Effects of Alcohol
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The effects of alcohol are widespread
and consist of relatively mild effects at one extreme and
unhealthy and destructive effects at the other.
Stated more precisely, alcohol is a central
nervous system depressant. In small quantities, alcohol
results in a mild euphoria and usually removes
inhibitions. In excessive quantities, however,
alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning, drunkenness (also known as
intoxication), alcoholism, coma, and death.
Some Basic Effects of Alcohol on the Human
Body
Alcohol has a biphasic effect on the body, meaning that its
effects change over time. Initially, alcohol typically produces
feelings of relaxation and cheerfulness.
Increased
consumption, however, can lead to dehydration, coordination
problems, blurred vision, and a great number of health, medical,
and social problems caused by alcoholism.
As articulated above, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to
drunkenness. One of the effects of intoxication is the
lowering of an individual's inhibitions. As a consequence,
when people are intoxicated they frequently do things they normally
would not do while sober, often ignoring legal, ethical, social,
and moral or religious norms.
This, however brief, is an overview of the effects
of alcohol. What remains to be discussed, however, is what
Paul Harvey calls "the rest of the story." Essentially, "the
rest of the story" is a more detailed analysis of how excessive
alcohol effects an individual's life and the lives of those around
him or her when the person becomes an alcoholic and suffers from
alcoholism.
Perhaps the most logical way to discuss this
complex topic is to focus first on the classic alcoholic behaviors
and effects of alcohol in the four states of alcoholism; then
examine some of the "social effects" of alcohol and alcoholism and
finally, discuss the medical conditions, health problems, and
diseases that are caused directly or indirectly by alcoholism.
Effects of Alcohol During the First Stage of
Alcoholism
In the first stage of alcoholism, drinking is no longer social
but becomes a means of psychological escape from stress,
inhibitions, anxiety, and problems.
That is, early in the disease the
individual starts to depend on the "mood altering" aspects of
alcohol. Another aspect of the first stage of alcoholism
is that a gradual increase in tolerance develops, meaning that
increasing amounts of alcohol are needed in order to feel a
"high" or a "buzz."
The following symbolizes some of the classic alcoholic behaviors
and effects of alcohol in the first stage of alcoholism:
- The use of alcohol as a way to forget problems or to "mellow
out"
- A conscious effort to seek out more drinking opportunities
- Boasting and a "big shot" complex
- Drinking is not social but a psychological escape from stress
and problems
- Lack of recognition by the person that he or she is in the
early stages of a progressive illness
- Increasing tolerance
- Gross Drinking Behavior - more frequent drinking of greater
amounts
- An ability to drink great amounts of alcohol without any
apparent impairment
| Individuals with alcoholism and
drug abusers are at increased risk for HIV/AIDS, as well as other
infectious diseases like hepatitis and
tuberculosis. |
Effects of Alcohol During the Second Stage of
Alcoholism
In the second stage of alcoholism, the need to drink becomes
more intense. In this stage, the individual typically
starts to drink earlier in the day. As
tolerance increases, moreover, the person drinks because of
his or her dependence on alcohol, rather than because of
psychological stress or tension relief. Also during this
stage, the "loss of control" does not yet manifest itself on a
regular basis; it is, nevertheless, gradually noticed by
others such as work associates, friends, relatives, and family
members.
The following list describes some of the classic alcoholic
behaviors and effects of alcohol in the second stage of
alcoholism:
- Drinking because of dependence rather than for stress
relief
- Blaming problems on others and on things external to
themselves
- Feelings of guilt and shame
- Increasing tolerance
- Increasing physical problems
- Denial
- Chronic hangovers
- Sneaking extra drinks before social events
- Sporadic loss of control
- Unsuccessful attempts to stop drinking
- More frequent blackouts
| When combined with other drugs,
legal or illegal, alcohol accounts for approximately 33% of all
drug overdoses in the United States. |
Effects of Alcohol During the Third Stage of
Alcoholism
In the third stage of alcoholism, the loss of control becomes
more obvious, meaning that the individual is unable to drink
according to his or her intentions. For instance, once the
individual has had the first drink, he or she can no longer control
what will happen, even though the intention might have been to have
only one or two drinks. During this stage of the disease, the
person typically starts to experience serious work-related,
financial, relationship, and perhaps legal problems.
