Changes

'''Medications''' are often used to discourage alcohol use.  ''Antabuse'' (disulfiram) interrupts the metabolization of alcohol, increasing the amount of acetaldehyde in the body and leading to substantial hangover symptoms shortly after drinking and discouraging those who have taken the medication from drinking.  ''Naltrexone'' is a medication that binds to opioid receptors in the brain, decreasing alcohol cravings and promoting abstinence.

'''Medications''' are often used to discourage alcohol use.  ''Antabuse'' (disulfiram) interrupts the metabolization of alcohol, increasing the amount of acetaldehyde in the body and leading to substantial hangover symptoms shortly after drinking and discouraging those who have taken the medication from drinking.  ''Naltrexone'' is a medication that binds to opioid receptors in the brain, decreasing alcohol cravings and promoting abstinence.

== Godlessness and alcohol abuse ==

== Atheism and alcoholism ==

[[File:04656 market in Sanok.JPG|thumbnail|200px|right|[[Alcoholism]] was a serious social problem in the former atheistic [[Soviet Union]].<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18245818</ref> Between 1940 and 1980, the Soviet Union had the largest increase of the amount of alcohol usage in the developed world.<ref>[http://isw.sagepub.com/content/35/4/441.extract Alcoholism in the Soviet Union]</ref>]]

[[File:Europe pol 2004.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|According to the [[World Health Organization]]'s (WHO) regional office in [[Europe]], "The WHO European Region has the highest proportion in the world of total ill health and premature death due to alcohol.<ref>[http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/alcohol-use/data-and-statistics World Health Organization's (WHO) regional office in Europe - Alcohol usage of Europe]</ref>]]

''See also:'' [[Atheism and alcoholism]]

''See also:'' [[Atheism and alcoholism]]

[[Atheism|Atheists]] and atheistic cultures more frequently have problems with excess alcohol use (For more information please see: [[Atheism and alcoholism]]).  

Atheists and atheistic cultures often have significant problems with excess alcohol usage (For more information please see: [[Atheism and alcoholism]]).  

=== Secular countries/regions and alcohol abuse ===

=== Secular countries/regions and alcoholism ===

 

*[[Secular Europe and alcoholism]]

*[[Secular Europe and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Germany and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Germany and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Czech Republic and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Czech Republic and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Sweden and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Sweden and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Japan and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Japan and alcoholism]]

=== Irreligion, excess alcohol drinking and the United States ===

*[[Atheistic Thailand and alcoholism]]

 

 

The [[Barna Group]] found that atheists and [[agnostics]] in America were more likely, than [[theist]]s in America, to look upon the following behaviors as morally acceptable:  [[Illegal drugs|illegal drug use]]; '''excessive drinking;''' [[fornication|sexual relationships outside of marriage]]; [[abortion]]; cohabitating with someone of opposite sex outside of marriage; [[Profanity|obscene language]]; [[gambling]]; [[pornography]] and obscene sexual behavior; and engaging in [[homosexuality]]/[[bisexuality]].<ref>http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard</ref>

 

*[[Soviet Union and alcoholism]]

 

*[[Communist East Germany and alcoholism]]

<br />

=== Irreligion, alcoholism and various generations in the United States ===

=== Irreligion, alcoholism and various generations in the United States ===

*[[Irreligion, generations in the United States and alcoholism]]

*[[Irreligion, generations in the United States and alcoholism]]

*[[Irreligion, baby boom generation and alcoholism]]

*[[Irreligion, baby boom generation and alcoholism]]

*[[Irreligion, Generation X and alcoholism]]

*[[Irreligion, Generation X and alcoholism]]

*[[Irreligion, millenials and alcoholism]]

*[[Irreligion, millenials and alcoholism]]

=== Soviet Union and alcoholism ===

=== Binge drinking and brain damage ===

 

A 2012 study suggests that a habit of binge drink risks serious brain damage including increasing memory loss later in adulthood.<ref>http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/binge/a/aa000818a.htm</ref><ref>http://www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/e_20121022/koob.html</ref>

 

 

=== Atheism, binge drinking and suicide ===

Alcoholism was a serious social problem in the former atheistic [[Soviet Union]].<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18245818</ref> Between 1940 and 1980, the Soviet Union had the largest increase of the amount of alcohol usage in the developed world.<ref>[http://isw.sagepub.com/content/35/4/441.extract Alcoholism in the Soviet Union]</ref>

Binge drinking is a potent risk factor for suicide.<ref>O'Connell, H; Lawlor, BA (October–December 2005). "Recent alcohol intake and suicidality--a neuropsychological perspective". Irish journal of medical science 174 (4): 51–4</ref> Atheists have a [[Atheism and suicide|higher suicide rate]] than the general population.

==See also==

==See also==