SAFE Glen Cove Coalition: NIAAA’s Truth About Holiday Spirits

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) urges the public to be mindful of the Holiday season and the effects of alcohol during gatherings. As many of us look forward to celebrations during the holidays, it is also a time when some people are more likely to drink beyond their limits than at other times of the year. Some people will experience adverse consequences that range from fights to falls to traffic crashes.

Despite the potential dangers, myths about drinking persist, which for some can prove fatal. Scientific studies supported by the (NIAAA) provide important information that challenges these widespread, yet incorrect, beliefs about how quickly alcohol affects the body and how long the effects of drinking last.

Alcohol’s Effects Begin Quickly, Before You Know It! People may not recognize that critical decision-making abilities and driving-related skills are already diminished long before they show overt signs of intoxication. Initially, alcohol may appear to act as a stimulant, so people who drink may feel upbeat and excited. But don’t be fooled. Alcohol decreases inhibitions and judgment and can lead to reckless decisions. As people consume more alcohol, reaction times get longer and behavior becomes poorly controlled and sometimes even aggressive leading to fights and other types of violence. Continued drinking causes slurred speech and loss of balance that is typically associated with being drunk.

Alcohol can also cause blackouts—which are gaps in a person’s memory while they were intoxicated. These gaps happen when a person drinks enough alcohol to temporarily block the transfer of memories from short-term to long-term storage, known as memory consolidation—in a brain area called the hippocampus. At higher blood alcohol concentration levels, alcohol acts as a clear depressant, which can cause people who drink to pass out if the dose is high enough. At even higher levels, people who drink face the danger of life-threatening alcohol overdose due to the suppression of vital life functions.

Even When Drinking Stops, Alcohol’s Effects Do Not Stop! During an evening of drinking, it’s easy to misjudge how long alcohol’s effects last. For example, many people believe that they will begin to sober up—and be able to drive safely—once they stop drinking and have a cup of coffee. The truth is that alcohol continues to affect the brain and body long after the last drink has been finished. Even after someone stops drinking, alcohol in the stomach and intestine continues to enter the bloodstream, resulting in impaired judgment and coordination for hours.

NIAAA suggests Before You Celebrate—Plan Ahead. No one intends to harm anyone when celebrating during the holiday season. Yet, violence and traffic fatalities associated with alcohol misuse persist, and myths about drinking live on—even though scientific studies have documented how alcohol affects the brain and body. Because individuals differ, the specific effects of alcohol on an individual will vary. But certain facts are clear—there’s no way to make good decisions when you are intoxicated, and there’s no way to sober up faster.

This holiday season please do not underestimate the effects of alcohol. Don’t believe you can beat them, or they may beat you. Think before you drink.

NIAAA’s Sobering Up–Myths and Facts:

Myth: Drink coffee. Caffeine will sober you up.

Fact: Caffeine may help with drowsiness but not with the effects of alcohol on decision-making or coordination. The body needs time to metabolize (break down) alcohol and then to return to normal. Also, when caffeine wears off, your body will need to deal with post-caffeine sleepiness, which adds to alcohol-induced sleepiness. There are no quick cures—only time will help.

Myth: You can drive as long as you are not slurring your words or acting erratically.

Fact: The coordination needed for driving is compromised long before you show signs of intoxication and your reaction time is slowed. Plus, the sedative effects of alcohol increase your risk of nodding off or losing attention behind the wheel.

Myth: The warm feeling you get from drinking alcohol insulates you from the cold of winter. When you’re drinking, there’s no need to wear a coat when it’s cold outside.

Fact: Alcohol widens the tiny blood vessels right under the skin, so they quickly fill with warm blood. This makes you feel warm or hot and can cause your skin to flush and perspire. But your body temperature is dropping, because while alcohol is pulling warmth from your body’s core to the skin surface, it is also depressing the area of your brain that controls temperature regulation. In cold environments, this can lead to hypothermia. So, wear a coat when it’s cold outside, particularly if you are drinking alcohol.

NIAAA’s tips to keep in mind if you host a holiday gathering:

• Offer a variety of alcohol-free drinks—water, juices, sparkling sodas. Alcohol-free drinks help counteract the dehydrating effects of alcohol. Also, the other fluids may slow the rate of alcohol absorption into the body and reduce the peak alcohol concentration in the blood. They also provide your guests with alternatives to alcohol.
• Provide a variety of healthy foods and snacks. Food can slow the absorption of alcohol and reduce the peak level of alcohol in the body by about one-third. Food can also minimize stomach irritation and gastrointestinal distress the following day.
• Help your guests get home safely—use designated drivers and taxis. Anyone getting behind the wheel of a car should not have ingested any alcohol.
• If you are a parent, understand the underage drinking laws—and set a good example.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), as part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, supports and conducts biomedical and behavioral research on the causes, consequences, treatment, and prevention of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. For more information please visit www.niaaa.nih.gov. . To find evidence-based treatment or to learn about treatment options and the signs of quality care, visit the NIAAA Alcohol Treatment NavigatorFor information about alcohol use disorder and how to get help, please visit: alcoholtreatment.niaaa.nih.gov.

The SAFE Glen Cove Coalition was formed in 2003 to change societal norms about alcohol and substance use. The Coalition is concerned about excessive alcohol use in youth and adults and seeks to educate the community about its negative effects on one’s health and wellness. The Glen Cove Police Department has been a longstanding member of the Coalition and works diligently to monitor alcohol sales to minors and provide prevention education to youth and adults about Social Host Law and its consequences throughout the year. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencovecoalition or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about Alcohol and its negative consequences please visit www.safeglencove.org.