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Are certain
groups of people
more likely
to develop
alcohol problems
than others?
Yes. Nearly
14 million people
in the United States--one
in every 13 adults--abuse
alcohol or are
alcoholic. However,
more men than women
are alcohol dependent
or experience alcohol-related
problems. In addition,
rates of alcohol
problems are highest
among young adults
ages 18 - 29 and
lowest among adults
65 years and older.
Among major U.S.
ethnic groups,
rates of alcoholism
and alcohol-related
problems vary.
If I have
trouble with
drinking, can't
I simply reduce
my alcohol
use without
stopping altogether?
That depends.
If you are diagnosed
as an alcoholic,
the answer is "no." Studies
show that nearly
all alcoholics
who try to merely
cut down on drinking
are unable to
do so indefinitely.
Instead, cutting
out alcohol (that
is, abstaining)
is nearly always
necessary for
successful recovery.
However, if you
are not alcoholic
but have had
alcohol-related
problems, you
may be able to
limit the amount
you drink. If
you cannot always
stay within your
limit, you will
need to stop
drinking altogether.
What is a
safe level
of drinking?
Most adults
can drink moderate
amounts of alcohol--up
to two drinks
per day for men
and one drink
per day for women
and older people--and
avoid alcohol-related
problems. (One
drink equals
one 12-ounce
bottle of beer
or wine cooler,
one 5-ounce glass
of wine, or 1.5
ounces of 80-proof
distilled spirits.)
However, certain
people should
not drink at
all. They include
women who are
pregnant or trying
to become pregnant;
people who plan
to drive or engage
in other activities
requiring alertness
and skill; people
taking certain
medications,
including certain
over-the-counter
medicines; people
with medical
conditions that
can be worsened
by drinking;
recovering alcoholics;
and people under
the age of 21.
Is it safe
to drink during
pregnancy?
No. Drinking during
pregnancy can have
a number of harmful
effects on the newborn,
ranging from mental
retardation, organ
abnormalities, and
hyperactivity to learning
and behavioral problems.
Moreover, many of these
disorders last into
adulthood. While we
don't yet know exactly
how much alcohol is
required to cause these
problems, we do know
that they are 100-percent
preventable if a woman
does not drink at all
during pregnancy. Therefore,
for women who are pregnant
or are trying to become
pregnant, the safest
course is to abstain
from alcohol
As people
get older,
does alcohol
affect their
bodies differently?
Yes. As a person ages,
certain mental and
physical functions
tend to decline, including
vision, hearing and
reaction time. Moreover,
other physical changes
associated with aging
can make older people
feel "high" after
drinking fairly small
amounts of alcohol.
These combined factors
make older people more
likely to have alcohol-related
falls, automobile crashes
and other kinds of
accidents.
In addition,
older people
tend to take
more medicines
than younger
persons, and
mixing alcohol
with many over-the-counter
and prescription
drugs can be
dangerous, even
fatal. Further,
many medical
conditions common
to older people,
including high
blood pressure
and ulcers, can
be worsened by
drinking. Even
if there is no
medical reason
to avoid alcohol,
older men and
women should
limit their intake
to one drink
per day.
Disease
Information
Sources:
National
Institute
on Alcohol
Abuse
and Alcoholism
(NIAAA).
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