Effects Of Alcohol Abuse Guide

Short and long term effects of alcohol on the body, heart and brain of alcoholic. Anxiety, depression, and social consequences of alcohol.

Exploring The Different Effects Of Alcoholism

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Alcohol has been known to have antidepressant properties and often takes the form of addiction in people, when abused. Not many people realize that the drink that alters their mind for some time can have lifelong drastic effects on their health and mind. It is basically consumed for the effects it has on the central nervous system of the body. It makes the person feel relaxed and reduces inhibitions.

Effects of alcoholism

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The problems with such beverages can be categorized as short term or long term depending upon the period for which the substance was consumed. It is important to have awareness on the effects of alcoholism in order to prevent complications like organ damage, mental problems and other health problems. Before we proceed further elaborating the impacts of this problem, let’s take a look at some reports.

Alcohol Facts

A standard drink contains 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol that is quite high as per the standard norms. Also, the problem of underage drinking has become one of the greatest health concerns around the world. According to reports on alcohol awareness facts in Minnesota, approximately 10 million children indulge in alcoholism every year.


Young people are the largest consumers of beer, whisky, cider and wine after tobacco and illicit drugs. In the United States, more than 200,000 students are reported to develop alcohol-related health problem every year, out of which approximately 2.0 percent of students try to commit suicide.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year, more than 5000 people under the age of 21 die due to alcohol. Hundreds of people get injured in accidents, burns and falls. As per the reports in 2011, around 1,900 deaths took place from road rash. 1600 homicides and 300 suicides have been reported as an effect of alcohol dependency.

Short-term effects

The short term consequences are the ones that the drinker feels instantly after taking the drinks. These effects are usually stimulating, leading to actions like reduced inhibitions, talkativeness, instant desire for sex, mood swings, stuttering, loss of coordination, etc. The actions depend upon the quantity of the substance taken at a particular time. However, large amounts of quantity in a short period of time can even lead to blackouts, vomiting, depression, loss of memory and even coma.

Long-term effects

Long term problems with alcohol are far worse than short term effects. Long term effects can lead to organ damage, cardiovascular problems, blood pressure and several types of cancers. According to medical research and studies on this type of beverages, it has been proven that prolonged alcohol abuse can lead to cirrhosis of the liver that can be fatal for an individual.

More and more college going students has started indulging in drinking due to easy accessibility. The consequences of underage drinking have affected almost all college campuses, communities, and students.

Treatment and Counseling

If you’re willing to get rid of your addiction, the first step should be getting in touch with a good doctor. Nowadays, there are a number of rehabilitation centers spread worldwide to provide treatments and guidance to people suffering from the effects of alcoholism. The treatment designed of alcohol addiction helps improve the overall quality of life with regular monitoring and counseling sessions.

It is imperative to choose reliable and accredited alcohol rehab for better results. Make sure you choose only a reputed alcohol rehab to ensure better facilities and effective results. A good rehab center should have a team of experienced and efficient doctors that can help you come out of the trauma of alcohol detoxification in a gradual way. Doctors and therapists must be able to provide you with counseling and assistance to help you cope up with the difficult phase in a smooth way.

The alcohol awareness sessions make an individual aware of the long-term problems with excessive drinking. Most treatment options focus on providing effective resources to help you get rid of your drinking problems. These resources can include discussion therapies, exercises and counseling session from expert psychologists. At the end of the treatment you will feel a lot of difference in your alcohol consuming habits. The main objective is to make the person enough aware about the consequences for him to realize and leave the habit.

For additional information check our article on how to stop drinking with the full list of currently available treatment options.

Dangers of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

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The phenomenon known as a fatal alcohol syndrome (FAS) represents a series of potential physical and mental problems that can present in a fetus as a result of maternal use of alcohol during the course of a pregnancy. Alcohol has the ability to cross the placenta and thereby cause low fetal growth rates, low fetal weight, harm to the brain and central nervous system as well as eventual behavior and psychological problems. Some lasting effects of FAS can include poor memory, cognitive disability, lack of impulse control and other unfortunate manifestations.

