The Effects of Alcohol Consumption

As alcohol is technically a poison, consuming a large quantity of alcohol always creates some risks. Alcohol is a nervous-system depressant that gets absorbed from the stomach into the bloodstream. It is later metabolized in the liver, but drinking excessive amounts of alcohol leaves the liver with an impossible task. The liver can only metabolize small amounts of alcohol at a time, thus the excess alcohol that was drunk by the user must be left to circulate the body until it can be properly filtered. In order for people to get the desired effects of intoxication, caused by high levels of alcohol in the bloodstream, they must overload their livers with an excessive and unhealthy amount of alcohol.

Social Effects

• Alcohol severely affects individual behavior and impairs normal social interactions with others. A person begins to act in an entirely different manner than he normally would in a social setting; this is due to the effect alcohol is having on his system. Although alcohol abuse can accomplish certain goals, such as added courage and a lack of inhibitions, the negative effects greatly outweigh the temporary benefits.

Health Effects

• There are many negative health effects of alcohol abuse. Long-term alcohol abuse can lead to liver problems, as well as other negative conditions like osteoporosis and digestive problems. It can also increase your chance of coronary disease, as well as the chances that you will have a stroke. The Mayo Clinic also states that chronic alcohol abuse has been linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer.

Dependence

• Imbibing alcohol can create a severe dependence, similar to a nicotine addiction, which leaves the user in a weakened mental state where all that matters is how to obtain the next drink. Although the human body is extremely versatile and can adapt to harsh environments and many types of physical abuse, it is not without its limits. Alcohol abuse can control you and enslave you, as it slowly gains control over your life. The longer and more often you binge drink, the more likely it is that you will develop a dependency.

Alcoholic Hepatitis

• Alcoholic hepatitis is the result of liver damage, and is more predominant in women than in men. Although usually associated with heavy drinkers, according to the Mayo Clinic, it can also occur in moderate drinkers. Alcoholic hepatitis is a condition where the liver becomes swollen; this condition must be dealt with appropriately. If a person is diagnosed with this disease, she must immediately cease consuming alcohol; continuing to drink will cause the risk of death to increase substantially.