Alcohol and New Year's Eve Parties: a dangerous combination.

The month of December signals the beginning of a festive period, with alcohol consumption at these meetings being common, with the risk of using high doses.
Alcohol consumed in low doses is defined as not drinking more than 2 drinks per day on up to 4 occasions per week for men and women "not pregnant" no more than 1 drink per day for a maximum of 3 occasions per week , thus being considered low risk. By definition, 1 serving corresponds to 350 ml of beer, 120 ml of wine and 45 ml of distillate. The question is: How to keep these low doses at these parties?
Since it is normal for people to overdo it and make use of it in a binge, which is drinking a large amount and a short time. Thus, the losses are great because the individual loses control of his impulses and does things that he would not do without alcohol in the brain.
For example, situations of violence can occur. Still, the excess of alcohol can cause the so-called blackout, which is the loss of memory, where the individual becomes more vulnerable and with little tolerance, facilitating unhealthy behaviors in the fraternization environment.
Another important point is the alcohol relationship and steering wheel. At this time, most accidents due to death are related to drinking and driving, increasing the number of accidents and deaths. So if you're going to drink, don't drive.
We are going through an atypical year with the advent of the COVID-19 epidemic, which has transformed the lives of all of us. However, it is very timely to be able to reflect on how caring for our own lives and that of others is important. Maybe we try to do something different in these gatherings: toast to life, with juice, water, without the use of alcohol, so that we can enjoy the present moment with our family members. It is also important to consider that there is no safe level for alcohol consumption. Of course, there are forms of consumption that offer less risk, but the WHO does not set specific limits, because the evidence shows that the ideal situation for health is not to consume any amount of alcohol, because the more you drink the greater the risk of problems.

Luiz Antonio Castilhos
Consultant in D.Q. member of the CEFI Integration Center. (Center for Family and Individual Studies).