Long 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 harmful effects with one or two drinks, even if they drink every day and continue to drink little.
It is when the number of servings consumed increases and tolerance to alcohol develops, problemsbegin. 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
A drink corresponds to a glass of wine, liquor or beer can. This level of consumption is completely safe and may even reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and alcohol dementia. The short-term effects of higher doses vary with the drinker's weight, sex and other factors, including alcohol allergy. The positive effects of alcohol are undeniable. They include a feeling of deep calm and relaxation that neurotic people crave. Tension generally decreases, the person is less concentrated, reflexes decrease, response time increases, and coordination deteriorates. All of these effects are caused by decreased brain activity and begin to appear after drinking more than three or four doses. In more rare cases, people can get hurt after drinking an alcoholic beverage, especially if it is the first alcoholic beverage in their lives or if they have a latent medical condition.
The short-term effects of alcohol include:
- Abdominal pain, nausea or diarrhea:Alcohol irritates the stomach lining, 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 resort to alcohol when they are stressed or sad. They become more animated 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 experience longer reaction times. The most pronounced effects include slurred speech, blurred vision and muffled hearing. Sometimes, these alcohol effects can appear 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 passes. However, the opposite effect is also possible, called alcoholic insomnia.
- Weak self-control, cloudy thinking:By impairing the functionality of the central nervous system, alcohol makes a person less restrained and more prone to behaviors that may seem unusual. Someone is more likely to break the law or engage in risky sexual activities, such as unprotected sex under the influence of alcohol. The negative consequences of alcohol consumption include "waking up early", when people are refused to serve in restaurants, if they are drunk and have fights.
- Memory impairment:The effects of alcohol consumption on memory are well known and are also caused by decreased nervous system activity. Violations can result in fainting alcohol, when the person does not remember the events that happened after drinking. Another terrible side effect is delirium tremens.
- Mood swings:the initial "joy" gradually disappears, giving way to depression. This sometimes causes people to continue drinking and mood swings can occur. Sometimes they are very serious - depression in alcohol-dependent people can lead to suicide attempts with varying results. Renowned chef and TV presenter Anthony Bourdain, who struggled with alcohol and drugs, 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 especially at risk. Excessive alcohol consumption is defined as excessive consumption for a short period of time - 4 or more drinks in one session. Alcohol poisoning occurs when the blood alcohol level reaches toxic levels, resulting in hangover symptoms that are more likely to occur when drinking a low-quality drink. Alcohol poisoning is a medical and fatal emergency if left untreated. The following symptoms may appear:
- Mental confusion or stupor, the person does not hold his head, feels depressed;
- Unconscious;
- Convulsions;
- Low body temperature or vice versa;
- Tremors or chills;
- Pale, cold and bluish skin;
- Breathing irregular or slow;
- Development of chronic diseases such as gout;
- Loss of bladder and bowel control;
- Eat.
Long-term effects of alcohol
The long-term effects of alcohol can include liver damage, depression, cancer, immune system disorders, hypertension, decreased sexual activity in men and loss of sexual desire in women or pancreatitis. Over time, people who drink alcohol may develop cognitive impairments. Side effects of this habit include irritability and increasingly poor 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 a liver transplant in many cases. Many people die of cirrhosis in the country.
The danger of drinking by minors is much greater.
Other long-term effects also include the so-called dry drunkenness syndrome, in which a person experiences the effects of alcohol intoxication without consuming alcohol. With prolonged use of alcohol, people develop tolerance as the body becomes more and more accustomed to alcohol. This forces them to consume dangerously large amounts of alcohol without experiencing the short-term effects that would otherwise lead to disruption.
Effects of alcohol on women
Alcohol affects women differently than men. Gone are the days when it was believed that only men had problems with alcohol. Today, more and more women abuse alcohol - statistics show that millions of women in the country drink in a way that is considered dangerous for their safety, health and well-being. According to traffic authorities, a woman's blood alcohol level is high enough to increase the risk of a fatal car accident by 100% after drinking a drink on an empty stomach.
Driving while intoxicated seems to be a purely male problem, and of course it isn't.
The side effects of alcohol on the male and female body aremarkedly different. According to experts, excessive alcohol consumption and chronic alcohol excessive consumption place women at much greater health and safety risks than men. Women who get drunk more than twice their chances of being sexually or physically abused. The data show that more than 50% of the sexual aggressions registered in the country involve a woman, a man or both relatives of alcoholics. A study in Norway found that spouses who consume different amounts of alcohol are more likely to get divorced than those who drink in similar amounts. This was especially true in relationships where 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 of cirrhosis of the liver or 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 that manifests itself as abnormal facial features, stunted growth, alcohol-induced brain damage and emotional disorders.
Side effects of alcohol abuse
- Neurological diseases;
- Diabetes and cognitive impairmentare two possible long-term effects of alcohol. Chronic alcohol consumption increases the 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 cause 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 and more severe each time a person consumes 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 intoxication, aggravated assault, reckless driving, and theft or theft for drunkenness affect loved ones, friends, and even strangers with whom they come into contact. The physical and cognitive impairment due to alcohol abuse is enormous every year.
Harmful effects of alcohol
Addiction occurs when the body cannot function perfectly without alcohol. The brain cannot send the correct signals to the body when it is getting 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, a person who becomes addicted will continue to drink, even if he or she suffers from job loss, panic attacks, separation from the family or is imprisoned for alcohol-related behavior. He also faces a greater risk of becoming addicted to other drugs because they crave more than alcohol brings. Lack of rationalization and loss of inhibitions also make people more inclined to try illegal drugs and lead to many of the social consequences of alcohol dependence.
Addiction is a physical disorder that requires treatment. The consequences of abstinence from alcohol are dangerous and potentially fatal. Treatment begins with detoxification. Ideally, this is followed by treatment in a hospital or outpatient rehabilitation unit, where patients are helped to achieve long-term sobriety. At most, experts believe that the short- and long-term effects of alcohol are the most damaging of all other types of drugs.
Exposure to alcohol: treatments
In an inpatient rehabilitation center, patients receive intensive therapy and counseling to help find positive ways to deal with the stress that led to alcohol abuse. Treatment begins immediately after the end of the detox. 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. Therapists at these alcoholic rehabilitation centers recommend that patients continue outpatient treatment after admission. It is also suggested to join support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, for example,