Alcohol

Alcohol is the ‘psychoactive’, or mind-altering, ingredient in alcoholic beverages. It is a member of the drug class called ‘depressants’, which are drugs that slow down the activity of the central nervous system.  The effects of alcohol vary from person to person depending on their body size, the amount of alcohol consumed and the frequency of the individual’s drinking.  Alcoholism is the medical term used to describe a condition in which an individual consumes alcohol regardless of the negative consequences or health issues that the drinking causes.  Basically, they cannot stop drinking. 

The effects of alcohol consumption will be different for every person.  Some people can have just one drink and be fine, while others have one drink and their behavior drastically changes.  Some people feel like they can’t even have a good time without drinking.  In more extreme cases, there are those who feel they have to drink all the time.  This level of alcohol dependency can have severe consequences for not only the alcoholic, but for their family as well.

Here are some of the obvious effects of alcohol:

• Slurred speech
• Blurry vision
• Difficulty walking
• Slow reaction times
• Memory loss
• Personality changes

Listed below are some of the social effects that result from the use of alcohol:

• Arrest for public intoxication
• Arrest for driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol
• Late for work
• Hangovers
• Loss of job as a result of being late or drunk on the job
• Problems with relationships
• Divorce

If one continues to drink alcohol on a regular basis, they may develop a dependency on alcohol.  Many doctors and researchers have opinions on how one may become addicted to alcohol.  Some say that it is genetic. This means that having alcoholic parents could increase your chances of becoming an alcoholic.   Regardless of whether or not you are addicted to alcohol, drinking on a regular basis has extreme effects on your body.  The following list contains some physical health effects caused by the extreme use of alcohol:

• Cirrhosis of the liver
• Heart disease
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Neurological disorders
• Pancreatitis
• Alcoholic dementia

These are not uncommon effects, so if you feel you may have a problem with alcohol, you might want to consider getting some help.  Quitting is not easy. It is certainly not recommended that you quit “cold turkey” on your own, especially if your drinking has increased to a level of dependency. The side effects of quitting can be very painful, and in some situations, deadly.  This is called alcohol withdrawal. The following are some of examples:

• Shaking
• Convulsions
• Seizures
• Hallucinations
• Death