We have all, at one point or another discovered that something we held to be true was actually false. Like when you learned that going outside with a wet head will not cause you to catch a cold, or that you should never put butter on a burn.
Until science gets around to studying something all people have to go on are their own personal observations or dubious knowledge passed onto them by other well-meaning individuals. It should come then as no great surprise that there are several of these myths surrounding alcohol.
It’s Okay to Drink More Over Time Because Your Body Develops a Tolerance to Alcohol
True, the more you drink the more your body will develop a tolerance to alcohol. This is true of any drug. It’s the reason you shouldn’t take antibiotics unless you absolutely have to. Your body develops a tolerance to alcohol, however, it is not a green flag to go ahead and drink more and more and constantly raise that limit.
The tolerance drinkers develope is a warning sign from your body.
The higher your tolerance becomes the more alcohol you have to consume in order to achieve your buzz. More alcohol is harder on your body and hastens the onset of the risks associated with drinking alcohol such as high blood pressure and cirrhosis of the liver.
Beer Will Not Get You as Drunk as Liquor
This statement is inherently unreliable and quite misleading. If you are going to compare one average beer to one average shot of liquor, then yes, this statement rings true.
This is because your average liquor is 40 percent alcohol (80 proof), while your average beer is 5 – 6 percent alcohol (10 to 12 proof). It is the amount of alcohol contained in the drink that is the deciding factor as to how drunk you get. If you imbibe in any drink in large enough quantities, it will get you drunk. The important factors here are actually how much you consume and how quickly you consume it.
Just because you are “only drinking beer” does not mean you are off the hook for getting wasted or from having a hangover. Whether you drink wine coolers or corn liquor you are drunk once your blood alcohol level reaches a certain point, no matter what you used to get it there.
A Pot of Black Coffee or a Cold Shower Will Sober You Up
The truth is the only thing that can make you sober again is time. Your body has to process the alcohol you have put into it and it does that at a very exact speed. No amount of coffee, or showering, or showering while drinking coffee is going to lower your blood alcohol level. You’re just going to have to wait it out.
As science progresses we learn that more and more things we once believed are simply not true. What is true, however, is that heavy drinking and long-term drinking are astonishingly bad for you and diminish the length and quality of your life.
If you or a family member are ready to consider rehab, it is important that you be ready to move forward on that decision. Reach out to the staff at Discovery Place in Tennessee for information regarding our Long Term Alternative Recovery Program.
You can chat with us on our website or give us a call and speak with a trained staff member at (800) 725-0922 today to speak with a caring, professional drug and alcohol treatment counselor.
