Myth Buster

Bigfoot, Loch Ness, Werewolves, Vampires, Zombies – these all have a singular commonality; they are myths.  We have all kinds of myths across all cultures, all over the world.  Whether it be monsters or mystical creatures, we are all familiar with at least a few.  But did you know that there can be myths revolving around almost anything? So long as you say “myth has it” you pretty much have something there.

We have all heard the myths around alcohol – beer before liquor, darker alcohol is healthier, older wine is better, eating carbs will absorb the alcohol – but do these actually hold any merit? Perhaps they do, perhaps they don’t.  So, here it is for you – the fun facts, myths and untruths about alcohol!

Did you know that it doesn’t matter if you drink a bud light over an IPA so you don’t get as drunk? Alcohol is alcohol, percentages don’t matter, they will all get you “there” at the same rate.  I know, right?! It is a common misbelief that has been passed on time and time again to make us think that we are making the right choice when we order a beer instead of straight liquor.

If you do think that drinking a bud light will get you on a slower road to intoxication, you may want to think again.  Not only because I have now shattered your glass bubble of alcohol percentages, but because you do not want to start that journey towards alcoholism.  “If you have to drink increasingly larger amounts of alcohol to get a “buzz” or get “high”, you are developing tolerance. Tolerance is actually a warning sign that you’re developing more serious problems with alcohol” (https://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/specialfeatures/alcoholmyths.aspx).

Think about it – if you have a 6 pack of Natural Ice and your friend has a 6 pack of Stone IPA, how many beers do you think you will drink, as opposed to your friend, because you have been led to believe that the percentages of alcohol content is a determining factor to intoxication?  You will end up drinking that whole pack of beer while your friend will have 2, maybe 3 of his. Sure, it may seem as though you are both getting equally as drunk, no matter the difference in consumption, but according to your body, you aren’t.

I have now, officially, blown your mind, haven’t I?

So, what about the myths around sobering up? Can drinking coffee, taking a cold shower, popping a few Advil pre drink, or even puking get you sobered before the alcohol actually leaves your system? I bet you can guess the answer… NOPE.  It’s a nice little trick that our mind likes to play on us.

That shock of the cold water, the caffeine from the coffee, even the empty feeling after throwing up, these are just an illusion of sobriety.  Don’t be fooled! “It takes about 2 hours for the adult body to eliminate the alcohol content of a single drink, depending on your weight. Nothing can speed up this process” (https://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/specialfeatures/alcoholmyths.aspx).

What about drinking because it helps you have more fun? Is this a myth per se?  This would be more along the lines of a common disbelief.  Most people do believe that in order to have fun, or be “fun”, you have to be down for drinking.  And sure, it may seem to be a pretty accurate statement, but think for a moment about some consequences that can come from drinking….

If you get to far gone, you can blackout.  If you blackout, bad things can happen.  You can end up in a place you don’t know, you can end up making some poor decisions that you will most likely regret later, you may even hurt someone, whether it be mentally or physically.

Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can lead to some dangerous situations. “Drinking impairs your judgment, which increases the likelihood that you will do something you’ll later regret such as having unprotected sex, being involved in date rape, damaging property, or being victimized by others”.  Also, “Among college students, alcohol contributes to deaths from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, as well as assaults, sexual assaults or date rapes, and poor academic performance” (https://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/specialfeatures/alcoholmyths.aspx).

It’s not always fun and games when alcohol is involved.  Fun can be had without alcohol.  Um, hello, have you met a 5-year-old.  I’m pretty sure their imaginary tea parties don’t involve spiked black tea.

There are SO many other myths and misconception out there that revolve around drinking alcohol.  It’s important to know them and do your research. Don’t just take Jimmy’s word for it because it worked for him so it must work for everyone.  Jimmy doesn’t know.  Jimmy is all about the fake news.  The only way that you will ever know whether something is true or not, is by looking it up through credible sources.

The internet is ok… but speaking to actual, educated professionals is best.  And did you know, we here at DPX, DUI Process Experts, are, in fact, experts? We know it all, and if we don’t, we know where to go to find it out.  You don’t need to go chasing down people to get accurate information, that just sounds exhausting.

If you already know us, which you should if you are reading this, then go no further.  Give us a call, we can talk to you all day about the ins and outs of alcohol consumption.  We know about it because we work with DUI’s. What better way to help out people who have been convicted of a DUI then to know first how to prevent it?

Give us a call, check out our website, social media, whichever.  We are always posting about DUI’s and we are always talking about facts and statistics revolving around alcohol.  We are a one-stop shop just for you!