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The Effects of Drinking Alcohol in Your Twenties

As you enter your 20s, you may find that more and more social situations you encounter will involve alcohol. Many people, in their 20s and older, have the occasional drink to unwind after work or on weekends, while others engage in heavy binge drinking. Alcohol is technically a poison and an intoxicant, and even small amounts can affect your health in both the short term and the long term.

  1. Temporary Effects

    • One of alcohol's temporary effects, and its most endearing, is its ability to intoxicate the drinker. The human body can metabolize approximately one standard drink, equivalent to one 12-ounce bottle of beer, one 4-ounce glass of wine or 1 ounce of 40 percent alcohol, per hour. Anything consumed beyond this amount is absorbed by the bloodstream until the liver can metabolize it. When the bloodstream is saturated with alcohol, the person feels drunk and may experience feelings of euphoria, balance problems, light-headedness, lowered inhibition, increased reaction time, vomiting or slurred speech. Several hours later, usually the morning after a night of heavy drinking, the body processes the alcohol out and many people experience a hangover. This is caused by dehydration, since alcohol is a diuretic, and is accompanied by headache, nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light. Binge drinking can also lead to alcohol poisoning, coma and death.

    Social Effects of Drinking

    • While alcohol may seem essential to social situations while you are in your 20s, heavy use can damage relationships. Lowered inhibitions while under the influence can lead people to say or do things they might not when they are sober, leading to fights. A perceived alcohol abuse problem can also destroy social relationships, and missing work due to drinking or hangovers can lead to losing your job.

    Mental Health Effects

    • Although alcohol initially causes a euphoric state, it is technically a depressant. Many people may turn to alcohol to cope with difficult emotional situations, but long-term use and abuse has been associated with depression, sleep disorders, risk-taking behavior, anxiety, personality disorders, schizophrenia and suicidal tendencies.

    Long-Term Physical Effects of Drinking

    • Heavy alcohol use affects nearly every part of your body over time. You may not experience symptoms during your 20s, but if you drink heavily at this time in your life, you are more likely to experience negative effects later in life. Alcohol has been linked with liver and heart damage, as well as mouth and throat cancers. It is also associated with high blood pressure, which can lead to chronic kidney disease. Long-term alcohol use also impairs your bones' ability to absorb calcium and can lead to osteoporosis, a problem most common in post-menopausal women. In men, it has been linked with impotence and reduced fertility.

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