What About Alcohol?

Alcohol - Where do we draw the line

Alcohol abuse can be incredibly destructive upon lives and families. Heavy use of alchohol can cause permanent damage to organs vital to your health. It can also cause weakened immune systems, sexual disfuctions, high blood pressure, ulcers and even cancer.

 

Alcohol is a drug that is associated with social events throughout the world. For many people, alcohol is a way to be comfortable in social situations. It is hard to know when to draw the line. When alcohol use becomes alcoholism, it can be a very difficult and destructive dependency.

Just like with other addictive drugs, when a person becomes used to having alcohol in their system they can have withdrawal symptoms when they don't have it.

What is it?

Because alcohol is a carbohydrate, it is a big source of energy for drinkers. It is also absorbed by the body very quickly, much more quickly than other foods and its effects can last for hours.

The first doses of alcohol can cause feelings of relation in the user, but as you consume more alcohol, you can experience nausea and vomitting. Higher doeses then can cause loss of memory about the events that occur while you are under the influence.

Intoxication invites injury. Under the influence of alcohol your reactions are slowed and your judgement is impaired. In 2005 in the United States 16,885 died in car crashes resulting from alcohol use.

After drinking alcohol one can experience a "hangover" resulting in headaches, nausea and vomiting. Usually these affects are from dehydration.

Liver cirrhosis is a serious problem

Alcholics can develop liver cirrhosis. The liver makes digestive enzymes and rids the body of toxins. If you damage it with alcohol, it will not do it's job properly and it will become larger with the accumulation of fatty tissue. This will affect your body by possibly making you jaundiced and ill.

In 40% of people with cirrhosis blood pressure rises causing internal bleading. This can cause violent vomiting, that quickly leads to death.

Classic features of abuse

There are two classic features of alcohol abuse, the binge drinker and the frequent drinker. The binge drinkers drinks infrequently, but when he or she drinks, she doesn't stop at a reasonable amount.

The frequent drinker is one who drinks daily and consumes large amounts over time.