Author: Gary Jackson

Drinking alcohol: the facts

Around 5 percent of the alcohol consumed leaves through the lungs, kidneys and the skin. Intoxication impairs judgment and can result in inappropriate and illegal behaviors such as sexual promiscuity, disorderly conduct, driving while intoxicated and acts of violence. No matter how severe the problem may seem, evidence-based treatment can help people with AUD recover. Drinking also adds calories that can contribute to weight gain. And drinking raises the risk of problems in the digestive system. These effects might not last very long, but that doesn’t make them insignificant.

Signs and symptoms of withdrawal generally occur between 4 and 72 hours after the last drink or after reducing intake. Since the liver can only process the equivalent of one drink at a time, the body may remain saturated with the alcohol that has not yet left the body. If blood alcohol concentration is higher than 0.4, there is a 50 percent chance of death. When the amount of alcohol in the blood exceeds a certain level, this can lead to alcohol toxicity, or poisoning. In 2017, around half of all Americans aged over 18 years had consumed alcohol in the last month.

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Some studies have found that even light or moderate drinking can lead to some deterioration of the hippocampus. This article discusses the physiological and psychological effects of alcohol and how to change your drinking habits. From the first sip, alcohol impacts the body—even if you don’t realize it. Any amount of alcohol can diminish your judgment and functioning, and even low or moderate alcohol use can have harmful effects on different organs. Anyone with an alcohol dependency disorder who desires to stop drinking should seek professional medical care or a treatment center specializing in safe alcohol detoxification.

• Understanding how alcohol affects the mind, body, and overall health can help you make the most informed decisions about your consumption habits.
• But more recent research suggests there’s really no “safe” amount of alcohol since even moderate drinking can negatively impact brain health.
• Alcohol withdrawal can be difficult and, in some cases, life threatening.
• Alcohol affects every body system, so it can cause health problems throughout the body.
• If you’re concerned with your alcohol consumption and attitude toward drinking, talk to a healthcare provider as a first step.
• Take our free, 5-minute substance abuse self-assessment below if you think you or someone you love might be struggling with substance abuse.

Just one or two alcoholic drinks can impair your balance, coordination, impulse control, memory, and decision-making. Too much alcohol can also shut down parts of your brain that are essential for keeping you alive. Over the long term, alcohol can increase your risk of more than 200 different diseases, including in the liver and pancreas, and certain cancers. Genetic, psychological, social and environmental factors can impact how drinking alcohol affects your body and behavior.

Treatment for alcohol use disorder

Short-term and long-term effects of alcohol can negatively impact the mind and body, despite any potential benefits. Every person has their own reasons for drinking or wanting to reduce their alcohol consumption. Depending on how much you have been drinking, your body may experience physical and psychological changes as you reduce your intake, known as withdrawal. Unhealthy alcohol use includes any alcohol use that puts your health or safety at risk or causes other alcohol-related problems. It also includes binge drinking — a pattern of drinking where a male has five or more drinks within two hours or a female has at least four drinks within two hours. This condition can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the number of symptoms you have.

Heavy drinking also may result in alcohol withdrawal symptoms. For example, any amount of drinking increases the risk of breast cancer and colorectal cancer. People who binge drink or drink heavily may notice more health effects sooner, but alcohol also poses some risks for people who drink in moderation. Understanding how alcohol affects the mind, body, and overall health can help you make the most informed decisions about your consumption habits. If you’re concerned with your alcohol consumption and attitude toward drinking, talk to a healthcare provider as a first step.

What is binge drinking?

Whether you’re a light, moderate, or heavy drinker, alcohol can reduce bone mass. We can all experience temporary and long-term effects of alcohol, depending on our consumption. For many of us, alcohol is embedded in our social and cultural activities. We go to happy hour after work, we give toasts at weddings, and we drink to celebrate and mark occasions. Oftentimes, we aren’t thinking about how much or how often we consume alcohol or its effects on the body. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 15.1 million people aged 18 years and over in the U.S. had alcohol use disorder (AUD), or 6.2 percent of this age group.