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ANN ARBOR,
MI - For many, the holidays are a time to celebrate with friends
and family. And typically those celebrations aren't complete without
gifts, a big meal with all of the fixings, mountains of desserts,
and often an over-indulgence in alcoholic beverages.
 But
before you toast the holiday season with a few glasses of champagne
or some eggnog, it's important to know that the consequences of
drinking too much may be more serious than the symptoms of a hangover
the next morning. In fact, emergency physicians at the University
of Michigan Health System say that even moderate drinking may
impair judgement and lead to a number of serious safety and health
problems - and in some more extreme cases, alcohol
dependence.
It is estimated
that one in every four patients treated in some emergency departments
are treated for reasons related to alcohol intoxication or the consequences
of heavy drinking.
Since alcohol
affects the brain and central nervous system, it often impairs people's
ability to function while giving them a feeling of self-confidence
or denial that they are being adversely affected by alcohol. Alcohol
kills brain cells and causes memory loss, emotional disturbances,
loss of coordination and brain damage. Long-term alcohol abuse may
result in liver cirrhosis and cancers of the throat, mouth, esophagus,
stomach and liver.
Although alcohol
is the United States' number one drug problem, recognizing that
a person has become dependent on alcohol may be difficult. Even
those people who just drink on the weekends may be at risk for becoming
dependent on alcohol, says Brian Zink, M.D., an emergency physician
in the U-M Health System
Emergency Department.
"Alcohol
dependence is a fairly complex process where the brain adapts to
the effect of alcohol so that more and more alcohol is required
to produce the same effects," he explains. "Even binge
drinking (the consumption of more than four or five drinks on any
one occasion) can lead to alcoholism the same way it would for a
person who drinks on a daily basis."
According to
Zink, a binge drinker can be at risk for alcohol dependence after
only three days of heavy alcohol consumption. For a woman, the threshold
for problem drinking with an increased risk for alcohol dependence
is more than one drink per day, three drinks per occasion or seven
drinks per week. For a man, the threshold is more
than two drinks per day, four drinks per occasion or 14 drinks per
week.
Consuming large
amounts of alcohol depresses the brain, which reduces
brain cell activity over time. Then, when the brain is deprived
of alcohol, it becomes overactive and irritable. Alcohol
withdrawal symptoms are the hallmark of dependence on alcohol.
Common withdrawal symptoms include headaches, restlessness, vomiting,
shaking and nausea.
"When
that happens, the natural inclination for people is to get rid of
those side effects by putting more alcohol in their system,"
says Zink. "In some cases, a hangover may be the result of
alcohol withdrawal, which would indicate that people may have some
dependence on alcohol when they wake up in the morning without any
alcohol in their system."
Zink says a
red flag should go up for anyone who drinks alcohol to cure a hangover.
"If a person is at that point, then he or she needs to seek
professional help."
With both social
drinkers and alcoholics, there is always the risk of getting behind
the wheel after too many drinks. Research has show that the impairment
of driving abilities actually occurs at a lower level than the legal
limit for intoxication.
Even having
a designated driver may not be enough to protect a person from the
effects of drinking and driving.
"Research
from the University of Michigan and other places has shown that
anyone who is injured in a car accident will have a worse outcome
if they have alcohol in their systems compared to someone who is
sober," says Zink. "In any case it's clear that if you
have alcohol in your system, the chance of having a serious injury
or death is increased." These findings are directly opposite
what most people believe - that being drunk protects a person from
serious injury.
The best way
to prevent serious safety or health risks associated with alcohol
is to drink in moderation, even if it's not easy. To avoid these
risks, adults should not drink more than one drink per hour, avoid
daily drinking and drinking during leisure activities.
Facts about
alcohol dependence:
- It is estimated
that one in every four patients treated in some emergency departments
are treated for reasons relating to alcohol intoxication or the
consequences of heavy drinking.
- Although
alcohol is the United State's number one drug problem, recognizing
that a person has become dependent on alcohol may be difficult.
- A woman
may be at risk for alcohol problems if she exceeds more than one
drink per day, three drinks per occasion or seven drinks per week;
and a man may be at risk if he consumes more than two drinks per
day, four drinks per occasion or 14 drinks per week.
- Alcohol
kills brain cells and causes memory loss, emotional disturbances,
loss of coordination and brain damage. Long-term alcohol abuse
may result in liver cirrhosis and cancers of the throat, mouth,
esophagus, stomach and liver.
For more
information, visit the following Web sites:
U-M Health
Topics A-Z: Who is an alcoholic?
www.med.umich.edu/1libr/subabuse/alcohl11.htm
U-M Health
Topic A-Z: Symptoms of alcohol dependence
www.med.umich.edu/1libr/subabuse/alcohl08.htm
U-M Health Topic A-Z: Drinking in moderation
www.med.umich.edu/1libr/subabuse/alcohl05.htm
National Institute
on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
www.niaaa.nih.gov/
Center for
Substance Abuse Prevention
http://prevention.samhsa.gov/
Written by Krista Hopson
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