Alcohol, also known as ethanol or ethyl alcohol, is the ingredient found in spirits, wine, and beer that cause drunkenness in a person. Alcohol belongs to a class known as a sedative-hypnotic drug. This means it acts as a central nervous system depressant when taken at high amounts causing feelings of drowsiness and respiratory depression. At lower amounts, alcohol can act as a stimulant causing feelings of euphoria and chattiness.
It seems in American culture, partying and alcohol consumption are something that goes hand in hand. While some people may be perfectly fine with drinking while partying and returning home to their normal lives, other people aren’t so lucky. Often time’s alcohol at parties will lead to people binge drinking. Binge drinking occurs when a person is consuming large amounts of alcohol at one time. Binge drinking and drinking while partying can very easily turn into alcoholism for some people.
Why do people drink while partying?
There are many reasons why alcohol and partying mix like butter on bread. Let’s go over some of the most common reasons why people reach out for alcohol and enjoy drinking while partying, especially when it comes to young adults across the United States.
- To fit in: Being a part of a peer group is so important to people. Many people will resort to drinking while they are partying simply to feel part of the crowd. No one wants to feel like they are somehow different from their peers. Many people drink while partying simply because others around them are and may feel peer pressured into doing it.
- To act or feel like a different person: Alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant. This causes a person’s inhibitions to be lowered. When inhibitions are lowered it helps a person to loosen up and even do things that they would not normally do. It causes a person to feel more confident by talking with others more easily and allows them to be more adventurous than they normally would. Many people drink at parties with the sole purpose of losing their inhibitions. Alcohol is often referred to as liquid courage. It can turn a very shy and nervous person into a completely different person.
- To relax and forget about life stresses: Many adults turn to party and alcohol to unwind after a stressful day or week. It allows them to temporarily forget about whatever is going on in their life. Alcohol has wonderful anti-anxiety properties and it is commonly used for this purpose.
- Because it is socially accepted: In our culture, the use of alcohol at parties is considered a normal thing to do and often looked at as strange to not party with alcohol. Drinking is considered a trendy and adult thing to do.
Risks of Drinking Alcohol and Partying
As previously mentioned, alcohol lowers a person’s inhibition and can cause someone to become reckless. Drinking and driving is too often the outcome of partying and binge drinking. Nearly 30 people every single day die as a result of drunk driving. According to the CDC:
In 2016, 10,497 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for 28% of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.
Alcohol poisoning is also a very serious result of binge drinking. Sometimes it can even be deadly. Drinking too much too quickly can affect a person breathing, body temperature, and heart rate. This can lead to coma and death.
Alcoholism, alcohol abuse disorder, is also a very real risk of partying and binge drinking. No one ever plans on becoming an alcoholic, but it is a disease that alters the brain and the way a person controls their drinking. Once alcoholism takes a hold of someone, it is very hard to get away from it, but it is not impossible. At Recreate Life Counseling, we structure our programs to help our patients recover from their alcoholism. You do not have to face this on your own. Our admissions counselors and professionals are available around the clock. We are ready to help you or a loved one overcome the disease of alcoholism. Now is the time to change your life. Let Recreate Life Counseling help you.