Alcohol is a depressant. It slows brain activity and responses. The effects of alcohol vary with gender, size, fitness, food eaten and the rate of drinking.
One standard drink is about 1 pot of regular beer, 1.6 pots of light beer, 1 small glass of wine, 1 mixed drink or 3/4 of an alcoholic soda.
Low risk drinking is 2 standard drinks or less in any day. This is not a 'safe' or 'no risk' level of drinking. It just reduces the risk of accidents and alcohol-related illness.
Binge drinking is heavy drinking in a short period or continuous drinking over several days or weeks. It increases the risk of accidents, and if done regularly, the risk of major organ damage.
The only way to sober up is to give your body time. Black coffee, cold showers, vomiting or other approaches will not work. It takes a healthy liver about an hour to process 1 standard drink. If you drink 10 pots of beer it will take 10 hours to get the alcohol out of your system.
| Drug type | Effects and side effects |
|---|---|
| Stimulants (speed, cocaine, ecstasy, ICE) | Elevate mood and keep you awake. Side effects include fatigue, confusion, aggression, anxiety, paranoia, rapid heart rate, sweating, tremors, poor judgement |
| Hallucinogens (marijuana, acid) | Change perceptions and thought processes. Side effects include short-term memory loss, poor motor coordination, anxiety, delusions, paranoia |
| Inhalants (petrol, glue, solvents) | Elevate mood and make you feel light. Side effects include double vision, nausea, drowsiness, anxiety |
| Prescription drugs | Can have bad effects if mixed with alcohol |