Consequences of alcohol

Long-term and short-term effects of alcohol use

The short-term effects of alcohol can be quite beneficial and not always negative. Most adults will not experience any bad effects from one or two drinks, even if they drink every day and remain light drinkers. It is when the number of servings increases and tolerance to alcohol develops that problems begin. Alcohol abuse can lead to addiction diagnosed as alcoholism.

The long-term consequences of alcohol abuse include domestic violence, drunk driving and other destructive behaviors.

Short-term effects of alcohol

One drink corresponds to a glass of wine, alcohol or a can of beer. This level of consumption is completely safe and can even reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and alcoholic dementia. The short-term effects of higher doses vary depending on the drinker's weight, gender and other factors, including alcohol allergy. The positive effects of alcohol are undeniable. These include the feeling of deep calm and relaxation that neurotic people crave. Tension usually decreases, the person becomes less concentrated, reflexes slow down, reaction time increases and coordination deteriorates. All these effects are caused by a slowdown in brain activity and begin to appear after drinking more than three or four drinks. In rare cases, people may be injured after consuming an alcoholic beverage, especially if it is their first alcoholic beverage or if they have a basic medical condition.

The short-term effects of alcohol include:

• Abdominal pain, nausea or diarrhea: <Alcohol irritates the gastric mucosa, causing these effects. Note that these symptoms may indicate the development of alcoholic gastritis.
• Relaxation:Most people feel calmer and happier when they drink, so many turn to alcohol when they are stressed or sad. They become more lively and talkative.
• Visual and hearing impairment:Alcohol is a depressant and slows down the nervous system itself. Because the central nervous system controls motor and cognitive functions, people will experience longer reaction times. More pronounced effects include blurred speech, blurred vision and muffled hearing. Sometimes these effects of alcohol can occur even after a drink, so combine alcohol and driving.
• Fatigue, drowsiness: <strong is part of the calming effect of alcohol. Drowsiness occurs after the initial euphoria has passed. The opposite effect, called alcoholic insomnia, is also possible
• Poor self-control, blurred thinking:By disrupting the functionality of the central nervous system, alcohol makes a person less restrained and more prone to behavior that may seem uncharacteristic. A person is more likely to break the law or engage in risky sexual activities, such as unprotected sex, while under the influence of alcohol. The negative consequences of alcohol consumption include "early risers", when people are deprived of service in restaurants if they are drunk and they fight.
• Memory impairment:The effects of alcohol consumption on memory are well known and are also caused by reduced activity of the nervous system. Disorders can lead to the eclipse of alcohol when a person does not remember the events that occurred after drinking. Another terrible side effect is delirium tremen.
• The mood flutters: <strong The initial "cheerfulness" gradually fades, giving way to depression. This sometimes causes people to continue drinking and mood swings can occur. They are sometimes very severe - depression in people addicted to alcohol can eventually lead to suicide attempts with varying results. Famous chef and TV presenter Anthony Bourdain, who fights alcohol and drug addiction, is a tragic example.

Consequences of alcohol: risks and dangers

Some of the short-term effects of alcohol can be fatal, and alcoholics are particularly at risk. Drinking alcohol is defined as excessive drinking for a short period of time - 4 or more drinks in one sitting. Alcohol poisoning occurs when blood alcohol levels reach toxic levels, leading to hangover symptoms that are more likely to occur when drinking a low-quality beverage. Alcohol poisoning is urgently medical and fatal if left untreated. The following symptoms may occur:

• Mental confusion or stupor, the person does not hold his head, feels depressed;
• Unconscious;
• Convulsions;
• Low body temperature or vice versa;
• Tremor or tremor;
• Pale, cold, bluish skin;
• Irregular or slow breathing;
• Development of chronic diseases such as gout;
• Loss of bladder and bowel control
• Coma.

Long-term effects of alcohol

Long-term effects of alcohol may include liver damage, depression, cancer, immune system disorders, hypertension, decreased sexual performance in men, and loss of sex drive in women, or pancreatitis. Over time, people who drink alcohol can develop cognitive impairments. Side effects of this habit include irritability and worsening performance at work due to alcohol. Alcohol abuse has a negative effect on the kidneys, causing serious damage. Long-term abuse can cause cirrhosis of the liver, a severe liver disease that requires a liver transplant in many cases. Many people in the country die from cirrhosis.

