This past week in Neurochemistry class focused on Alcohol and Nicotine. We learned about how the effects of both drugs are more related on a chemical level than I had previously known; however, the topic resonated with me the most was how different our society is compared to others regarding alcohol.
It goes without saying that alcohol plays a major role in most aspects of society. From religion to recreation, drinking has impacted the lives of many people in positive and negative ways. However, in the United States, most of what is portrayed is negative.
In American society, people often associate alcohol with inappropriate, dangerous behavior through binge drinking. This is because of the known physiological effects that alcohol has on the brain.
Alcohol has a direct impact on certain parts of the brain that involve movement, speech, judgement, and memory.
The impact causes impairment, which results in the typical “drunken” behavior such as slurred speech, difficulty walking, “blacking out,” and impulsive behavior.
The picture below shows the brain areas that are directly affected by binge-drinking.
Although the negative effects of binge drinking are very clear, it is very popular in the younger population. If you think of the college culture, you probably are also thinking of alcohol. This is just one factor that could be contributing to the increased binge drinking, and negative portrayal of alcohol, in American Society.
This negative view on binge drinking is justified because of the danger that some individuals who partake in such behavior exude onto society. However, smaller doses of alcohol per day have been associated with health benefits.
According to recent research, moderate alcohol consumption can reduce your risk of developing heart disease, possibly reduce your risk of ischemic stroke (when the arteries to your brain become narrowed or blocked, causing severely reduced blood flow), and reduce one’s risk of diabetes.
These facts, when represented in a visual graph, illustrate something known as the “J-Curve,” which is shown below.
Although binge drinking does have negative effects and can lead to further detrimental changes to the brain involving tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal, understanding that moderate consumption can result in health benefits may reshape the way that the United States views, and consumes, alcohol.
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