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Alcohol Use: Cutting Back or Quitting May Reverse Brain Shrinkage
- A study has found that quitting or cutting back on drinking can improve brain health.
- Those who reduced their drinking to a low-risk level had less brain shrinkage.
- The authors suggest that cutting back may be a more doable goal for people with AUD.
- Some will be able to cut down on their drinking through strategies like mindfulness.
- Others, however, may benefit from professional help.
A new study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research(Trusted Source) indicates that, for people with alcohol use disorder, even reducing alcohol consumption can be helpful when it comes to brain health.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism(Trusted Source), alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a brain disorder characterized by an inability to stop or control your alcohol use even though it negatively affects your relationships, health, or work life.
The study found that when people with alcohol use disorder either reduced their alcohol intake or quit drinking completely, they had greater volume in particular regions of the brain than people who drank more heavily.
(More: Can Brain Shrinkage From Alcohol Be Reversed? (healthline.com)
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(F.A.S.D Day 9th of 9th 2023)
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy has long been recognized as a significant health concern due to its potential to cause severe developmental issues in foetuses. Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a preventable brain disease that can affect a child's lifelong health and well-being when a pregnant woman consumes alcohol.
Completely incurable – But totally Preventable!
After years of lobbying from many prevention focused groups, not least Dalgarno Institute, for governments to address this pressing issue, the Australian government finally acquiesced, amidst continuing Big Alcohol pressure, to mandate the implementation of warning labels on alcoholic beverages to raise awareness about the dangers of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
However, a disturbing pattern is emerging where alcohol retailers are attempting to delay or circumvent these vital warnings. According to mandates agreed upon (Food Standards ANZ), as of 31st of July 2020, alcohol and pregnancy warning labels were supposed to be in play, at least on all packaged liquor, but clearly this is still far from done. ‘Optional’ recommendations of alternative requirements for pregnancy warning labels for corrugated cardboard outer packaging were also introduced on 4 May 2023. So, if the industry is still stalling on the mandatory, you can be rest assured, the ‘opt in’ recs will be stalled indefinitely.
This article delves into the issues surrounding toxic alcohol marketing and sales modes, particularly the delay tactics employed by alcohol retailers regarding warning labels related to pregnancy and the ‘wild west’ that is online sales and delivery.
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Experimental Test of Drinking and Abstaining Social Media Content on Adolescent and Young Adult Social Norms and Alcohol Use
aJournal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs Published Online: June 09, 2023
Objective: Experimental research has demonstrated that when alcohol-related content is viewed on social media, adolescents and young adults tend to have favorable attitudes toward alcohol use. However, limited research focuses on social media norms for abstaining from alcohol use. The current study examined the role of descriptive and injunctive alcohol abstaining and drinking norms via experimentally-manipulated social media profiles. Experimental effects on descriptive and injunctive normative perceptions and subsequent behavior were tested.
Method: Participants (N=306; ages 15-20) were recruited from the Seattle-metro area to complete a baseline survey and view researcher-fabricated social media profiles. Using stratified random assignment (birth sex and age), participants were randomized into one of three conditions: (1) alcohol abstaining and drinking, (2) alcohol abstaining, and (3) attention control.
Results: The alcohol abstaining and drinking condition reported greater drinking descriptive norms compared to participants in either the alcohol abstaining and attention control conditions at post-experiment and 1-month follow-up. The alcohol abstaining and drinking condition reported lower abstaining descriptive norms (i.e., perceiving fewer peers abstain) compared to those in the alcohol abstaining condition at post-experiment and lower abstaining injunctive norms compared to those in the attention control condition at 1-month follow-up.
Conclusions: Exposure to social media profiles containing both alcohol drinking and abstaining messages were respectively associated with individuals perceiving that peers were consuming alcohol more often and that fewer peers were abstaining. The present findings are consistent with prior experimental research that indicates alcohol displays on social media are associated with riskier drinking cognitions.
( Source: JSAD )
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Major events which allow underage patrons can come with challenges. It is important to have measures in place to protect the safety of all patrons and staff.
Liquor Control Victoria Inspectors were recently at an outdoor music festival with approval to have underage patrons. Inspectors observed several processes which contributed to a well-run and safe event for patrons and staff, such as:
- Underage patrons without a parent, legal guardian or responsible adult were refused entry.
- Prior to entry, in dedicated areas, underage patrons received pink wristbands for easy identification, other patrons received green.
- Each underage attendee had their emergency contact details written on their wristband. Prior to festival entry, staff called this number to confirm it.
- A condition of entry for underage patrons was that they must remain accompanied by parent, legal guardian or responsible adult for duration of the event.
Clear expectations and policies for underage patrons were communicated prior to the festival on the event website. Key information included:
- a dedicated underage information pack with definition of ‘responsible adult’
- recommendation of no patrons under the age of 15
- warnings about loud music, high intensity crowd movements, potential for bands using profanities and patrons consuming alcohol.
Communication prior to the event, and measures implemented on arrival at the festival site ensured organisers were fully compliant with their legal obligations. Most importantly, the safety of all patrons was a priority. (For more information Liquor Control Victoria)
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