Cracking open a cold beer or pouring a glass of wine to toast our successes, failures and everything in between has always been a popular custom among Aussies. But as welcome as after-work drinks may be as a social ritual in Australia, alcohol consumption has long been associated with further substance abuse. 

According to the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, alcohol consumption across the country remains consistent across a range of age groups, with adults in their 50s consuming an average of 11 or more standard drinks in one drinking session. In 2017, almost 50 per cent of students aged 12 to 17 had consumed alcohol in the year precedeing, a dangerous trend that experts predict has only increased in recent years.

But impaired sensory function and nasty hangovers are not the only consequences of alcohol consumption, with the latest research revealing a far more sinister effect that could be at play. 

In addition to harmful levels of consumption being associated with an increased risk of developing chronic conditions, injury, and premature death, new studies suggest it may be acting as a ‘gateway drug’, increasing the brain’s susceptibility to addiction and making us more vulnerable to harder drug use. 

"Studies indicate that alcohol alters brain chemistry in ways that increase susceptibility to drug addiction," Chris Tuell, a clinical psychotherapist and a chemical and behavioral addiction specialist at the Lindner Center, tells Fox News.

While many people enjoy a few drinks without serious incident, research shows that consistent alcohol consumption can alter the brain's behaviour centers, influencing our decision-making, a consequence that can take far longer than a single hangover to reverse. 

According to Dr George Koob, director of the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a human brain struggling with addiction “takes a good deal of work to get it back to its normal state.”

Understanding the slippery slope of addiction

In order to understand the potential of alcohol consumption as a gateway drug for more dangerous and illicit substances, researchers have studied how quickly compulsive alcohol use can progress to alcohol dependence.  

One 2013 study into the matter found that mice that were exposed to alcohol on a regular basis were quickly subject to brain adaptations that shift behavior control away from an area of the brain involved in complex decision-making and toward a region associated with habit formation.’

Alcohol’s prevalence in society as a popular social lubricant, celebratory ritual and representative of culture and cuisine has experts most concerned about the drug’s potential as a gateway to more extreme substance addiction. 

"Any substance that impairs judgment is potentially a gateway drug, in my opinion – however, alcohol is the king of this," Dr Kenneth Spielvogel, senior medical officer at Carrara Treatment in California, tells Fox News. "It maintains a firm grip on a large portion of the adult population. I personally have seen the ravages of this – hungover victims turn to meth, cocaine and other drugs for the ‘pick me up’ they feel they need."

While compulsive alcohol consumption can lead to dependence and addiction, experts argue that many other environmental and psychological causes can also contribute to this shift. Alcohol addiction may be influenced by genetic predisposition, exposure at a young age, or mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from childhood trauma.

"Just because people who use harder drugs often drink alcohol first does not necessarily mean alcohol caused their drug use," Tuell clarifies to Fox News.

Regardless of what factors cause addictive tendencies and drug dependency, most experts agree on one thing: Fighting the physical, psychological and behavioural impact of addiction is no easy task, and those struggling should seek out the support and resources available to them. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline can direct you to your local state alcohol and drug information service for free and confidential advice – as well as referral to services. 

You can call them on 1800 250 015 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.