Alcohol interferes with our brains, for better and worse. Actually, current research seems to be indicating that at least as to brain health, it’s mostly for the worse. A recent report from the World Health Organization concluded that, “when it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health.” Further, the WHO stated:
“Alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive, and dependence-producing substance and has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer decades ago – this is the highest risk group, which also includes asbestos, radiation and tobacco. Alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer, including the most common cancer types, such as bowel cancer and female breast cancer… The risk of developing cancer increases substantially the more alcohol is consumed. However, latest available data indicate that half of all alcohol-attributable cancers in the WHO European Region are caused by “light” and “moderate” alcohol consumption – less than 1.5 litres of wine or less than 3.5 litres of beer or less than 450 millilitres of spirits per week.”
Sobering news, indeed. In the US, a physician recently wrote about alcohol’s negative impact on his patients’ mood, sleep, and anxiety levels.
Yet, another recent article (“Why do people like being tipsy?”) discussed why we feel good when drinking with other people. It turns out that the same inhibition-removing mechanism that can lead to alcohol-induced poor behavior is also responsible for the sense of enjoyment we feel when drinking among other people (at least for the first few drinks!) When I read this article I could definitely recognized myself in there. I too enjoy when I’m with like-minded people and feel the inhibitions slip away after one drink.
And yet. I have to admit the information about the cancer-causing aspects of alcohol caught my attention. That WHO report cited above focuses on Europe; I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I regularly encounter much information in the US linking alcohol to cancer.
It’s enough to just make you throw up your hands and take a nap!
