We drink it, celebrate with it, and barely question it—but what is alcohol really doing to us?
Drinking alcohol can be fun; its chemical effects on our brain are fundamentally pleasurable, and it can have social benefits. Alcohol may also help us forget the worries in our lives and temporarily lower psychological barriers to human interaction.
But there are downsides. We now know that alcohol, even in quite modest amounts, is not good for our long-term health. So why do we consume alcohol at all, and why does our tendency to drink “too much” vary from person to person?
Pairing scientific expertise with his personal experiences, Dr. Charles Knowles offers us an accessible window into what really happens in our brains and bodies when we drink and why we do it. The pleasure people derive from alcohol varies greatly, both physically and mentally. Our response is influenced by the genes we were born with and the environment in which we grew up. For some of us, alcohol is greatly enhancing; for others, it is not much fun at all.
For the sober curious, those who may need help, and readers just interested in a popular science book on what happens when we sip a glass of wine, Why We Drink Too Much explains the science behind drinking and invites us to examine our relationship with alcohol.
