Alcohol Effects
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Alcohol effects. The effects of alcohol
are widespread and consist of relatively mild effects at
one extreme and unhealthy and devastating effects at the
other. Stated differently, alcohol is a central
nervous system depressant.
In small quantities, alcohol results in a
mild euphoria and typically removes inhibitions.
In excessive quantities, however, alcohol can lead to
alcohol poisoning, coma, intoxication (also known as
drunkenness), alcoholism, and in some cases, death.
An Overview of Alcohol Effects on the
Human Body
Alcohol has a biphasic
effect on the body, meaning that its effects change over
time. Initially, alcohol usually produces
feelings of cheerfulness and relaxation, but increased
consumption can lead to blurred vision, dehydration,
coordination problems, and a whole host of medical,
health, and social problems associated with
alcoholism.
As stated above, higher quantities of alcohol
can lead to drunkenness. One of the effects of
intoxication is the lowering of a person's inhibitions.
As a result, when people are intoxicated they often do things
they normally would not do while sober, frequently ignoring
moral, legal, and social norms.
This, then, is an overview of alcohol
effects. What follows is a more detailed analysis of how
excessive alcohol effects a person's life and those around him
or her when the person becomes an alcoholic and suffers from
alcoholism.
Perhaps the most logical way to discuss alcohol
effects and alcoholism is to focus first on the classic
alcoholic behaviors and alcohol effects in the four states of
alcoholism; then examine some of the "social effects" of
alcoholism; and finally, discuss the diseases, medical
conditions, and health problems that are caused directly or
indirectly by alcoholism.
| An alcoholic will negatively
impact the lives of 4 or 5 other Americans
(such as associates, family, and friends) while
under the influence of alcohol. |
Alcohol Effects 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 inhibitions, tension, and
problems. Stated differently, early in the disease the
person starts to depend on the "mood altering" aspects of
alcohol. Another feature 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 represents some of the classic alcoholic
behaviors and alcohol effects in the first stage of
alcoholism:
- Lack of recognition by the person that he or she is in
the early stages of a progressive illness
- Increasing tolerance
- An ability to drink great amounts of alcohol without
any apparent impairment
- The use of alcohol as a way to forget problems or
to "mellow out"
- A conscious effort to seek out more drinking
opportunities
- Drinking is not social but a psychological escape from
stress and problems
- Boasting and a "big shot" complex
- Gross Drinking Behavior - more frequent drinking of
greater amounts
| The incidence of intoxication
(BAC of 0.08 or greater) for drivers in fatal
crashes in 2003 was highest for motorcycle
operators (29% ) and lowest for drivers of
large trucks (1%). The incidence of
intoxication for drivers of light trucks and
passenger car drivers was the same (22%). |
Alcohol Effects During the Second
Stage of Alcoholism
In the second stage of alcoholism, the need to drink becomes
more intense. In this stage, the person usually 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 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 family
members, work associates, and friends.
The following list symbolizes some of the classic alcoholic
behaviors and alcohol effects in the second stage of
alcoholism:
- Chronic hangovers
- Denial
- Unsuccessful attempts to stop drinking
- Increasing tolerance
- More frequent blackouts
- Blaming problems on others and on things external to
themselves
- Increasing physical problems
- Feelings of guilt and shame
- Drinking because of dependence rather than for stress
relief
- Sneaking extra drinks before social events
- Sporadic loss of control
| More than 100,000 U.S. deaths
are caused by excessive alcohol consumption
each year. Direct and indirect causes of death
include drunk driving, cirrhosis of the liver,
falls, cancer, and stroke. |
Alcohol Effects During the Third
Stage of Alcoholism
In the third stage of alcoholism, the loss of control
becomes more pronounced, meaning that the individual is unable
to drink according to his or her intentions. For example,
once the individual has had the first drink, he or she can no
longer control what will happen, although the intention might
have been to have only two or three drinks. During this
stage of the disease, the person typically starts to experience
serious relationship, work-related and financial problems.
Moreover, the drinker starts to avoid friends and family
members and experiences a loss of interest in things that used
to be important. "Eye-openers" are also typical during
this stage. Eye-openers are drinks that are taken whenever the
person awakens to help calm the nerves, lessen a hangover, or
to quiet the feelings of remorse the drinker suffers after a
period of time without a drink.
The following characterizes some of the classic alcoholic
behaviors and alcohol effects in the third stage of
alcoholism:
- Unreasonable resentments
- The start of physical deterioration
- Increasing tremors
- An increase in failed promises and resolutions to one's
self and to others
- The development of an alibi system - an elaborate
system of excuses for their drinking
- Eye-openers
- Aggressive and grandiose behavior
- Loss of interest in activities that used to be
important
- A decrease in alcohol tolerance
- Loss of control has become a pattern
- Changes in friendships, such as associating only with
friends who drink
- Half-hearted attempts at seeking medical aid
- Serious financial, relationship, and work-related
problems
- Neglect of necessities such as food
- The development of an alibi system - an elaborate
system of excuses for their drinking
- Frequent violent or destructive behavior
- A decrease in alcohol tolerance
- Loss of willpower
- Problems with the law (such as DUIs)
- Avoidance of family and friends
| In 1998 in the United States,
1,668 drivers from the ages of 16 to 20 were
involved in alcohol-related fatal motor vehicle
crashes. Another 21,000 were involved in
alcohol-related accidents that resulted in
injury. |
Alcohol Effects During the Fourth
Stage of Alcoholism
The fourth and final stage of alcoholism is characterized 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 throughout the day. Not surprisingly,
few, if any, full-time jobs can be maintained once an
individual reaches this state of affairs. In the earlier
stages of the disease, furthermore, 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, however, alcoholics no longer have a
choice: they must drink in order to function.
