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While you might think casual drinking is less harmful to you, it is not. Casual drinking may not always be what you think it is. There seems to be little difference as you get older between what casual drinking is and binge drinking is. JAMA Psychiatry in August 2015 suggested that four to five drinks within a couple hours are defined as binge drinking. For some, that may just be having a couple of drinks with friends. One's definition of what casual drinking may differ from person to person based on their alcohol tolerance level. If you can handle more alcohol, a few more drinks might not be anything for you to worry about and you may not end up in a luxury rehab center for it.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) stated regular drinking of this sort can cause injure your frontal cortex and sections of your brain responsible for decision making and other executive functions. Alcohol, itself, weakens the speed of the neurotransmitters that regulate your mood and body responses. They also note that once you abstain from alcohol for many months, your brain can begin to have the full capacity to think, problem solve and remember events. However, there are many other negative side effects because of casual drinking.

Casual drinking of any alcohol can lead to dehydration. This might be something to keep an eye out for if you are especially vulnerable to dehydration. Some people can become dehydrated faster than others. This is why making sure you stay hydrated is important even when drinking. Having a glass of water nearby after a drink is important. You never want to pass out at a bar or walking down the stairs after having drank. Such accidents might land you in the hospital or worse. It is one more reason to stay sober when out with friends.

Weight gain may be one of the most common things people might become concerned about. Not only will your weight increase but your blood may slow. If you gain weight, you could also be susceptible to things such as depression or heart disease. While you are susceptible to these things, your body will have less of an ability to absorb nutrients like vitamin D, B-complex vitamins and vitamin A. Eating less or more carbohydrates, which drinkers often do, can leave you with many nutritional and health defects you might not wish to have.

Overall, drinking can be fun. Maybe, you are out with your friends on a sunny day and the alcohol relaxes you into an even further euphoric state. You do not want your alcohol drinking to land up in a luxury rehab center. If you choose to stay away from it, you might find not only your life improves but your social interactions do too.

About the author: Tommy Zimmer is a writer whose work has appeared online and in print. His work covers a variety of topics, including politics, economics, health and wellness,addiction and recovery and the entertainment industry.