April is Alcohol Awareness Month; a time to reflect on and raise awareness about drinking habits in our communities. A recent study shows that Wisconsin has the third-highest adult drinking rate in the United States, with 65% of Wisconsinites over the age of 18 regularly drinking alcohol. This is nearly 10% higher than the national average.
For those who consume alcohol, it’s important to be aware of the amount of alcohol that is considered low-risk, potential side effects, and how alcohol in excess can cause long-term impact on one’s body, mind and overall health.
Low-risk drinking vs. binge drinking
- The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) describes low-risk drinking as two drinks or less in a day and less than 14 drinks in one week for men and one drink or less in a day and less than seven drinks in one week for women.
- “Binge drinking” is defined as consuming alcohol that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration to 0.08% or higher. For a typical adult, this corresponds to consuming five or more drinks (male), or four or more drinks (female), in about two hours.
Potential long-term side effects of excessive alcohol consumption
Drinking too much – on a single occasion or over time – can take a negative toll on your health. Diseases associated with drinking include:
- Various types of cancer, such as breast, pancreatic, oral and esophageal, stomach and liver cancers.
- Nearly 15% of breast cancer deaths among U.S. women are linked to alcohol consumption, even moderate consumption has been linked to an approximate 30-50% increased risk in breast cancer.
- Liver disease
- Heart damage
- High blood pressure can also lead to an increased risk of stroke and brain bleeds.
- Brain damage
Alcohol’s impact on the brain
Binge drinking can have both long and short-term effects on the brain.
- Short-Term
- Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways and can affect how your brain processes information.
- Confusion, slurred speech, uncoordinated balance and clumsy movement
- Long-Term
- Over time, excessive consumption can significantly impact a person’s memory, spatial awareness and cognitive function.
- Mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety
- Brain damage that can lead to alcohol-related dementia.
Safety risks
In addition to the risks excessive drinking can have on an individual’s health, other alcohol-related safety risks and behaviors can harm others.
Alcohol consumption can impair judgment, which, in some cases, can lead to physical altercations, accidents and drunk driving crashes. According to state data, these decisions made under the influence can result in injury or even death.
- From 2014-2022, there were a total of 23,845 alcohol-related deaths in Wisconsin.
- In 2022, there were nearly 23,000 convictions for operating while intoxicated (OWI) driving offenses in Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin Emergency Rooms saw more than 35,000 patients for alcohol-related injuries in 2022.
Asking for help
Experiencing substance use or other addictions can make daily life and relationships difficult and should not be ignored. Care teams at Ascension Wisconsin sites of care help treat addiction and substance use disorders and deliver therapies that focus on patients’ needs. It’s important to remember you are not alone and reaching out for support for addiction is an important step. Ascension Wisconsin has dedicated treatment programs for adolescents and adults. You can also call or text 988 to the crisis hotline for help.
More about David Galbis-Reig, MD, DFASAM
David Galbis-Reig, MD, DFASAM, is an Ascension Medical Group Wisconsin physician who specializes in addiction medicine and internal medicine. The Wisconsin Medical Society recently awarded Dr. Galbis-Reig the Presidential Citation Award, which honors a physician who has made a significant contribution to medicine or public health.
As the Medical Director of Addiction Services at Ascension All Saints Hospital in Racine, this recognition is a testament to Dr. Galbis-Reig’s dedication, expertise and tireless efforts in addressing one of our most pressing public health challenges. If you feel that you need help, please call to schedule an appointment with an addiction medicine provider at 262-687-2222.
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