The following list represents some of the
classic alcoholic behaviors and alcohol effects in the fourth
stage of alcoholism:
- An obsession with drinking
- The "DTs"
- The realization of being out of control
- Unreasonable resentments and hostility toward
others
- Indefinable fears
- Benders, or lengthy intoxications
- The possibility of alcoholic psychosis
- Impaired thinking
- Loss of tolerance for alcohol
- Persistent remorse
- Vague spiritual desires
- Auditory and visual hallucinations
- Devaluation of personal relationships
- Nameless fears and anxieties such as feelings of
impending doom or destruction
- Moral deterioration
- Continual loss of control
- The collapse of the alibi system
- "The shakes"
| Research has demonstrated that
American children who are raised in
single-family households are almost twice as
likely to experience an alcohol-related problem
such as alcohol abuse as compared with children
who are raised by both parents in the same
household. |
Alcohol Effects and Social
Relationships
Alcoholism not only affects the alcoholic, but
it also has a negative effects on those who are closest to the
alcoholic, his family, friends, relatives, and work
associates. The following list is a sample of the "social
effects" of alcohol addiction:
- Destroyed lives
- Codependent behavior in others
- Wife battering
- Birth defects such as fetal alcohol syndrome
- Destroyed relationships
- Work-related injuries and accidents
- Child abuse
- Broken, dysfunctional homes
- Traffic fatalities or injuries on the highways
| In the United States, 10% of the
drinkers drink 50% of all the alcohol that is
consumed. |
Alcohol Effects: Diseases and Medical
Conditions
Alcoholism causes a number of diseases, medical conditions,
and health problems. We will focus first on the different
types of cancer caused by alcoholism and then on the
non-cancerous illnesses and ailments that are the consequence
of this disease.
Alcohol Effects:
Cancer
The following is a list of different types of cancer that
are caused directly or indirectly by alcoholism:
- Liver
- Colon
- Kidneys
- Esophagus
- Stomach
- Throat
- Rectum
- Larynx
| In 1995, there were 51,737
federal prisoners and 224,900 state prisoners
who were incarcerated because of alcohol or
drug abuse. |
Alcohol Effects: Non-Cancerous
Medical Conditions
The following is a list non-cancerous diseases, medical
conditions, and health problems caused directly or indirectly
by alcoholism:
- Loss of intellectual abilities
- Diabetes
- Sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction and
impotence in men
- Nervous system damage
- Wernicke's disease (a memory disorder)
- Problems with the immune system
- Impaired learning ability
- Pancreatitis
- Vitamin A deficiency (which can cause night
blindness)
- Numbness of the feet and hands
- Alcohol withdrawal symptoms when the alcoholic stops
drinking
- Dehydration
- Kidney failure
- Alcohol Poisoning
- Vitamin D deficiency (which can result in bone
fractures)
- Coma
- Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)
- Organ and system malfunction
- Inflammation of the digestive system
- Ulcers from the perforation of the stomach and the
intestines
- Pneumonia
- Memory loss
- 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)
- Harm to the fetus while the mother is pregnant
- Korsakoff's syndrome (a memory disorder)
- Cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure,
cardiomyopathy (damage to the heart muscle), heart failure,
and strokes
- Destruction of brain cells
- Sever thiamine deficiency
- Brain damage
- Cirrhosis of the liver
Alcohol Effects:
Conclusion
The effects of alcohol in the form of alcoholism are
wide-spread as well as disastrous. Indeed, chronic
alcoholism is truly a destructive, damaging, and debilitating
disease that effects the alcoholic; the
alcoholic's social network, namely his family members, other
relatives, friends, and work associates; and the
unfortunate "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.
If this weren't enough, the effects of
alcoholism manifest themselves in an amazing number of medical
conditions, health problems, and diseases that are experienced
by the alcoholic. At first glance, the number of
illnesses and ailments caused by alcoholism is almost
overwhelming. After the situation is examined in more
detail, however, the health-related and medical consequences of
the disease start to make more sense.
More to the point, over time, alcoholism
progressively breaks down the proper functioning of the body's
main systems and organs. Not only this, but the
alcoholic cannot replenish the vitamins, minerals, and other
essential nutrients his body needs because of poor eating
habits and perhaps more importantly because the body's
malfunctioning systems and organs prevent the proper
absorption, metabolism, digestion, and utilization of the
nutrients required for repair, growth, and general
maintenance. Therefore, over time, the alcoholic
slowly kills himself or herself due to his or her alcoholic
behavior.
| More than seven percent of the
population ages 18 years and older -- nearly
13.8 million Americans -- have problems with
drinking, including 8.1 million people who
suffer from alcoholism. |
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