there are no recommended amounts of alcohol for anyone under 21—zero. Let’s ensure you have the facts to make informed choices and learn how to help someone during an alcohol-related emergency, such as alcohol poisoning, impaired driving incidents, or situations where someone’s health or safety is at immediate risk due to excessive drinking.

Understanding Alcohol: The Basics

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) measures the amount of alcohol in a person’s bloodstream and is influenced by factors such as the type and amount of alcohol consumed, how quickly it’s consumed, body weight, gender, genetics, and even medications—whether prescribed or not.

Not all drinking is created equal, and specific amounts carry varying levels of risk. For example, many people mistakenly think moderate drinking means one drink a day, but that “one drink” depends on the size of your glass. If your party cup holds 18 ounces, you’re likely consuming more than one standard drink.

A standard drink contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol:

• 12 oz. of beer (~5% alcohol) = 1 drink
• 5 oz. of wine (~12% alcohol) = 1 drink
• 1.5 oz. shot of 80-proof liquor (40% alcohol) = 1 drink

Studies show people often over-pour when serving themselves, making it easy to drink more than intended without realizing it. Understanding these measurements is key to making informed choices about alcohol consumption and its potential risks.

Alcohol Myths: Setting the Record Straight

Myth: Drinking coffee sobers you up.

Fact: Caffeine might make you feel alert, but you’re still impaired. (source)

Myth: Drinking water helps you sober up.

Fact: Water is great for hydration but does nothing to lower your BAC; the liver metabolizes alcohol at a set rate of 0.015% per hour, regardless. (source)

Myth: Eating food, particularly before drinking, absorbs alcohol.

Fact: Eating before drinking might slow alcohol absorption, but it won’t prevent intoxication entirely. (source)

Myth: Cold showers or exercise help you sober up.

Fact: These won’t sober you up either. Other ineffective strategies include vomiting, fresh air, and even charcoal. (source)

Myth: Mixing different types of alcohol makes you drunker faster.

Fact: The type of alcohol does not affect how quickly you become intoxicated; it is the amount of alcohol consumed that matters. This also means that drinking beer before liquor, for example, has no overall effect on exactly how intoxicated you actually become, or the severity of a hangover.

Myth: Beer is less intoxicating than hard liquor.

Fact: All types of alcoholic beverages contain alcohol, and the amount of alcohol in a standard drink is the same, regardless of the type. (source)

Myth: Alcohol helps you sleep.

Fact: Alcohol can initially make you feel sleepy, but it actually disrupts sleep patterns in the long run by delaying and interrupting REM sleep. (source)

Myth: Alcohol warms you up.

Fact: Alcohol dilates blood vessels, which can make you feel warmer, but it does not actually increase your body temperature. (source)

Myth: Alcohol really just impacts your liver.

Fact: In addition to affecting the liver, alcohol affects the brain, the heart, and both the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. (source)

Alcohol Poisoning: Know the Signs

Alcohol poisoning, also known as an alcohol overdose, is life-threatening. The signs are easy to remember with the acronym “C.U.P.S.“:

• C: Clammy or bluish skin
• U: Unconscious or difficult to wake
• P: Puking uncontrollably
• S: Slow or irregular breathing

If someone shows these signs, call 9-1-1. While waiting, keep the person sitting up, or if they’re lying down, roll them onto their side to prevent choking. Never leave them alone, and be prepared to administer CPR if needed. Emergency operators can guide you through it.

Alcohol and College Students: Breaking the Myths

When we think of college students, we often assume that excessive drinking is the norm. But according to the American College Health Association’s Spring 2023 Executive Summary, the data tells a different story.

72% of college students have tried alcohol, and 66% reported drinking in the past three months.

Additional findings from the report include:

• 19.4% of students who drank in the past year said they did something they later regretted.
• 10.8% reported blacking out.
• 21.9% experienced “browning out” (partial memory loss).

These findings show that while alcohol use is common among college students, the majority are not engaging in excessive drinking, emphasizing the importance of continuing education and support to encourage mindful and responsible choices.

Resources

For Youth and Young Adults

Understanding the risks associated with alcohol use is crucial for youth and young adults. Despite alcohol’s cultural prevalence, its harms—especially for young people—are often underrepresented. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a shocking 96.5% of teenagers who die from excessive alcohol use do so from acute causes like accidents or suicide.

Parents, guardians, and caretakers are encouraged to talk openly with youth about the risks of alcohol, how to handle peer pressure, and the potential short- and long-term effects on mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.

For Candid Conversations

• NIH: Rethinking Drinking
• CDC: Effects of Mixing Alcohol and Caffeine

Online Support Meetings

• SMART Recovery
• Moderation Management

As part of the “Sensible Strumming” campaign, SAFE Project partnered with Ryan Whyte Maloney to create the song “It Ain’t 5 O’Clock Somewhere,” challenging the glorification of drinking alcohol in country music. This new country single urges responsible drinking beyond Dry January and prompts a critical look at the genre’s prevailing culture of normalizing unhealthy drinking patterns.

Listen to “It Ain’t 5 O’Clock Somewhere,” launched on dozens of music services including iHeartRadio, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube Music, and more.

In 2023, legendary music producer and writer Andy Goldmark released a new single entitled “Dry January” in which he reflects and journeys with the listener.

SAFE Project spoke with Andy about his song and what he hopes listeners may take away from its lyrics.