Risks of After-Work Drinking: Everything You Need to Know The Recovery Village Columbus Drug and Alcohol Rehab
Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to a variety of health issues, including liver disease, heart problems, and an increased risk of certain types of cancer. The World Health Organization has emphasized that no level of alcohol consumption is considered safe, as alcohol is a toxic substance classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, alongside asbestos and tobacco. Exploring the relationship between alcohol use and mental health disorders reveals a complex interaction where one can significantly impact the other.
- These effects may be more serious and more noticeable if you drink regularly and tend to have more than 1 or 2 drinks when you do.
- Additionally, nearly 15 percent of healthcare professionals struggle with alcohol abuse.
- This is of particular concern when you're taking certain medications that also depress the brain's function.
- According to the study, most workers spend about two hours drinking after work, which can extend their day to 11 hours.
- For example, any amount of drinking increases the risk of breast cancer and colorectal cancer.
- Research indicates that emotional pressures and stress from the workplace can significantly impact an individual’s decision to consume alcohol after work hours.
Treatment and Medication Options for Alcohol Use Disorder
Each of those consequences can cause turmoil that can negatively affect your long-term emotional health. “Some people think of the effects of alcohol as only something to be worried about if you’re living with alcohol use disorder, which was formerly called alcoholism,” Dr. Sengupta says. Addiction Resource does not offer medical diagnosis, treatment, or advice. Only trained and licensed medical professionals can provide such services. If you or anyone you know is undergoing a severe health crisis, call a doctor or 911 immediately. The ADA protects employees with alcoholism as a disability, requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations.
Alcohol’s physical effects on the body
But heavy drinking carries a much higher risk even for those without other health concerns. Be sure to ask your healthcare professional about what's right for your health and safety. During pregnancy, drinking may cause the unborn baby to have brain damage and other problems. Many people drink alcohol as a personal preference, during social activities, or as a part of cultural and religious practices.
Physical Health Risks of Regular After-Work Drinking
Most of our members (90%) have tried cutting back, however, few experienced any long-term success in changing their relationship with alcohol. These numbers show us that it is HARD to break the routine once we have developed a dependence on alcohol to unwind at the end of the day. If you drink every day, or almost every day, you might notice that you catch colds, flu or other illnesses more frequently than people who don’t drink. That’s because alcohol can weaken your immune system, slow healing and make your body more susceptible to infection.
However, recent trends indicate a shift in attitude towards this practice, with a growing emphasis on health and the impact of alcohol on productivity and workplace relationships. Furthermore, the rising popularity of non-alcoholic alternatives and ‘dry(ish) January’ initiatives indicates a cultural shift towards drinking less. With mindful drinking, individuals are encouraged to continually assess https://sober-home.org/after-work-drinking-risks-consequences-treatment/ the impact of alcohol on their lives and reflect on their motivations for drinking. Participating in initiatives like ‘Dry January’ has gained popularity, encouraging individuals to explore a ‘sober curious’ lifestyle. This period of abstinence can help reset drinking habits and establish healthier ones. Lastly, the physical and mental toll of regular drinking can lead to decreased productivity.
Overall, the randomised controlled trials they looked at suggested slightly more weight loss in people who used artificial sweeteners. The link was found even after accounting for other dietary and lifestyle factors (such as physical activity). https://sober-home.org/ While HR can establish codes of conduct employees must abide by, there will still be limitations on all employee actions outside the workplace. If a circumstance of this nature were to arise, it should be addressed and handled by HR.
According to a new study conducted by American Addiction Centers and Alcohol.org, the average American worker spends more than $3,000 per year on after-work drinks. Drinking alcohol both before and after working out can make dehydration worse. Drinking directly after exercise can be inadvisable if a person has not replaced fluids lost through sweating. While there aren’t really any benefits to drinking after a workout, if you do have an adult beverage, choose wisely. This is because alcohol slows the natural recovery process from your workout session by elevating your cortisol levels, decreasing your testosterone levels, and inhibiting protein synthesis (1). In either instance, patients will receive services, such as medical oversight and individual and group therapy.
The bottom line is that alcohol is potentially addictive, can cause intoxication, and contributes to health problems and preventable deaths. If you already drink at low levels and continue to drink, risks for these issues appear to be low. With continued alcohol use, steatotic liver disease can lead to liver fibrosis. Eventually, you can develop permanent and irreversible scarring in your liver, which is called cirrhosis. Calls to our general hotline may be answered by private treatment providers. We may be paid a fee for marketing or advertising by organizations that can assist with treating people with substance use disorders.
We are here to help you and those you love recover from addiction and begin a healthier, alcohol-free future. Contact us to learn more about alcohol addiction treatment programs that can work well for your needs in recovery. Managing after-work drinking habits is crucial for maintaining a healthy balance between work, personal life, and overall well-being.
Engaging in regular after-work drinking can have significant repercussions on physical health. The consumption of alcohol, even in moderate amounts, is linked to an array of health concerns. For instance, alcohol affects how women metabolize and absorb alcohol differently than men, suggesting gender-specific risks. Additionally, a pattern of heavy drinking is universally acknowledged as detrimental to health, potentially leading to conditions such as liver disease and cardiovascular problems.
But drinking too much alcohol of any color can still make you feel bad the next morning. Congeners are found in larger amounts in dark liquors, such as brandy and bourbon, than in clear liquors, such as vodka and gin. Generally, the more alcohol you drink, the more likely you are to have a hangover the next day.
Regular after-work alcohol consumption presents a risk not only to physical health but also to mental well-being. Alcohol, classified as a depressant, influences the brain’s neurotransmitter balance, impacting mood, thought processes, and behavior. Notably, it may induce feelings of relaxation in moderation, but excessive or prolonged use can lead to substantial mental health challenges, such as dependence, depression, and anxiety. The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper offers comprehensive addiction treatment for drug and alcohol addictions and co-occurring mental health conditions. Alcohol addiction can be difficult and potentially dangerous to recover from on your own.
As a result, they eventually need to drink more to notice the same effects they once did. The connection between alcohol consumption and your digestive system might not seem immediately clear. Slurred speech, a key sign of intoxication, happens because alcohol reduces communication between your brain and body. This makes speech and coordination — think reaction time and balance — more difficult.
Your gut microbiome is a hotbed of bacteria that help keep your digestive system happy and healthy. The trillions of microbes in your colon and large and small intestines are critical to proper digestion. Cirrhosis, on the other hand, is irreversible and can lead to liver failure and liver cancer, even if you abstain from alcohol. Your liver detoxifies and removes alcohol from your blood through a process known as oxidation. When your liver finishes that process, alcohol gets turned into water and carbon dioxide. Dr. Sengupta shares some of the not-so-obvious effects that alcohol has on your body.
Roofers, painters, and other construction-related jobs are 1.87 to 1.72 times more likely to be affected by alcohol abuse. These risks do not begin and end with the individual drinking on the job, but affect coworkers as well. On-the-job injuries are a real threat for those working alongside an intoxicated coworker, and the mental toll can be significant. This is aside from the strain of bearing the burden of incomplete or inaccurate work thanks to peers lagging behind due to alcohol abuse. There are serious disadvantages to drinking on the job, making it imperative to take such a situation seriously. Aside from obvious risks, such as injury and death, other disadvantages of workplace alcohol abuse include health complications, loss of income, and loss of future hireability.