What Happens to the Body When One Drinks Alcohol?

Both your mind and your body will start to be affected right from the very first sip of any alcoholic drink. After a few drinks, you may start to feel more carefree and chatty; but after too many drinks, the body will start to slow down and you may have difficulty walking and talking normally. The key is to strike a balance. If you do not, your body and mind may start to become affected more permanently.

Short Term Effects of Alcohol Intake

• A lot of people think that when they drink alcohol, it all just goes into the stomach. However, this is not the case. When you drink an alcoholic beverage, only about 20 percent of the alcohol goes into your stomach. The other 80 percent goes right into the small intestines. Then, via the small intestines, the alcohol enters the bloodstream, making its way through the body so that all parts of the blood have some alcohol content. At the same time, the body attempts to get rid of the alcohol. This usually happens through the kidneys, the lungs, the urine and the breath. If the body cannot get rid of the alcohol quickly enough and you continue to take more in, you may start to vomit. This is the body's way of telling you that you've had more than enough.

Diseases and Cancers

• Experts at the Pan American Health Organization estimate that alcohol is responsible for at least 33,000 deaths per year. Deaths that are usually caused by alcohol include liver disease, liver cancer and throat cancer. Liver disease is caused by heavy drinking over a period of months or years. It is curable but very painful and involves several operations to rid the liver of the fatty and poisonous deposits left by frequent alcohol consumption. Liver and throat cancer are also directly linked with the alcohol consumption. Evidence suggests that because alcohol breaks down into a substance called acetaldehyde, bodies that are allergic will try to fight against it. This can then trigger an inflammatory response from the body and cancerous cells can develop.

Mental Health

• Alcohol is commonly known as a depressive and it does exactly that -- makes you feel depressed. Alcohol is also associated with a number of mental health problems, including anxiety, severe mood swings and nervousness. In addition, if you were to drink excessively every day (i.e. more than 30 units per day for a number of weeks), alcohol can cause psychosis, which can lead to hallucinations and delusions.

Hangovers and Appearance

• The morning after you drink alcohol, you will probably be feeling a little bit sick; you may have a headache, and your skin may feel dry. These are the symptoms of a classic hangover. You may also feel dehydrated. Make sure you drink a lot of water in order to rehydrate yourself and eat lots of fruit and vegetables. These minerals and vitamins will make you feel better. In addition, drinking too much alcohol may alter your appearance. Alcohol contains a lot of calories and may make you put on weight. Drinking too much alcohol is also bad for your skin. It can cause bloating of the face and body, and you may develop dark circles under your eyes. Your skin may feel really dry, and you may develop wrinkles or premature aging.