Consequences of alcohol

Long and short term effects of alcohol consumption

The short term effects of alcohol can be very beneficial and not always negative. Most adults will not experience any side effects with one or two drinks, even if they drink daily and remain light drinkers.
This is when the number of servings consumed increases and tolerance to it increases. alcohol develops, as the problems begin. Alcohol abuse can lead to addiction, diagnosed as alcoholism.

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

Short-term effects of alcohol

A drink is a glass of wine, liquor or a can of beer. This level of consumption is completely safe and may 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 allergy to alcohol. The positive effects of alcohol are undeniable. They include a sense of deep calm and relaxation that neurotics crave. Blood pressure generally decreases, the person becomes less focused, reflexes slow down, response times increase, and coordination deteriorates. All of these effects are caused by the slowdown in brain activity and start to show after drinking more than three or four drinks. In more rare cases, people can be injured after drinking an alcoholic beverage, especially if it is the first alcoholic drink in their life or if they have an underlying medical condition.

Short-term effects of alcohol include:

• Abdominal pain, nausea, or diarrhea:Alcohol irritates the lining of the stomach 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 chatty.
• 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 have longer reaction times. More pronounced effects include slurred speech, blurred vision and muffled hearing. Sometimes these effects of alcohol can show even after a drink, so combine alcohol and driving.
• Fatigue, drowsiness:is part of the calming effect of alcohol. Drowsiness sets in after the initial euphoria has passed. However, the opposite effect is also possible, called alcoholic insomnia.
• Poor Self-Control, Fuzzy Thoughts:By impairing the functionality of the central nervous system, alcohol makes a person less restrained and more prone to behaviors that may seem unusual. You are more likely to break the law or engage in risky sex, such as having unprotected sex while under the influence of alcohol. The negative consequences of alcohol consumption include “early risers” when people are denied service in restaurants, if they are drunk, and they fight.
• Impaired memory:The effects of alcohol consumption on memory are well known and are also caused by decreased activity of the nervous system. Violations can lead to blackouts of alcohol, when a person does not remember what happened after drinking. Another terrible side effect is delirium tremens.
• Mood swings: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 serious - depression in people addicted to alcohol can eventually lead to suicide attempts with varying results. Celebrity chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain, who battled drug and alcohol addiction, is a tragic example.

The consequences of alcohol: risks and dangers

Some of the short-term effects of alcohol can be fatal, and alcoholics are particularly at risk. Binge drinking is defined as binge drinking for a short time - 4 or more drinks in one sitting. Alcohol poisoning occurs when blood alcohol levels reach toxic levels, resulting in hangover symptoms that are more likely to occur when you drink a poor quality drink. Alcohol poisoning is a life-threatening medical emergency if left untreated. The following symptoms may appear:

• Mental confusion or amazement, person does not hold their head, feels depressed;
• Unconscious;
• Convulsions;
• Low body temperature or vice versa;
• Trembling or chills;
• 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 can include liver damage, depression, cancer, immune system disorders, high blood pressure, decreased sexual activity in men, and loss of libidoin women or pancreatitis. Over time, people who drink alcohol can develop cognitive impairment. Side effects of this habit include irritability and worsening performance at work due to alcohol. Alcohol abuse negatively affects the kidneys, causing serious damage. Long-term abuse can cause cirrhosis of the liver, a serious liver disease that requires liver transplantation in many cases. Many people in the country are dying of cirrhosis.

The danger of underage drinking is much higher.

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

Effects of alcohol on women

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

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

Side effects of alcohol onthe male and female body are markedly different. Binge drinking and chronic heavy drinking put women at much higher health and safety risks than men, according to experts. Women who get drunk more than double their chances of being sexually or physically abused. Data shows that over 50% of recorded sexual assaults in the country involve a woman, a man or both family members of alcoholics. A study in Norway found that spouses who drink different amounts of alcohol are more likely to divorce than those who drink in comparable amounts. This was especially true of relationships in which the woman was an avid alcoholic. The impact of alcoholism on women is more pronounced. Long-term alcohol consumption is much more dangerous for women's health - women are more likely to die from cirrhosis of the liver or suffer from cancer of the brain, heart, or breast. Children of women who drink during pregnancy are at risk of being born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), a lifelong developmental disorder manifested by abnormal facial features, stunted growth, brain damage caused byalcohol and emotional disturbances.

Side effects of alcohol abuse

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

Most of the long-term negative effects of alcohol are health related, but there are exceptions. Sexual assault, rape that occurs after heavy alcohol poisoning, aggravated assault, reckless driving, and theft or robbery while intoxicated affect loved ones, friends and even strangers with whomthey come into contact. The physical and cognitive impairments due to alcohol abuse are enormous 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 as it gets used to the long-term effects of alcohol. When a person becomes dependent, they continue to drink, regardless of the physical or psychological symptoms caused by alcohol. In addition, a person who becomes dependent will continue to drink even if they suffer from job loss, panic attacks, break up with family or are arrested for alcohol-related behavior. He also faces an increased risk of becoming addicted to other drugs because they crave more than alcohol can provide. Failure to rationalize and loss of inhibitions also make people more prone to experimenting with illegal drugs and has many social consequences of alcohol addiction.

Substance abuse is a physical disorder that requires treatment. The consequences of alcohol withdrawal are dangerous and potentially fatal. Treatment begins with detoxification. Ideally, this is followed by treatment in an inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation facility, where patients are helped to achieve long-term sobriety. In fact, experts believe that the short and long term effects of alcohol are the most harmful of all other types of drugs.

Exposure to alcohol: treatments

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