| Rates of drinking differ among
racial and ethnic minority groups. Among students in grades 9 to
12, binge drinking was reported by 34 percent non-Hispanic white
students, 11 percent of African American students, and 30 percent
of Hispanic students. |
Additionally, the drinker starts to avoid family and friends and
experiences a loss of interest in activities that used to be fun or
important. "Eye-openers" are also typical during this stage.
Eye-openers are drinks that are taken whenever the person awakens
to help quiet the feelings of remorse the drinker suffers after a
period of time without a drink, to calm the nerves, or lessen a
hangover.
| Research has shown that people
who start drinking at an early age, for instance at 13 years old or
younger, significantly increases the likelihood that they will
experience alcohol problems later in
life. |
The following characterizes some of the classic alcoholic
behaviors and effects of alcohol in the third stage of
alcoholism:
- Half-hearted attempts at seeking medical help
- Loss of willpower
- Neglect of necessities such as food
- The development of an alibi system - an elaborate system of
excuses for their drinking
- Serious financial, relationship, and work-related problems
- Avoidance of family and friends
- A decrease in alcohol tolerance
- Loss of control has become a pattern
- Changes in friendships, such as associating only with friends
who drink
- Loss of interest in activities that used to be important
- An increase in failed promises and resolutions to one's self
and to others
- Frequent violent or destructive behavior
- Increasing tremors
- Eye-openers
- Aggressive and grandiose behavior
- A decrease in alcohol tolerance
- The start of physical deterioration
- Unreasonable resentments
- Problems with the law (such as DUIs)
| In a study of more than 450
American alcoholics and 80 heroin addicts, it was found that the
absent father is a very typical occurrence. In fact,
according to this study, it is the rule rather than the
exception. |
Effects of Alcohol During the
Fourth Stage of Alcoholism
The fourth and final stage of alcoholism is distinguished by a
chronic loss of control. In the earlier stages of the
disease, the individual may have been able to
maintain a job. Now, however, drinking starts earlier in
the day and usually continues all day long. Without a
doubt, few, if any, full-time jobs can be sustained once a
person reaches this state of difficulty.
In the earlier stages of the disease, moreover, the alcoholic
had a choice whether he or she would take the first
drink. After taking the first drink, the alcoholic
typically lost all control and would then continue
drinking. In the last stage of alcoholism, conversely,
alcoholics no longer have a choice: they must drink in
order to function.
The following list represents some of the classic
alcoholic behaviors and effects of alcohol in the fourth stage of
alcoholism:
- Persistent remorse
- Moral deterioration
- Devaluation of personal relationships
- The realization of being out of control
- Benders, or lengthy intoxications
- The possibility of alcoholic psychosis
- Impaired thinking
- Loss of tolerance for alcohol
- "The shakes"
- Auditory and visual hallucinations
- Nameless fears and anxieties such as feelings of impending doom
or destruction
- Continual loss of control
- The collapse of the alibi system
- The "DTs"
- Unreasonable resentments and hostility toward others
- An obsession with drinking
- Indefinable fears
- Vague spiritual desires
| Even though a number of
medications have been effective in treating alcoholism, there is,
however, no "magic bullet." That is, no single medication exists
that is effective in every situation or with every
person. |
Effects of Alcohol and Social
Relationships
Alcoholism not only effects the alcoholic, but it
also affects those who are closest to the alcoholic, that is, his
family, friends, relatives, work associates, and perhaps his
neighbors. The following list is a representation of the
"social effects" of alcohol addiction:
- Broken, dysfunctional homes
- Traffic fatalities or injuries on the highways
- Birth defects such as fetal alcohol syndrome
- Wife battering
- Destroyed relationships
- Work-related injuries and accidents
- Child abuse
- Destroyed lives
- Codependent behavior in others
| In one survey that focused on
college drinking behavior during a one-month period of time, 27.4%
of American college students across the nation had driven a motor
vehicle after drinking alcohol during this 30-day time
period. |
Effects of Alcohol: Diseases and Medical
Conditions
Alcoholism causes a number of medical conditions, diseases, and
health problems. We will focus first on the different types
of cancer caused by alcoholism and then on the non-cancerous
illness and ailments that are the results of this disease.
