By Christina Lavers
Contributing Writer for Wake Up World
“It only takes one drink to get me drunk, but I can’t remember if it’s the thirteenth or fourteenth.” ~ George Burns (1896 – 1996)
Excessive alcohol consumption is often considered a central part of being social and having a good time. One of the reasons it is so popular is because so many people in today’s society are affected by stress and self-consciousness. And as alcohol is considered a legal, ‘socially acceptable’ substance that helps us to relax and lessen our inhibitions, it tends to be the drug of choice for many.
Unfortunately alcohol isn’t as innocuous as the playful, comforting advertising campaigns would like us to believe. It is a drug, after all. The damaging effects of excess alcohol go beyond the humiliation of doing something silly, like dancing on our boss’ desk at the annual Christmas party. Many studies have clearly demonstrated that alcohol can have extensive negative effects on our social, psychological and physical health.
