There are a whole boatload of urban legends and myths concerning alcohol. A lot of these myths can be attributed to the fact that a lot of cultures all over the world incorporate the intake of alcohol into their cultural rites and traditions. It may also have something to do with the fact that alcohol is closely related with hallucinations and delirium. In fact, one of the most dangerous symptoms of alcohol withdrawal is an acute form of delirium known as delirium trumens or what is more commonly known as the DTs.
The problem with the prevalence of urban myths and legends is that they can spread the wrong information about alcohol if people start taking them seriously. While some alcohol myths are simply far too preposterous for anyone to take seriously, there are some which are closely related to the truth and some which are still taken as truth even today. One common misconception among alcohol users is that drinking different types of alcoholic beverages in one sitting will get you drunk faster than drinking just one type of alcohol drink. There is actually some tinge of truth to this myth, but it is not for the reason that most people may be thinking of. The reality is that an alcohol drinker’s level of drunkenness is directly related to the amount of alcohol in his bloodstream. Thus, it is only natural that an individual will get drunk faster on mixed drinks since these will have much more concentrated alcohol content than just one type of drink.
Alcohol myths, therefore, can become quite troublesome if they get in the way of actual alcohol facts and cause confusion. For example, the symptoms of alcohol poisoning should be identifiable for everyone because acute alcohol intoxication can cause death if it is not treated immediately. On the other hand, questions such as: “does alcohol kill brain cells?” Are totally preposterous.