Like every drug, alcohol suffers under the weight of a number of unfounded myths and stories.

Here is 7 of myths about alcohol:

1. You Have To Be Drunk Constantly To Be An Alcoholic

No, of course not. It’s difficult to be drunk all the time, especially if you are an alcoholic. When you develop a tolerance to alcohol, you need to drink more and more in order to even feel the effects of the drug. In fact, no one “holds their liquor” better than an alcoholic. They are the ones most likely to drink and drink and drink and not appear drunk at all.

2.If I Can Stop Drinking, I’m Not An Alcoholic

If you’re even in a position to have this thought, chances are, you’re an alcoholic. Don’t let it get this far. Call The Canyon and get the help you need with a comprehensive alcohol rehab that addresses the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of alcoholism, giving you the tools you need to stay clean and sober when you return home.

3.Mixing alcohol with energy drinks makes you drunker

It’s easy to interpret the combination of an alcohol-induced buzz and an energy rush from caffeine as a higher level of “drunk.” But energy drinks don’t actually enhance the relaxed and sociable feeling caused by a few drinks. Instead, caffeine masks the sedative effects of alcohol that often cue people to stop drinking . As a result, people are tricked into thinking they have more energy than they actually do, which can push them to continue drinking (and potentially lead to negative consequences such as getting too drunk or having a terrible hangover the next day).

The Fact: Energy drinks alter the perception of how intoxicated we really are, but have no direct effect on how those shots hit us. One exception? Mixing alcohol with diet soda may actually increase intoxication (but in this case it's the lack of sugar, not the caffeine content, that has an effect). While for the most part drinking too much can’t be blamed solely on Red Bull, it’s best to steer clear of this combo to stay aware of your limits and to avoid any possible negative effects caused by drinking too much alcohol or too much caffeine .

4.Darker alcohols are always healthier

Darker beers and wines generally have more antioxidants than light beer and white wine (the darker hues are thought to signify higher flavanoid content in beers and higher polyphenol content in wines). This means that most people conclude that, while these options are sometimes slightly higher in calories, they pack more nutritional value and are therefore inherently healthier than their paler friends.

The Fact: While darker alcohols may contain more antioxidants, they can also contain more cogeners—toxic chemicals created during the fermentation process—which can worsen hangovers (this goes for beer, wine, rum, whiskey, gold tequila, and pretty much any drink with a darkish hue). If you need to avoid feeling sluggish the next day, switch out some of those darker drinks for lighter versions.

5. Coffee and a cold shower will sober you up.

Nothing speeds up the process, not a hot cup of coffee nor a cold shower. Caffeine can actually do more harm than good, says Warren. “Caffeine is a stimulant, and because of that, a person’s going to be more awake but just as much impaired,” he says. “It can give an individual a false degree of confidence that they are not impaired,” he says, which could lead to riskier behavior and dangerous decisions.

6. Drinking beer gives you a beer belly

It certainly can — but so can anything you consume in excess. That stereotypical beer-drinker’s gut is a sign you’re overdoing it on something, but not necessarily beer. “[M]ost beer bellies are just due to excessive calories from any source, beer among them,” Marion Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H., a professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University told The Huffington Post in 2013.

7.Taking Aspirin or ibuprofen before heavy drinking can reduce hangover effects

It's a nice thought: Taking a pill now will help prevent feeling awful in the morning. But while those preemptive efforts to stave off a thudding headache may seem wise, ultimately they don’t pay off.

The Fact: Taking painkillers before pain sets in won’t help—the med’s power will wear off before that headache comes on. A word of caution: Absolutely do not take aspirin or ibuprofen while still drinking. The painkillers can erode the stomach lining, which, coupled with the stomach irritants in alcohol, can cause liver inflammation and allow more alcohol into the bloodstream, resulting in potential liver damage and a higher-than-normal Blood Alcohol Content (Talk about counterproductive!). Taking ibuprofen or another pain reliever the morning after, however, can help relieve temporary pains.