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Many of
us have an uncle, grandfather or friends that
reached an advanced age despite the fact that
they drank excessively. Unfortunately, they are
only few exceptions due to the fact that the
human body is a wonderful and complex mechanism
with an outstanding capacity to adjust. This can
explain why some people can tolerate high amounts
of alcohol better than others without displaying
noticeable symptoms. Nevertheless, excessive
drinking does cause damages.
The border between a normal and an
abusive drinking is not well defined by the
society and, for the majority, this border is
rather based on the risks for health problems
rather than thier atitude towards alcohol.
We
talk about an abusive drinking when people drink:
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in improper circumstances (such as
driving the car, at the office, during physical
activities, when pregnant);
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until they get drunk;
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until they numb an upsetting mood (when
upset);
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drinking high amounts of alcohol (for
males - over 40 grams, for females - over 20
grams pure alcohol/day).
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are 2 distinct types of abusive
drinkers: -
habitual drinker, is a person
that (1) drinks frequently to feel
comfortable, (2) usually stands out due
to an advanced stage of intoxication, and
(3) develops serious medical condition
- intentional
drinker, is a person that (1)
drinks deliberately and usually has
difficulties stopping once they started,
and (2) uses alcohol
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to cope with personal conflicts,
crises, and inferiority complexes.
Several
studies suggest that an avarage alcohol amount of
60 grams (pure alcohol) per day over the years
can cause hepatic lesions in men. Also, 20 grams
of pure alcohol per day increases the risk of
hepatic disorders in women.
Even a daily dose of 40 grams represents an
increased risk for brain problems.
For a better understanding, I've
added below an alcoholic beverages chart that
explains the content of alcohol found in some of
the most popular alcoholic drinks available on
the market.
| Alcoholic
beverages |
Alcohol
contents [percentages] |
Volume
[liters] |
Pure
alcohol
[grams] |
| Beer |
ca.5
% vol |
0,5
l |
20÷25 g |
| Wine |
ca.10
% vol |
0,125
l |
10÷13 g |
| Sparkling
wine |
ca.12
% vol |
0,1
l |
12 g |
| Liquor |
30
% vol |
0,05
l |
15 g |
| White
schnapps |
25
% vol |
0,05
l |
12,5 g |
| Vodka,
Rum |
33
% vol |
0,05
l |
17 g |
| Plums
brandy, Whisky |
45
% vol |
0,05
l |
22,5 g |
According to several studies, the
human body can eliminate 7÷10 grams of pure
alcohol in one hour.
According to the alcohol
legislation (in Romania), the label of each
alcoholic beverage has to include the amount of
alcohol.
Alcohol
is an ingredient that can be present in small or
high amount (up to 70-80%) in several drugs such
cough syrup, sleeping pills, mouth wash, etc.
Based on the information presented
above, most individual binge alcohol at least
once in their life. Therefore, a person that
faces a high risk to develop an alcohol addiction
can encounter difficulties in understanding the
danger they face.
As an alarming conclusion, I can say that abusing
alcohol is rather a rule than an exception.
According to the World
Health Organization, the amount of alcohol
considered inoffensive
for a healthy man is 7g pure alcohol
per day.
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