Drinking has become a social norm now. It has quite simply become an inevitable part of our social gatherings. A glass or two of drinks don’t pose any threat to our well-being, but sometimes things do go colossally wrong when we decide to mix things up with alcohol. To be more precise, these ‘things’ are not just edible and drinkable things, but also activities that we should avoid while drinking. These things when mixed with drinks, are likely to cause either harm or embarrassment to us and others around us. So, to save yourself from potential harm and social awkwardness, avoid the below list of things while drinking.
1. Say No To Medications
Medications should never be taken with alcohol. It must be avoided under all circumstances without exception. If you are having trouble believing this, you can just look at the label of any over-the-counter medicines. We can assure you that the label will say “Do Not Drink Alcoholic Beverages When Taking This Medication”. This is not an empty caution from a pharmaceutical company. This is potentially life-threatening. Painkillers like Vicodin and Percocet can cause severe reactions like drowsiness, dizziness, as well as loss of motor control when ingested with alcohol. Alcohol can increase the chances of drug overdose as well. Antibiotics like azithromycin when consumed with alcohol can cause serious repercussions like liver damage, abnormal heartbeat, vomiting etc. So, avoid taking any medications while drinking.
2. Energy Boosting Drinks
It seems harmless to mix an alcoholic beverage with an energy drink. But, unfortunately, it is not at all harmless. Alcohol is an intoxicant that slows down our systems, whereas an energy drink is supposed to do the exact opposite of that. So, when you mix these two wildly opposite beverages, it can cause unusual reactions. This mix can make a drinker feel sober even after several drinks. And, this can push the drinker to drink more without the realization of the amount of alcohol already present in his/her system. Studies have shown that mixing energy drinks with alcoholic beverages can hike up the desire of a drinker to continue drinking as the energy drink cancels out alcoholic effect.
3. Marijuana
Marijuana is a hallucinogen and alcohol is an intoxicant. Thus, mixing two of these can potentially be very harmful. According to the American Heart Association, mixing marijuana with alcohol can lead to a condition called tachycardia. In this condition, the heart rate becomes more than 100 per minute along with other associated symptoms like high blood pressure, impairment of motor and cognitive skills. In another study, it has been discovered that intake of marijuana with alcohol can severely affect driving skills of an individual as well.
4. Office Gatherings
It may sound like unusual advice. But, it holds good when you dig a little deeper. There is a reason why after every office party, some people and their behavior become a hot topic for office gossip. Alcohol is known for bringing down the inhibitions of people. Sometimes, it can help us in opening up and getting to know other people. But, there are times when alcohol can bring out the absolute worst side of us, especially our repressed emotions. According to a study conducted at the University of Birmingham, alcohol can have a stronger effect on lowering our inhibitions in an unusual circumstance like an office party than a usual circumstance like a bar. Hence, drinks at office parties are best avoided for greater social good.
5. Online Shopping Applications
Shopping for exactly what you want can be a difficult task when you are sober, so it is best not to attempt it when drunk. This can be a real menace as you might be losing your hard-earned money on things you don’t really need. In one bizarre case, a man bought himself a motorcycle trip in New Zealand for ten grand!
So, avoid some of these awkward as well as potentially life-threatening circumstances by choosing sobriety over drinking in certain situations.
