Just how much harm can too many drinks do?
Many people drink alcohol as a celebratory treat or to help wind down after a long day. A couple glasses in and you’ll get that “buzz” that lifts your spirits, making you a little less worried and stressed, and a lot more uninhibited. But everyone who’s experienced the highs alcohol bring has most likely also experienced the lows—the dizziness and vomiting, and the embarrassing moments brought about by lowered inhibitions. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Makati Medical Center, the leading hospital in the Philippines, is setting us straight on what can happen if we enjoy our alcohol a little too much. “A lot of people would be surprised to know what constitutes ‘heavy drinking’,” says Edgardo Juan L. Tolentino, MD of the Section of Psychiatry under the MakatiMed Department of Neurological Sciences. “Young people or those who binge drink only once in a while usually underestimate the long-term effects of the alcohol they consume.” According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), excessive alcohol consumption is more than one drink a day for women and more than two a day for men. Note that a glass of wine, a bottle of beer, or a shot of hard liquor is considered one standard drink. Binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks for men and four or more drinks for women consumed within two hours. Heavy drinking is defined as consuming, eight or more drinks per week for women, and 15 or more drinks per week for men. “It’s surprising for a lot of people to find out just how harmful alcohol is because of how normalized and even celebrated it has become in our society,” shares Dr. Tolentino. “Because it’s something everyone does, we tend to believe it’s not dangerous.” The reality is that it causes millions of deaths a year. Globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) in its latest available statistics (2012), 3.3 million has died due to harmful use of alcohol. The WHO added that harmful alcohol use increases people’s risk of developing more than 200 diseases, including liver cirrhosis, certain cancers, and brain damage, and in some cases lead to accidents and violence. Dr. Tolentino advises young people to refrain from drinking at an early age, and for adults to drink moderately and responsibly. “Every once in a while, alcohol is a welcome treat. But more than just taking note of how it can harm your body, consider how it can harm your mind, too. Don’t treat it as a go-to or a cure for stress or sadness, because that can lead to dependence. Remember that it’s only a temporary relief but can have permanent effects.” For more information, please contact MakatiMed On-Call at +632.8888 999, email mmc@makatimed.net.ph, or visit www.makatimed.net.ph.