It is thought that FAS is the most prevalent reason for cases of mental retardation in western countries, with an occurrence rate of roughly 0.2-2 instances for every 1000 births. The costs of care over an entire lifetime for a child born with fetal alcohol syndrome are quite high, with estimates climbing upwards toward the $800,000 mark. Sadly, roughly 10-15 percent of pregnant women surveyed reported drinking alcohol recently, with somewhere around 30 percent reportedly having done so at one point or another during their pregnancies.

There are certain facial characteristics that are typical to those born with FAS, many of which are also indicators of the possible existence of brain damage. These facial traits are thought to be the result of damage done during weeks 10 and 20 of a pregnancy. The primary characteristics include the presence of a smooth philtrum, which is the area between the upper lip and nose which is typically marked by a grooved surface.


A thinner upper lip is also a trait displayed by those suffering from FAS. Finally, narrower width of the eyes is known to result from prenatal exposure to alcohol. The presence of all three of these features indicates a severe case, two of these features tends to suggest a moderate case, while the existence of just one is likely representative of a more mild case.

While there is no true cure for FAS and the permanent damage that results, there are treatments that may ameliorate the impact. Given the wide range of symptoms and effects among those dealing with the condition, an individualized approach to treatment is always appropriate. It is not uncommon for medical interventions, including the use of psychoactive drug agents to be utilized with patients dealing with FAS, since it tends to mimic the symptoms of other types of disorders.

Behavioral interventions similar to those utilized with those diagnosed with ADHD, Oppositional Defiance Disorder and Reactive Attachment Disorder are often attempted with such patients as well, though their success is difficult to predict and far from certain.

Given the extremely detrimental impact of FAS on those born with it, prevention ought to be a high priority for every single pregnant woman. Fortunately, there is a surefire way to prevent occurrences of this affliction and that is simple abstinence from alcohol during gestation. Awareness campaigns and education are essential to ensuring that fewer and fewer children are forced to deal with this difficult condition.

Major Effects of Alcohol: The Dangers

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Despite all of the alcoholism awareness promotions, the effects of alcohol are not adequately understood by many people. One of the myths, for example, this is only harmful on heavy drinkers.

effects of alcohol

Drinking these beverages can be a treat after a long day, but this pleasure is also accompanied by harmful effects. Whether you are a moderate or heavy drinker, you should be aware of how drinking impacts your body’s functions.

Most people are aware of some of the negative effects. Moderate drinkers mistakenly think they can disregard the bad side of drinking. They enjoy the advantages as social drinkers while believing the disadvantages are associated with this disease.

Alcohol is a depressant that can play a role in the development of depression.


Psychological effects of alcohol include:

  • Memory loss
  • Lack of concentration and coordination
  • Slower reactions and motor skills
  • Slurred speech

Physical consequences of drinking on the liver include:

  • Liver cirrhosis
  • Hepatitis
  • Fatty liver
  • Jaundice
  • Vomiting
  • Hemorrhaging
  • Gastritis
  • Throat cancer
  • Stomach and colon cancer
  • Peptic ulcers
  • Infertility
  • Atrophy of testes
  • Impotency

This is a list of only a few of the harmful effects that accompany alcohol, but it is more than enough to make you think twice about whether you want that next drink.

Alcohol addiction can be deadly not only to the person of concern, but also to those who surround him/her. The first organ to be affected is your brain. The only known solution is to avoid these beverages.

While suffering from this type of addiction, you may not be aware of the negative effects that alcoholism is having on you, and it may not be until after you have received help for the addiction that you see the devastation it has had on you. It directly affects your brain, social life, work, lifestyle and personal life. Ineffective decision making can affect all areas of your life.

It affects your everyday life. For many, every sip they take leads to further isolation, as they attempt to hide their drinking problem from others. Your morals may be compromised as you ignore your responsibilities in order to have a drink.

As you act in opposition to your true self, your mental state of mind will be affected. In addition, it can dehydrate your body and even its mildest form can be a serious threat to your life.

It causes dehydration. As water is vital for the process of muscle creation, such beverages can cause serious problems. The kidneys will use up the maximum quantity of water, depleting water in your body. This process causes dehydration.

Another negative effect caused by alcohol is that it depletes vitamins A, C, B, phosphorus, zinc and calcium from the body. These are the main vitamins that process and maintain your body and keep it in good shape. Muscle growth is among the important functions supported by these nutrients.

