Given that one person in the world dies every 10 seconds from alcohol consumption, the need for help in staying sober is starkly clear. So why has more than a decade passed with little use of two effective medications for alcoholics? That was the question undertaken by researchers at the University of North Carolina at …
Drugs That Curb Alcohol Cravings Underused, Study Finds Read More »
A sobering new report finds that 3.3 million people — one in 20 worldwide — died from alcohol consumption in 2012, prompting calls this week for global action. The World Health Organization issued its findings at a special meeting Monday, calling for governments to take aggressive action to reduce excessive drinking. Leading the findings was …
To those in AA, it’s known as The Big Book. Chrisi Hard’s copy is deep blue with the title Alcoholics Anonymous embossed in the same color on the cover, rendering the words almost invisible. “They design them that way,” she explains, “so that if you’re reading it in a coffee shop or somewhere, no one …
A powdered form of liquor called Palcohol that can turn water into a cocktail? First thought: Astronaut buzz? Second thought: Who would want to replace a regular margarita with a “Powderita” and why? It’s the second question that remains unanswered and has alarmed parents, public health officials and addiction treatment doctors, who swiftly rattled off …
Doctors and researchers know that some people who consume alcohol have a tendency to develop facial flushing, a condition marked by skin redness and an unusual feeling of warmth or burning. These individuals typically have a lower level of tolerance for alcohol’s physical effects inside the body. In a study published in April 2014 in …
Red Face From Drinking a Sign of Alcohol Intolerance Read More »
The term binge drinking is used to identify a pattern of alcohol consumption that results in the rapid appearance of a blood-alcohol content that meets the legal definition of intoxication. Doctors and public health officials already know that this rapid-onset drunkenness increases the likelihood of a range of serious harms for affected individuals. In a …
Why Binge Drinkers Are Slower to Heal From Wounds Read More »
Binge drinking is largely associated with high school and college-aged people—teenagers and young adults who are just beginning to experiment with alcohol and don’t yet know any better. It is much less associated with older adults, and certainly not with seniors. Seniors, we tend to think, have a wealth of wisdom and experience that discourages …
When consumed in substantial amounts, alcohol produces changes in the brain and body that normally help deter additional drinking. However, some people don’t seem to react as strongly to the negative effects of alcohol and therefore have greater chances of continuing their consumption to excess. In a study published in April 2014 in the journal …
The perils of drinking and driving have been drummed into our heads so often and for so long that no driver who slams into something or someone can claim ignorance. But the danger that comes with mixing alcohol with any kind of locomotion — including riding a bike — may come as a surprise to some. Although …
There’s a new smartphone accessory that will measure your blood-alcohol content to let you know if you’ve had too much to drink. And if you have … congratulations! You’re in! A BAC above the legal limit for driving gains you entry into the LIVR app’s social network, like the doorman has waved you into the club. You access the …
April Fools: LIVR Reverse Breathalyzer Blacks Out Bad Behavior Read More »