Ask Pat

This is sort of like asking if strychnine is worse than arsenic. They're both bad for you, especially in excess but in different ways. Both can have a profound impact on brain function and neurochemistry.

I would suspect the latter, or that you have a particularly low tolerance to, or even mild allergy of alcohol. Clearly your body is saying it doesn't like the aftereffects. Try drinking fewer quantities by interspersing non-alcoholic drinks between alcoholic. Drinking on a full stomach (of food), and drinking some water before going to bed should help too. The only proven remedy to a hangover however is time: it takes about 1 and 1/2 hours to process a single drink.

Depends on the amount drunk, over what span of time, weight, gender and general health. As a general rule it takes about 1 and 1/2 hours to process a single drink so, if one were to drink 10 shots over a 5 hour period, it would still be detectable for at least 10 hours after the person quit drinking. Nothing speeds up this process and it can take longer, especially if being tested through the urine since it takes up to several hours more to collect in the bladder.

Through the kidneys (urine), skin (sweat), lungs (breath) and digestive system (feces) in that order. I'm not sure what the percentages are, but the vast majority would be through the kidneys after the alcohol has been processed and detoxified by the liver. Alcohol is a diuretic which is why people urinate more during and after drinking.

Most people get a little flushed or pinkish from drinking because alcohol causes the skin's capillaries to open up, bringing blood to the surface. This is also why you feel warm or hot when you drink. For some Asian people there is a phenomenon called "flushing" which is a mild to severe allergic reaction to alcohol, caused by an inadequate amount of alcohol dehydrogenase, the enzyme produced by the liver that breaks down alcohol. People who experience flushing are more impacted by a given amount of alcohol than the norm and are at greater risk for alcohol-induced problems.

Alcohol reduces our ability to think abstractly, reason things through, and conceptualize. At the same time it lowers our inhibitions and amplifies our emotions. The combination is that we essentially lose our higher faculties which normally would intervene on our more primitive impulses and this allows violence to erupt more spontaneously and unreservedly. No one gets smarter when they drink, they just "think" they do.

Any min-altering substance, of which alcohol is one, can be addictive because our brain and psyche can "crave" or become addicted to the "high" or the altered state of consciousness. Physical dependence is where we've essentially "trained" our bodies to become used to functioning under the load of toxin (e.g. alcohol) and sudden cessation of use creates withdrawals. All drugs including alcohol can be psychologically addictive; many are also physically too.

Binge drinking is defined as five drinks in one sitting for a man and four drinks in one sitting for a woman. Frequent binge drinkers, which sounds like your buddy's habits, is drinking at this level 3 times a week or more. Drinking problems come in all shapes and forms, from a single night where something bad happens to someone, to more frequent drinking similar to your friend's habits. Some signs that there may be something wrong include: Drinking to get drunk, or until passing out Drinking at bad times, like before driving or before class Becoming violent, yelling, or fighting Not doing well in school, missing class or work Switching friends to those who share similar drinking habits Getting sick, being unhealthy, etc. Blackouts or memory loss Starting to use other drugs Experiencing changes in personality What can you do? If you think your friend has a drinking problem, express your concerns with someone else, perhaps your other roommates, and you might find that you aren't the only one who thinks he has a problem. Don't step back and pretend it's none of your business. Many problem drinkers say that talking with friends really helped them get help and gain better control of their drinking. Remember that your friend doesn't have to be falling down drunk every night to be in trouble with alcohol. Show your concern. Ask them whether they feel they have a drinking problem and ask questions about what is happening in their life. Keep an open mind about how he will evaluate his drinking situation. He may become upset, or defensive, or think you are over reacting. Be calm and objective. Tell him how his drinking has affected you. Perhaps you stay up at night hoping he gets home safely, or you get mad when he drinks so much and expects you to take notes for him in class because he is too hung over to attend. Make it clear to him that it is his behavior and not him that you don't like very much. If he blows you off, try and approach him again after another episode of drinking. Don't continue the discussion if you start getting angry or impatient. If he agrees that maybe he does have a problem, go with him to seek out resources. Ask him what he would like to do about it, or ask him what kind of support he needs from you to stop or limit his drinking. Remember to remain supportive, and realize that there might be a point where you stop trying. You might have to leave the environment that you are in to take care of yourself. Good luck.

Alcohol is the only psychoactive drug that in many individuals tends to increase aggressive behavior while it is taking effect. How aggression is influenced by alcohol is not well understood. Several factors may influence a person's aggression while drinking: Their overall personality do they use power or force overtly to gain control? Their expectations about what will happen while drinking. What do they expect to happen? Where are they drinking? And who are they with? What do they believe is acceptable behavior while drinking? Alcohol reduces a person's inhibitions, judgment, and self-control. Combine these things with the person's mood, who they are with and where they are and you have the potential for a person to become aggressive. Pointing his behavior out to him while he is sober may help the problem. You might want to find out if there are other things going on in his life that he thinks alcohol will help him deal with. Point out campus resources for him, and encourage him not to drink so much.

