Effects of Alcohol

Alcohol is one of the most widely abused substances in the world. According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), 17.6 million Americans, or one out of every 12 individuals, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence, and several million more participate in risky binge drinking behaviors that could develop into alcohol use disorder.

Alcohol’s short-term effects include impaired judgment and motor coordination, memory issues, and a general decline in mental acuity. Long-term abuse can result in significant physical and mental health problems, such as an increased risk of cancer, liver disease, and a wide range of psychiatric disorders. Excessive alcohol consumption is a harmful and destructive habit that can negatively affect a person’s health and quality of life.

What Happens When You Drink?

Alcohol is absorbed rather than digested. It swiftly enters the bloodstream and travels throughout the entire body. Alcohol initially affects the brain, then the kidneys, lungs, and liver. The effects of alcohol on your body depend on your age, gender, weight, and the amounts of alcohol consumed.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), alcohol disrupts the brain’s communication channels and can alter how the brain appears and functions. Alcohol affects the brain areas responsible for balance, memory, speech, and judgment, increasing the probability of accidents and other adverse effects. Prolonged excessive drinking can also alter the neurons, causing them to shrink in size.

As a depressant, alcohol slows down the body’s central nervous system. It’s responsible for impairing the production of the main excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate. Such disruptions in the brain may lead to a wide range of side effects. In extreme circumstances, this disruption of glutamate production may result in delirium tremens (DTs), a severe form of alcohol withdrawal marked by altered mental status and sympathetic hyperactivity.

Adolescent brains are more vulnerable to the damaging effects of alcohol than adult brains. Adolescent alcohol abuse can impair brain development and result in abnormal brain structure and function.

What Is Moderate Drinking?

There are numerous short-term and long-term health effects of alcohol consumption. The more alcohol you consume and the longer you drink, the higher your risk becomes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults of legal drinking age either abstain from alcohol altogether or drink in moderation, with no more than two drinks per day for men and no more than one drink per day for women. A standard drink in the United States contains 0.6 ounces (14.0 grams or 1.2 tablespoons) of pure alcohol. You can limit the risk of injury to yourself or others by following the CDC’s dietary guidelines.

What Is Excessive Drinking?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines excessive drinking as any form of heavy drinking or binge drinking behavior. Heavy alcohol consumption is defined as drinking eight or more drinks per week (for women) and 15 or more drinks per week (for men). Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more drinks for men or four or more drinks for women in less than two hours. 

Any quantity of alcohol intake poses a risk, but binge drinking can amplify the negative effects of alcohol and cause acute harm. For example, research suggests that even one binge drinking episode can impair immune system function, making it easier to fall ill and more difficult to recover from illnesses. The consequences of binge drinking worsen with each subsequent incident.

Heavy drinkers are also more likely to develop alcohol tolerance, dependence, and other health concerns. These health concerns can range from mild short-term symptoms to more serious long-term complications.

Short-Term Effects of Alcohol

Temporary effects you may experience when drinking alcohol or shortly after include the following:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Mood swings
• Nausea or vomiting
• Headaches
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Irregular heartbeat
• Distorted vision and hearing
• Increased agitation and aggression
• Lowered inhibitions
• Slowed or slurred speech
• Loss of coordination
• Impulsive behavior
• Memory loss (alcohol-induced blackouts)
• Impaired judgment

Although these effects are temporary, they should not be disregarded. Heavy drinkers are likely to cause harm to themselves or others around them. 

Excessive alcohol consumption has immediate repercussions that heighten the likelihood of life-threatening injuries, including:

• Accidental injuries from car accidents, falling from stairways, drowning, and burns.
• Violence, such as homicide, suicide, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence.
• Heightened risk of alcohol poisoning (also known as alcohol intoxication, is a medical emergency caused by high blood alcohol levels).
• Risky sexual behavior (leading to unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases)
• Miscarriage, stillbirth, or fetal alcohol syndrome in pregnant women.

Long-Term Effects of Alcohol

Drinking excessively, whether on a single occasion or over time, can have severe consequences for your health. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), approximately 95,000 individuals die from alcohol-related causes each year (about 68,000 men and 27,000 women), making alcohol the third-leading preventable cause of death in the United States. The long-term effects of alcohol remain true even for moderate drinkers.  

Prolonged heavy alcohol consumption can result in the development of chronic diseases and other major issues, such as:

• Alcoholic liver diseases (fatty liver, liver damage)
• High Blood Pressure
• Metabolic Syndrome
• Damage to the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy)
• Cardiovascular diseases (such as heart failure or heart disease)
• Risk of stroke (such as ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke)
• Permanent brain damage
• Pancreatitis
• Infertility
• Vitamin deficiencies
• Malnutrition
• Weakening of the immune system
• Alcohol-associated cancer (liver cancer, breast cancer, bowel cancer, pancreatic cancers, mouth cancer, throat cancer, pharyngeal cancer, and oropharyngeal cancer)
• Musculoskeletal disorders (such as alcoholic myopathy and rhabdomyolysis)
• Nerve damage
• Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome
• Learning and memory difficulties, such as dementia and poor academic performance
• Mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety
• Alcohol tolerance
• Alcohol dependence or alcohol use disorder

Chronic alcohol misuse can also cause problems at work, home, and school. Financial issues may occur, particularly if a person is unable to work due to the effects of alcohol.

What Is an Alcohol Overdose?

When there is a huge amount of alcohol in the bloodstream, the areas in the brain controlling basic functions, such as breathing, temperature control, and heart rate, begin to shut down. This condition is known as alcohol overdose. It is one of the many potential effects of alcohol abuse. An overdose can cause irreversible brain damage or even death if left untreated.

Symptoms of an alcohol overdose include the following:

• Mental confusion
• Clammy skin
• Vomiting
• Slow heart rate 
• Irregular breathing
• Seizure
• Low body temperature 
• Trouble staying conscious
• Absence of normal reflexes (like the gag reflex)

Alcohol overdose is a medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention. Do not leave the individual unattended until medical help arrives.

What Is Alcohol Use Disorder?

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing medical condition in which a person is physically and psychologically dependent upon alcohol. Individuals suffering from AUD have difficulties controlling their desire to drink despite the negative impact of alcohol consumption. AUD is one of the long-term effects of alcohol abuse.

The risk of developing alcohol use disorder may increase due to factors such as:

• Drinking at an early age. 
• Gender (females have a higher risk of developing AUD than males)
• Binge drinking for a prolonged period.
• Suffering from mental health conditions or a history of trauma.
• Genetics and a family history of alcoholism

Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Treatment for alcohol dependence begins with a medically assisted detox program because it can be extremely dangerous to quit alcohol abruptly. A medically assisted detoxification program may adhere to either an inpatient or outpatient treatment model. However, regardless of the severity of the symptoms, inpatient care should be considered for most patients, as it can facilitate alcohol withdrawal safely and comfortably.

Individuals with alcohol dependence must continue to get personalized treatment in an inpatient or outpatient facility after undergoing an alcohol detoxification program. These facilities provide comprehensive individual and group counseling, evidence-based behavioral therapies, and aftercare programs. These programs target the underlying issues that contribute to your physical dependence, reducing the likelihood of relapse.

If you or someone you care about is experiencing alcohol dependence or addiction, Futures Recovery Healthcare is here to help. We are specialized in medical care for adults with alcohol use disorder, addiction, and co-occurring mental health disorders. Futures offer various addiction and individualized treatment options and wellness programs, including inpatient detox, residential treatment with specialized treatment tracks, and outpatient management services.