It used to be a joke, after a hard day at work, we would all joke about going home and drinking. The kids driving you crazy, have a drink. Something goes wrong, have a drink. It's all acceptable now. We are bombarded with beer commercials, memes about drinking, and shirts that endorse drinking our troubles away. It's easy to get pulled into it, to have just one more drink. When you have already had one, what's one more?

We are told that it is fun to drink and skip over the consequences. It's the little consequences that no one talks about. All of our lives we are told about the physical effects of alcohol. If you need a reminder, the National Institute of Health has a lot of good information on bodily effects.

Relationships suffer, the biggest and most important part of our lives are the relationships we create with others. Drinking can harm these relationships. You can say things that you regret or act in a way that causes your significant other to lose trust in you. When multiple people are drinking, it can lead to not only verbal arguments but physical blows as well.

Credibility suffers, work parties happen, and with them, the alcohol runs freely. When the boss is on the table dancing, it causes employees in their purview to have a lack of trust in their guidance. The same can be said of an employee. In this social media world, actions can quickly go viral. Current and future employers don't appreciate seeing employees acting in a way that questions the credibility of their business.

It costs money. No matter how the alcohol is purchased, it is not cheap. The more one drinks the more it costs. To top it off, drinking makes a person hungry. Drinking out of the house will cost a cab ride home. If a person chooses to take themselves home, a DUI will cost jail time and court fees. The cost adds up quickly and affects relationships when money is spent on drinks.

The ultimate goal is to feel good. To get rid of the aches and pains that life brings. To take away the stress that comes with work and life. The sadness doesn't go away. The bottle of wine or tequila doesn't take away troubles. It might numb the pain for a bit, but it doesn't go away. Waking up the next morning, one is left with the same sadness and a headache that requires three aspirins, a cup of coffee and some hangover tonic to get out of bed. The fun of alcohol wears off when it takes more and more to get the numb feeling. The feeling of being just a little tipsy enough to feel good, but not enough to be hung over is a fine line. Once the drinking starts it takes more to get there. The line starts to blur and so does your vision.

If you or someone you know has problems with alcohol there is help. You are better than the bottom of the bottle, or a can.