It’s the most wonderful time of the year, when holiday parties collide with collegiate and professional athletics events. What do they all have in common? Booze, lots of it, and often free. It’s no wonder the lead reindeer has a red nose.
How Many is Too Many?
About 1 in 8 U.S. adults met the criteria for an alcohol use disorder in 2013—the most recent year for which we have data. Compare that to just over 1 in 12 in 2002. That’s a nearly 50 percent increase. Alcohol misuse can lead to violence, physical injury, and can worsen medical and psychiatric conditions. Besides its impact on health and well-being, alcohol misuse costs the United States an estimated $224 billion a year in lost productivity, health care costs, criminal justice costs, and more. More than 75 percent of those costs are associated with binge drinking.For Starters, Stop Calling Names
To effectively address the question, we must rethink our use of the term “alcoholic.” People have disorders; they are not themselves these disorders. The distinction isn’t merely a matter of semantics. It is fundamental to eliminating the stigma of substance use disorders and other psychiatric conditions.That’s because two people could drink the same amount and experience completely different consequences. So, the diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorder focus on those consequences, rather than number of drinks imbibed.
Risky Business
Most drinkers don’t develop a disorder. But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Research shows that Americans are drinking more and for longer each time they drink than ever before. And, adults are continuing to drink into older ages than ever before.At blood alcohol concentrations equivalent to one or two drinks, older adults show notable shifts in cognitive performance, neural activity, and driving strategies compared to younger adults.
Putting all this in the context of the holidays, it’s not just the pervasive presence of booze that makes us drink. It’s the party culture. If you’re seen without a drink, you are often encouraged to take one. If you lose track of your drink, you get another (full) one.
Should I Take Action?
If your alcohol use is gnawing at your conscience, you have options. Talk candidly with a trained professional about your drinking. Access the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website, where you can assess your drinking and seek help. If you believe a friend or relative has a problem, talk with someone who can help you identify the next steps.- Before that party, eat something, even if you have to eat it in the car.
- Make your first drink nonalcoholic. It keeps you from gulping down the first “real” drink and allows your “car snack” time to settle.
- Alternate alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks.
- Eat (actually, graze) throughout the evening. Assuage guilt about calories by prioritizing fitness.
- Disregard peer pressure. Susceptibility to it may lessen with age but seldom vanishes. When you reach your limit, don’t be swayed.
- To escape from an awkward conversation, don’t make a beeline to the bar. Take an indirect route through the room, mingling, checking out decorations.
- Take a ride-share home or to and from a party.