The risk of underage drinking is much higher.

Other long-term effects also include the so-called dry drunkenness syndrome, in which a person experiences the effects of alcohol poisoning without consuming alcohol at all. With prolonged use of alcohol, people develop tolerance as the body gets used to more and more alcohol. This forces them to consume dangerously large amounts of alcohol without experiencing the short-term effects that would otherwise lead to cessation.

Effects of alcohol on women

Alcohol affects women differently than men. Gone are the days when it was thought that only men had problems with alcohol. Today, more and more women are abusing alcohol - statistics show that millions of women in the country drink in a way that is considered dangerous to their safety, health and well-being. According to the traffic authorities, the level of alcohol in a woman's blood is high enough to increase the risk of a fatal car accident by 100% after drinking one drink on an empty stomach.

Drunk driving seems to be a purely male problem and, of course, it is not.

The side effects of alcohol on the male and female body are significantly different. According to experts, drinking alcohol and chronic alcohol consumption expose women to much greater risks to health and safety than men. Women who get drunk more than twice have a chance of sexual or physical abuse. The data show that more than 50% of sexual assaults registered in the country involve a woman, a man or both members of the family of alcoholics. A study in Norway found that spouses who consume different amounts of alcohol are more likely to divorce than those who drink in comparable amounts. This was especially true in relationships in which the wife was an avid alcoholic. The impact of alcoholism on women is more pronounced. Long-term alcohol consumption is much more dangerous to women's health - women are more likely to die from cirrhosis of the liver or suffer from brain, heart or breast cancer. Children of women who drink during pregnancy are at risk of being born with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), a lifelong developmental disorder that manifests as abnormal facial features, stunted growth caused by alcohol impairment. brain and emotional disturbances.

Side effects from alcohol abuse

• Neurological Disorders
• Diabetes and cognitive impairment are two possible long-term effects of alcohol. Chronic alcohol consumption leads to a higher risk of developing diabetes. This leads to obesity, as alcohol is high in calories and damages the pancreas, which secretes insulin; long-term alcohol abuse can also lead to learning difficulties and memory problems. This increases the risk of developing mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.
• Another major problem associated with persistent alcohol abuse is the so-calledwithdrawal syndrome:The symptoms become more severe each time a person consumes ethanol. Alcohol also damages nerve cells, causing irreversible polyneuropathy.

Most of the negative long-term effects of alcohol are related to health, but there are exceptions. Sexual assault, rape, which occurs after heavy drinking, aggravated assault, reckless driving and drunken robbery or theft, affect relatives, friends and even complete strangers with whom they come into contact. The physical and cognitive impairments due to alcohol abuse are huge every year.

Harmful effects of alcohol

Addiction occurs when the body cannot function optimally without alcohol. The brain cannot send the right signals to the body when it gets used to the long-term effects of alcohol. When a person becomes addicted, he continues to drink, regardless of any physical or psychological symptoms caused by drinking. In addition, an addicted person will continue to drink, even if he or she suffers from job loss, panic attacks, breakup with his or her family, or is arrested for alcohol-related behavior. He also faces an increased risk of addiction to other drugs because they crave more alcohol. The inability to rationalize and the loss of inhibitions also makes people more inclined to experiment with illicit drugs and leads to many of the social consequences of alcohol dependence.

Addiction is a physical disorder that requires treatment. The consequences of stopping alcohol are dangerous and potentially life-threatening. Treatment begins with detoxification. Ideally, this is followed by treatment in an inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation facility, where patients are assisted in achieving long-term sobriety. If nothing else, experts believe that the short-term and long-term effects of alcohol are the most harmful of all other drugs.

Alcohol exposure: treatment

At the inpatient rehabilitation center, patients receive therapy and intensive counseling to help them find positive ways to deal with the stress that has led them to alcohol abuse. Treatment begins immediately after detoxification. These treatment programs last a minimum of 30 days. They can last up to a year. The best rehabilitation centers are located in quiet and peaceful areas where patients can focus on their recovery. Therapists at these alcohol rehabilitation centers recommend that patients continue outpatient treatment after their stay. It is also recommended that you join support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, such as