Many individuals consume alcohol to socialize, relax, or even to celebrate a special occasion across various cultures. Throughout history, individuals have struggled with the understanding and management of alcohol consumption. A common question often asked is: “Why does alcohol cause you to act and feel differently?” or “How much is too much to drink?” or “Why do some people become addicted while others do not?” Here are two scenarios of alcohol consumption:

• Someone says: “Usually once a month, whenever I go out on the weekends, I drink a few beers with my buddies until I pass out but I function at work the next day without a problem.”
• Another person says: “I drink socially with my friends. We drink every evening when discussing work-related stress. I often drive, forgetting how I even got home and I just call in sick to work the next day.”

According to the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture, moderate drinking is consuming up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men.

According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), binge drinking for an adult is a pattern that corresponds to consuming 5 or more drinks (male), or 4 or more drinks (female), in about 2 hours.

NIAAA defines heavy alcohol use as more than 4 drinks on any day for men or more than 3 drinks for women.

For any individual, binge drinking and heavy alcohol use can influence a pattern that can lead to alcohol use disorder. Alcohol use disorder comes with many medical complications, including mood disorders (depression), difficulty sleeping (insomnia), anxiety, hypercholesterolemia, thyroid problems affecting metabolism, liver disease, diabetes, hypertension, and undesired weight gain.

Social drinking, which is also known as moderate drinking can easily become alcohol use disorder if caution is not taken. Furthermore, a heavy drinking or binge drinking pattern can quickly become alcohol use disorder without appropriate intervention under professionals’ care, including a psychiatrist. Under specific stressful scenarios, poor coping choices are often made; for instance, drinking to sleep, dealing with anxiety related to hostile or challenging work environments. The common statement usually said is: “I have been self-medicating with alcohol. “

Becoming aware of the fine line between socializing and disorder is very relevant. Seeking help at the earliest warning sign of problems could help prevent alcohol use disorder and could prevent its deterioration into other medical or psychiatric conditions.

Those who should avoid alcohol consumption include (but not limited to):

• Operators of heavy machinery or those that participate in activities that require skill, coordination, and alertness such as driving
• Individuals taking over-the-counter or prescription medications
• Those in recovery from alcohol use disorder
• Those younger than age 21
• Individuals who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant