Half of Americans are active alcohol consumers and 85.6% of adults have consumed alcohol at some point in their lifetime. While millions of Americans enjoy the social aspects of moderate alcohol consumption, drinking to excess can take a serious toll on your brain and have lasting side effects that are, in fact, irreversible. Before you start to worry that your …

Alcohol consumption in the United States has long been linked with a number of social and economic challenges. From drunk driving fatalities to financial troubles associated with excessive drinking, the costs of alcohol abuse are significant. A 2010 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the cost of excessive alcohol use in the United States reached $249 …