The intake of alcohol can even be fattening as it interferes with the fat burning cycle in the body. Therefore, if you are taking in excessive alcohol, you will probably see yourself gaining weight as well since this type of beverages serve seven empty calories in every gram.

Based on this negative alcohol side effects, it is universally understood that these beverages are harmful for the body as it not only interrupts the vital functions a body will perform but also affects the people around you.

Staying away from such beverages may be hard if you have become addicted. As they say, ”Prevention is better than cure”.

Combining liquors and smoking are even more dangerous for your body than alcoholic beverages alone. It is well known that alcohol is a depressant and leads to vasodilatation while nicotine consumption leads to a narrowing of cerebral vessels.

Our tip for you is to quit smoking completely or switch to electronic cigarettes, otherwise drinking and cigarettes will kill you much faster.

Understanding the side effect of alcohol abuse is the first step to making healthier lifestyle choices.

Facts About Alcohol and Alcoholism

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Facts on alcohol

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It’s important for everyone to know the facts about alcohol as it become part of many of our social activities. Not surprisingly, alcoholism is a major health problem today.

Collegedrinkingprevention.gov writes:

Excessive drinking can be hazardous to everyone’s health! It can be particularly stressful if you are the sober one taking care of your drunk roommate, who is vomiting while you are trying to study for an exam. Some people laugh at the behavior of others who are drunk. Some think it’s even funnier when they pass out. But there is nothing funny about the aspiration of vomit leading to asphyxiation or the poisoning of the respiratory center in the brain, both of which can result in death.


While more people are more dependent on illegal drugs than they are on alcohol, the statistics are also alarming. Of equal concern is the growing use of medical prescription drugs with such beverages. Many people consumer alcoholic beverages constantly; it is important to ensure you maintain a moderate intake.

As these facts about alcohol show, no matter what amount you drink, it is damaging to the body in various ways. As you sip a glass of wine with dinner, like many, you may not be aware that your organs are being affected by your intake.

If you feel that you do not take in enough alcohol to do damage nerves, stomach or heart, read on about these facts on drinking and the complete list of the effects of alcohol. To lower health risks, you should cleanse your body thoroughly on a regular basis to lessen the risk of ailments linked with these beverages.

Toxins in human organism try to fight any alcohol that enters into the internal organs, and this makes it harder for these toxins to fight other problems that may come their way.

When you take in such beverages, you are damaging your kidneys and affecting their ability to function properly. Specifically, the electrolytes and fluids that regulate the human body via the kidney will stop doing so.

It encourages urination after a short period of time, which may lead to dehydration in the drinker as the kidney is unable to make sure that the electrolytes are being regulated in the body.

Even though this does not directly affect the kidneys, it does show on their performance as they slow down during the consumption of these beverages. One of the grave fact about alcohol is that a heavy or binge drinker is more likely to have kidney failure.

If you think that you take in a “normal” amount of alcohol in your body and this will not be harmful for you, you need to think again about your choices. Even the moderate amount of drinks you are consuming can be deadly for you as an alcohol negatively affects the normal functioning of the organs that help you stay healthy.

List of diseases caused by this addiction: depression, anxiety or panic attacks, hallucinations, psychosis, “fatty liver”, stomach problems, cirrhosis, dizziness, gallstones, pancreatitis, rosacea, hepatitis, ascites, gout, internal bleeding, rhabdomyolysis, fatigue, encephalopathy, hypotension or hypertension, heart and cardiovascular diseases, dementia, sex-related problems, fetal alcohol syndrome, diabetes, cancer and even osteoporosis.

Therefore, one should cleanse the body on a regular basis, even after the slightest bit of alcohol is consumed.

After you are through with your drinking rituals, the cells around your liver swell and a lot of fat and water is gathered around this important organ. This can cause numerous diseases such as obesity and diabetes, among others.

This problem can be prevented if you stop drinking. Even though this problem may not have visible causes, one can see on blood tests that it does indeed exist.

Cleansing the body so your toxins can function and work effectively is the most important step to ensure alcohol does not have an adverse impact on your body.

One of the most important problems with alcohol is drunk driving. Even if the human body remains healthy despite this addiction, injury and death due to drinking and driving is on the rise.