Alcohol provides patience for stupidity.

It was last night that I was invited to a house party organized by one of friends. I was excited to socialize and spend quality time with my peers. I was under the pressure to look presentable and was constantly browsing my wardrobe to get the right attire for the night. Once it was past 8 in the night I decided to leave for the gathering. I reached the party and saw my friends sitting upset for some reason. I approached them and asked what had happened to which he responded that they were waiting for the alcohol to arrive. I was taken aback by the fact that my friends were more inclined to consuming alcohol than having conversation. Alcohol is an accepted mind-altering substance but the fact that it’s been consumed so irresponsibly worried me and hence, I decided to search for some myths that exist in regards to alcohol and its consumption. Here are the common myths about alcohol:

Myth 1: Beer Is Less Intoxicating.

The fact is that one 12-ounce can of beer, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or one average-sized cocktail containing about 1 1/2 ounces of liquor are all equally intoxicating. Each alcoholic beverage is considered a standard drink containing about the same amount of alcohol.

Where the myth has some merit is if you were to drink 12 ounces of liquor compared to one 12-ounce can of beer. Then, yes, the 12 ounces of liquor might have you hugging a toilet bowl.

Myth 2: Older Age Can Prevent a Drinking Problem.

Alcohol use disorders don't discriminate. In fact, in the past 10 years there has been a steady rise in alcohol use disorders among those ages 65 and older. What's more, people with alcohol use disorder who are middle-aged and older are at a significantly higher risk for suicide compared to their younger counterparts.

Myth 3: If Someone Has Passed Out From Drinking, Put Them To Bed.

Out of all of these myths about alcohol, this is one I really want people to consider seriously. If someone has been drinking and becomes unconscious as a result, they need an ambulance ASAP. Putting them to bed can be dangerous. This is because alcohol is a central-nervous system depressant meaning that it can slow down or even impair certain brain functions. Because of this effect, someone who has consumed a lot of alcohol may not be able to control their breathing, swallowing or gag reflexes very well. Without the control of some of these functions, an unconscious person who has been put to bed could be sick, choke, or stop breathing and it may not be noticed until it’s too late. An unconscious drunk person needs professional medical attention.

Myth 4: Drinking Beer Gives You A Beer Belly.

Many family members will assume that when their partner, dad, grandpa or other family member starts to develop a round belly, it must be a beer belly. But, does beer itself really cause the expansion of the midsection? Beer does contain a significant amount of calories and one serve can pack around 150 calories and plenty of carbs. But, the reason there are so many calories in one serve of beer is because of the alcohol. One standard drink of most spirits has about 100 calories, one standard drink of wine contains around 120 calories and 1 serve of cider can contain around 170 calories. So, it’s not just beer that can cause an over consumption of calories, but all alcohol. Another reason that alcohol can cause weight gain is because the liver becomes preoccupied with processing alcohol rather than fat. This means that rather the fat being process through the body, it becomes stored, leading to either a larger waistline or other areas of the body becoming larger.

Myth 5: You can throw up to sober up.

Your body absorbs the alcohol from your drinks pretty quickly. Unless you make yourself sick within minutes of downing a beverage, your body is already wicking that booze right into your blood. If you make yourself throw up the moment you start to feel sick, thinking you’ll save yourself from greater ill feelings, you won’t. The best way to avoid illness? Pace yourself, and don’t overdrink.

However, your blood alcohol content (BAC) may be very different from another person’s after one drink, and your BAC determines how in control of your faculties you are.

BAC is a measure of how much alcohol is in your blood in relation to the amount of water that is in your blood. The more alcohol you drink, the higher your BAC. The higher your BAC, the greater your level of impairment.

Myth 6: Eating before you fall to sleep will prevent a hangover.

Your body has already absorbed the alcohol from all your drinks, and eating food after you drink won’t do much to impact your level of intoxication. What it might do? Give you acid reflux, make you sick to your stomach, or make you vomit.

Drinking on an empty stomach can lead to faster—and worse—intoxication, so it’s better to eat your hash browns smothered and covered before you start pouring back your booze. And, of course, pace yourself.

Now that we’ve busted these myths let’s take a pledge and decide to drink responsibly and not indulge ourselves in the overconsumption. You always have a choice to say no.