Facts and Myths

It often seems that everyone’s an expert when it comes to alcohol, especially when deciding how much is too much or not enough. When having a drink, it’s important that you can separate the myths from the facts to ensure you have a good time and are always safe and healthy.

Some myths:

Alcohol will give you more energy and make you more sociable.

Alcohol is a depressant and will therefore slow you down rather than give you more energy. As it slows down the central nervous system, it may lead to some people feeling less self-conscious, however it is also likely to impair people’s ability to make decisions in a rational manner. In some instances, people can become abusive and violent after drinking alcohol.

While alcohol is considered a drug, you cannot overdose on it.

Overdosing on alcohol occurs when you drink too much and is referred to as alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning takes place when the level of alcohol in the body is so high that it causes the collapse of the autonomic nervous system. It does this by numbing the respiratory brain cells, which causes the brain to stop signalling the body to breathe. This can lead to suffocation and death.

Alcohol does not have an adverse affect on your body unless you get really drunk.

Unlike food, alcohol does not require digestion and can be quickly metabolised through the body. When drinking on an empty stomach, it takes about five minutes for alcohol to be absorbed into the bloodstream through the small intestine. As soon as it is in the bloodstream, it only takes about 90 seconds for it to be carried to all of the body’s organs, including the brain.

Some facts:

Alcohol is a bigger problem than other drugs

Alcohol misuse is a significant problem, both socially and economically, to the Australian community. The community generally perceives illicit drugs to be a greater problem because there is always more media attention on drug use, especially heroin, cannabis and ecstasy. In reality, alcohol is ranked second to tobacco as the most preventable cause of health-related harms and death. Alcohol costs the Australian community approximately $7.5 billion per annum, accounting for 22 per cent of the social cost of all use in Australia.

Alcohol affects everyone differently

People react differently to alcohol. This can be due to a number of reasons which relate to the type of alcohol being consumed (amount, strength), the person drinking (sex, age, body weight, state of mind) and the environment where drinking is taking place (time of day, being alone).

Alcohol affects males differently to females

Even if a male and female are the same height and weight and consume the same amount of alcohol, the female is likely to experience higher blood alcohol levels as alcohol is absorbed differently in females due to them tending to have more fatty tissue and less water in their bodies than males.

Time is the only effective method of sobering up

Many people believe that vomiting, drinking coffee or even having a shower will help people sober up. In reality, the only effective thing that will sober someone up is time. While doing those things outlined may make someone feel better, they will not help someone sober up any quicker. This is important to remember when undertaking potentially risky activities, such as driving or operating heavy machinery.

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