Alcohol

Have you ever had a frightening experience and found your hands were shaking afterward? Or maybe one day you hadn’t eaten quite enough and your body was shaking slightly in response? Our bodies can shake for my reasons. Small tremors in our hands aren’t that uncommon, but did you know that alcohol can cause tremors…

Are you regularly drinking more than you plan to when you go out for drinks with friends? Do you experience memory loss after a night of drinking? Do you start to feel anxiety, shakiness, or flu-like symptoms if you have gone too long without a drink? These are signs that you, or a person you…

We are all familiar with a drunk person trying, and failing miserably, to walk into a straight line. Drunken antics, a lack of inhibition, slurred speech, poor motor control, and glassy eyes are all common side effects of alcohol use and typically end with a hangover the next morning. Beyond the immediate effects, when alcohol…

Many see alcohol use disorder, the clinical term for alcoholism, as a binary issue. A person is either an alcoholic or they are not. According to experts, this is not an accurate representation of the spectrum of alcohol use. In the early 60’s researchers started to notice discernable stages of alcoholism. Over time, due to…

Alcohol withdrawal happens when a person that regularly consumes a significant amount of alcohol stops drinking. Chronic alcohol use causes the body’s nervous system to be constantly on high alert. This doesn’t change overnight when a person stops drinking, causing the experience known as alcohol withdrawal as the body readjusts to the “new” normal. How…

Something that most people have observed in their lives is that not everyone who chooses to drink alcohol reacts to that alcohol in the same way. Similarly, people who choose to drink often drink different amounts of alcohol with differing frequency. Maybe your friend’s dad would drink a few beers in the evening after he…

You have come to the conclusion that you need to make a change regarding your alcohol use. Like many New Mexico residents, your drinking has become a problem and you are ready to make positive change. However, like with all change, this one brings some anxiety. It might be that you find a lot of…

Binge drinking may be common, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Lots of people smoke too, but we know how dangerous that is for your health. According to a 2019 report, 1 in 7 adults in New Mexico binge drinks an average of five times a month, which has a number of negative…

Certain people get a flushed face after drinking a few too many. Why is that, and why only certain people? Perhaps after a football game with one too many beers or after a brunch with bottomless mimosas, you look at yourself in the mirror and think, “Why does my face look red?” We will explore…

Loneliness has hit all-time highs in recent years. It can be incredibly difficult to feel like there is no one you can turn to for a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on. Social isolation can make you feel like you truly are the only person in the world. In many cases, an isolated…

When two people engage in a relationship, there is bound to be drama eventually. That drama is an unfortunate part of life. Sometimes, it can be small issues where you don’t even remember what started the drama, and you can both look back and laugh. Other times, it can be larger issues, and one of…

What Is a High-Functioning Alcoholic? High-functional alcoholism can look different from person to person. That being said, what makes somebody a high functioning alcoholic is the same across the board. A high functioning alcoholic is somebody who is dependent on alcohol but maintains a normative – and even successful – work and social life. From…

If you believe someone has alcohol poisoning, call 911 immediately. We’ve all seen someone drink more than they should. But at what point can that become life-threatening? In all honesty, it’s a pretty thin line. A few years ago, I was at a New Year’s Eve party with a few of my friends. As the…

A glass or two of red wine after dinner, a beer at the lunch meeting, a mimosa at brunch, or a nightcap right before bed. These are all forms of alcohol consumption that are not only common and acceptable, but even encouraged in some instances. While there is mixed and hotly-debated evidence showing that occasional…