Alcohol Side-Effects Immediate, Long-Term, & Social Side Effects

Barbiturates include Phenobarbital, Seconal and Amytal; benzodiazepines include Ativan, Dalmane, Librium, Xanax, Valium, Halcion and Restoril. These drugs are used for medical purposes to relieve anxiety and to induce sleep. Physical and psychological dependence can occur if the drugs are used for longer periods of time or at higher doses than prescribed. Benzodiazepine use can cause slurred speech, disorientation, and lack of coordination. If taken with alcohol, use can lead to coma and possible death. SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA, BATH SALTS, K2, SPICE, LAZY CAKES, HERBAL INCENSE – These are various psychoactive herbal and chemical products that mimic the effects of marijuana or other drugs.

This allows clients to have support from day one all the way back to their independent lives. Alcohol treatment centers deliver a wide range of therapies andaddiction treatment programsto clients. These can all be helpful because each individual client needs to create their own route to recovery. Part of this process is finding fulfillment that stems from something other than alcohol.

Sidebar: The Many Consequences of Alcohol and Drug Misuse

Furthermore, this extended alcohol use can have detrimental effects on the user’s relationships, career, financial condition, legal condition and health. People who use alcohol may also experience symptoms of withdrawal. If a person is dependent on alcohol and stops drinking for a period of time, their body may begin to enter a state of withdrawal. Alcohol can also have a more significant effect on young people. Underage alcohol use interferes with adolescent brain development and raises a young person’s risk of bodily injury, sexual assault, and death.

• Over time, alcohol can cause damage to your central nervous system.
• Addiction is a disease, we have addiction medicine that saves lives.
• It also can harm your liver, which plays an important role in your immune system by making antibacterial proteins.
• Even drinking on a single occasion can weaken your immunity, sometimes for a few days afterward, increasing your chances of falling sick.
• High dosage can cause rapid or irregular heartbeat, tremors, loss of motor skills and even physical collapse.

Alcohol on be one element of an adult party or celebration, but when alcohol becomes the most important element and socializing with friends is difficult without it serious problems can occur. “My addiction built steadily and, before I realized it, I had become a morning as well as an afternoon drinker. Alcohol consumption by an expectant mother may cause fetal alcohol syndrome and pre-term birth complications.

Finding treatment for alcohol use disorder

Problem drinking is not defined only by how often or even how much a person drinks. Instead, it comes down to the effects of alcohol addiction on a person’s life. People who have issues with their work life, family relationships, finances or emotions because of their alcohol use could have a drinking problem. AUD is characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. AUD can cause lasting changes in the brain that make patients vulnerable to relapse. The good news is that no matter how severe the problem may seem, most people with AUD can benefit from treatment with behavioral therapies, medications, or both. Prenatal alcohol exposure can result in brain damage and other serious problems in babies.

You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. The overconsumption of alcohol can lead to pancreatitis, which describes painful inflammation of the pancreas that often requires hospitalization.

Alcohol

Alcohol is an intoxicating chemical that can impact health. How much alcohol a person drinks, genetic factors, gender, body mass, and general state of health all influence how a person responds to alcohol.

• The parietal lobe, which processes sensory information, is also affected.
• An estimated 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes every year.
• Some medications interact with alcohol, increasing its toxic effects.
• HALLUCINOGENS – This category includes phencyclidine (PCP or "angel dust"), ecstasy and other amphetamine variants which have mind-altering effects.
• It can directly impact your friends, family and colleagues.
• If you are concerned that someone close to you is battling alcohol use, it may be helpful to familiarize yourself with the signs of alcohol use and addiction.

Drinking alcohol can be harmful not only to your health, but also to your work, studies, relationships, and community. However, certain food groups also have benefits when it comes to helping with the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms and detoxification. Alcohol interferes with the body’s ability to absorb and utilize many vitamins that can help prevent cancer from forming, including vitamins A, B, C, D, and E.

Products & Services

Get help from the Student Health Center or Carilion Stonewall Jackson Hospital. Seeking medical attention for alcohol related problems will not result in notification of parents or the University administration except in emergency situations. These are Safe Havens and will not result in judicial sanctions for intoxication. Alcohol addiction is a debilitating, dangerous, life-threatening affliction. For those who struggle with such a crisis, getting them help has to be the top priority.

Someone who used to love spending their free time playing music or hanging out with friends may now be at a bar instead. The endocrine system is also involved in managing circadian rhythm consequences of alcohol and sleep, another system that can be harmed by excessive drinking. The endocrine system’s role is to help organs communicate using hormones to maintain a stable environment in the body.

Reducing the burden from harmful use of alcohol

The World Health Organization links about 8.1 percent of all tuberculosis cases worldwide to alcohol consumption. Slurred speech, a key sign of intoxication, happens because alcohol reduces communication between your brain and body. This makes speech and coordination — think reaction time and balance — more difficult. That’s one major reason why you should never drive after drinking. The pancreas helps regulate how your body uses insulin and responds to glucose. If your pancreas and liver don’t function properly due to pancreatitis or liver disease, you could experience low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. Alcohol use can begin to take a toll on anyone’s physical and mental well-being over time.

• Through family education and training, family members can also learn how to become part of the aftercare support system for their loved ones.
• Certain factors may increase your chances of experiencing alcohol use disorder.
• Your cerebellum, which helps with coordination, is impacted.
• If you or a loved one live with alcoholism or are struggling to quit using alcohol, consider seeking professional help.
• Other clients might want to re-enter the professional world.
• Daily drinking can have serious consequences for a person’s health, both in the short- and long-term.