Effects of Alcohol:
Cancer
The following is a list of different types of cancer that are
caused directly or indirectly by alcoholism:
- Stomach
- Rectum
- Colon
- Throat
- Liver
- Larynx
- Kidneys
- Esophagus
Effects of Alcohol: Non-Cancerous Medical
Conditions
The following is a list non-cancerous medical conditions, health
problems, and diseases caused directly or indirectly by
alcoholism:
- Harm to the fetus while the mother is pregnant
- Cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure,
cardiomyopathy (damage to the heart muscle), heart failure, and
strokes
- Sever thiamine deficiency
- Problems with the immune system
- Impaired learning ability
- Pancreatitis
- Wernicke's disease (a memory disorder)
- Vitamin A deficiency (which can cause night blindness)
- Pneumonia
- Memory loss
- Dehydration
- Kidney failure
- Vitamin D deficiency (which can result in bone fractures)
- Coma
- Organ and system malfunction
- Inflammation of the digestive system
- Ulcers from the perforation of the stomach and the
intestines
- Vitamin deficiencies (such as folate, selenium, riboflavin,
thiamin, and vitamin B6)
- Infections
- Mental confusion
- Kidney and urinary tract infections
- Death (from alcohol poisoning, excessive intoxication, and
organ malfunction)
- Loss of intellectual abilities
- Korsakoff's syndrome (a memory disorder)
- Diabetes
- Alcohol withdrawal symptoms when the alcoholic stops
drinking
- Destruction of brain cells
- Alcohol Poisoning
- Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)
- Sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction and impotence in
men
- Numbness of the feet and hands
- Nervous system damage
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Brain damage
| In some situations, even social
or moderate drinking can be hazardous. Examples include the
following: drinking during pregnancy, drinking when taking
various medications, or drinking when
driving. |
Effects of Alcohol: Conclusion
The effects of alcohol in the form of
alcoholism are wide-spread as well as extremely damaging.
Stated differently, chronic alcoholism is truly a destructive,
devastating, and debilitating disease that negatively affects
the alcoholic; the alcoholic's social network, namely his
family members, other relatives, work associates, neighbors,
and friends; and the ill-fated "strangers" who happen to be in
the wrong place at the wrong time when the alcoholic causes a
traffic fatality or accident because the alcoholic was driving
"under the influence" of alcohol.
This, however, is not the full extent of the effects of the
disease. Indeed, the effects of alcoholism reveal
themselves in an incredible number of diseases, health problems,
and medical conditions that are suffered by the alcoholic. It
is almost overwhelming when first looking at the number, variety,
and the seriousness of the illnesses and ailments that are caused
by alcoholism. After the topic is examined more closely,
however, the health-related and medical consequences of the disease
become less awe-inspiring and more logical.
More explicitly, over time, alcoholism
progressively breaks down the proper functioning of the body's main
organs and systems. In addition, the alcoholic cannot
replenish the vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients his
body requires because of poor eating habits and perhaps more
significantly because the body's malfunctioning organs and systems
prevent the proper absorption, digestion, utilization, and
metabolism of the nutrients necessary for growth, repair, and
general maintenance. Thus, over time, the alcoholic
gradually kills himself or herself by his or her alcoholic
behavior.
| If you
would like to listen to an informative and professionally
done "talking eBook" entitled The
Truth About Alcohol, please click on this
link. |
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| Three out of ten adults report
that drinking has been a cause of trouble in their
family. |
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