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Short Term Effects of Too Much Alcohol

Alcohol is a drug that can cause a lot of health problems as well as interpersonal problems. The short term effects of alcohol are both direct and indirect. Despite the social aspects and ready availability of alcoholic drinks, alcohol is potentially fatal. Women tend to be more susceptible to alcohol than men and become drunk quicker on the same number of drinks.

  1. Behavior

    • Alcohol has an effect on the body and on the mind. A person who drinks too much will find herself slurring her words and be unable to walk confidently. She may even fall over or cling onto objects or people for support. She will not be able to see correctly and may experience double vision or a spinning sensation when she closes her eyes. These effects are temporary and last until the alcohol works its way out of her system. She may also feel nauseous and vomit.

    Judgment of Risks

    • Risk judgment is one of the factors commonly affected by drinking too much alcohol. A drunk person may make inappropriate advances to other people by misjudging their receptivity to conversation or intimacy. He may also make comments that are inappropriate in a particular conversation. He may also misjudge danger to himself and think he is capable of driving, or of doing things like jumping off walls without injury.

    Hangover

    • A hangover is the short-term punishment for drinking too much the night before. A hungover person feels thirsty and tired because she may not have slept well. She may have a headache and other aches. She may be shaky and have bloodshot eyes. She may also feel nauseous and vomit. If she has to go to work, she will find it difficult to concentrate and may feel lightheaded. These symptoms are not due to the alcohol directly but to other chemicals present in the drinks and to chemicals that the alcohol breaks down to, such as acetaldehyde.

    Physical Dangers

    • Too much alcohol can affect memory and this can occur after only a few drinks. A drunk person can suffer from a blackout, where parts of his memory of the night are completely blocked out. Sometimes someone who cannot remember the events of the night may have done something dangerous such as driving or criminal behavior. A person who drinks a lot of alcohol may also suffer alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning can cause severe dehydration leading to seizures and brain damage, cause his heart to stop beating or cause him to choke on his own vomit. Signs a person has alcohol poisoning include stupor, hypothermia, vomiting and abnormally slow or irregular breathing.

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