I hope your friends don't just want to see you drink more!! If you are comfortable with the limits you have set for yourself don't let others pressure you into drinking more than you are comfortable with. There is no doubt that chronic heavy drinking damages the heart. However, recent studies show that light and perhaps moderate drinkers have a reduced risk for coronary artery disease. Remember, though, that this is a relatively recent area of study, and it is not possible to arrive at an exact amount of alcohol use for cardiovascular protection. Still, a growing number of studies suggest that an average of half to one and a half drinks per day may significantly lower a person's risk for coronary artery disease. But this does not mean that you can save your drinks up for one night and they will have the same effect. For women it is important to note that recent studies have shown that women who drink an average of three or nine drinks per week are significantly more likely to develop breast cancer than women who do not drink.

Most alcohol is metabolized by the liver, where an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, or ADH, breaks down ethanol into acetaldehyde, which in turn is broken down by another enzyme into acetate, which is excreted. The intermediate product, acetaldehyde, is a toxic chemical that can make a person feel sick. Although under normal circumstances acetaldehyde is broken down quite rapidly, intense feelings of nausea and illness will result if it is accumulated in the body. The liver burns off alcohol at a fixed rate (about an ounce of 100 proof liquor and hour) and slurping down more causes profound changes in mind and body. Since alcohol is eliminated at a fixed rate, several factors determine how much a person is affected. First is their body size, their drinking rate (how much how fast), and whether they have a full or empty stomach. If you drink faster than you metabolize it you will get drunker faster. So depending on how much and how fast he is drinking, your friend isn't doing any good throwing up. He would be better off drinking slowly and in moderation rather than throwing up. Vomiting can damage other things besides just working to get the alcohol out. Perhaps he needs to learn why he is drinking in the first place, and why it is so appealing to him. It seems like the idea of throwing up is enough to not to want to drink in the first place.

Most alcohol is metabolized by the liver, where an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, or ADH, breaks down ethanol into acetaldehyde, which in turn is broken down by another enzyme into acetate, which is excreted. The intermediate product, acetaldehyde, is a toxic chemical that can make a person feel sick. Although under normal circumstances acetaldehyde is broken down quite rapidly, intense feelings of nausea and illness will result if it is accumulated in the body. The liver burns off alcohol at a fixed rate (about an ounce of 100 proof liquor and hour) and slurping down more causes profound changes in mind and body. Since alcohol is eliminated at a fixed rate, several factors determine how much a person is affected. First is their body size, their drinking rate (how much how fast), and whether they have a full or empty stomach. If you drink faster than you metabolize it you will get drunker faster. So depending on how much and how fast he is drinking, your friend isn't doing any good throwing up. He would be better off drinking slowly and in moderation rather than throwing up. Vomiting can damage other things besides just working to get the alcohol out. Perhaps he needs to learn why he is drinking in the first place, and why it is so appealing to him. It seems like the idea of throwing up is enough to not to want to drink in the first place.

Addiction is defined as the repetitive, compulsive use of a substance that occurs despite negative consequences to the user. Addiction depends on many different factors in a person's life including family history, personality, mental health, and life experience. Most people don't get addicted and there are a variety of reasons why not. First, if someone doesn't experiment with drugs or alcohol, they wont get addicted, Second, if a person has a stable family and school life, is healthy, has supportive friends, and no family history of substance abuse they are less vulnerable to becoming addicted. If a person's drinking is hurting them or others, most people would stop the behavior. Who wants to cause themselves or someone else pain? But the chemically dependent person cannot stop. That is why it is a disease. As a disease, chemical dependency has a set of distinct characteristics that make it recognizable and definable by professionals. There is a compulsion to drink. Sometimes inappropriate, unpredictable, excessive and constant. Drinking and drug use cause the person emotional, physical, and relationship problems. Many users claim it is the other way around. The disease is predictable and progressive. Even if the person stops drinking for awhile, when they start again the disease will pick up where it left off. The disease is permanent, chronic and fatal. It follows a predictable course, and is fatal if allowed to continue. The disease is treatable. Although there is no cure for chemical dependency, the disease can be stopped. Every person is different. There are chemically dependent people who drink every day, carrying a bottle around with them, and chemically dependent people who only drink once a month but when they do they suffer from complete loss of control which causes disruption in their lives. Addicted people will show at least three or more of the following symptoms to cause concern: Loss of control people will make drinking plans ( I'll only drink a few beers, only one weekend night, only wine), but once they start it ends up being larger amounts. The use is excessive: they drink a lot or frequently They spend a lot of time recovering They drink at inappropriate times Drinking becomes a priority They continue to drink despite negative consequences They build up a tolerance level to drinking. They need more to get the same high They experience withdrawal if they stop using over extended periods of time (Anxiety headaches, not being able to relax, etc.)

Alcohol increases the sedative effects of antidepressants. This impairs both your mental and physical skills, such as those necessary for driving a car. Anyone who is on antidepressants should consult closely with their doctor about how their particular medication with react with alcohol.

It is dangerous to mix alcohol with anything that makes you sleepy. Alcohol increases the sedative effects of the tricyclic antidepressants. Anyone on antidepressants should consult closely with his/her doctor about how the medication might react with alcohol.