Alcohol is one of the most commonly abused drugs in the world. Alcohol abuse is a serious problem that can have long-term effects on an individual’s health. Many people drink alcohol because they enjoy the taste or sensation it gives them.
Alcohol can take away your inhibitions, making you more likely to do things you wouldn’t normally do, like drive while intoxicated or cause trouble with law enforcement. Alcohol is also a depressant, which means that it slows down the functioning of the body’s organs and systems.
Let’s discuss some effects of alcohol on your body:
Dependency on alcohol:
- Alcoholism, which is alcohol addiction. Alcoholism is characterized by a loss of control over drinking, continued drinking despite negative consequences, and physical alcohol dependence. Symptoms of alcoholism include feeling anxious or nervous after a few drinks and being unable to stop drinking.
Possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which include: anxiety, agitation, anxiety attacks, cravings for alcohol, depression, delusions, hallucinations and insomnia. Physical symptoms include sweating, tremors and seizures. It can last from four hours to a week or more.
Reduces the Immune system:
Alcohol has been known to reduce the immune system, which makes it vulnerable to many diseases and infections. The body starts getting weaker and the body then gets infected easily due to less immunity. Like other drugs that affect the immune system, alcohol can weaken your ability to fight off infection and also lead to cancer.
Damages Liver:
- The liver is a crucial organ of the body. It’s your primary detoxifying organ, and it helps you break down alcohol into the kind of energy that keeps you going throughout the day. Your liver is also responsible for filtering out impurities from your blood, making sure that you’re getting all the nutrients you need to live a full life.
While it’s not entirely accurate to say that alcohol is actually “harmful” to your body, it does have plenty of negative effects on the body, especially on your liver. The more alcohol you drink, the greater these effects are likely to be.
Effect on the nervous system:
- Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it slows down the activity of your brain and central nervous system. It also acts as a diuretic, which means it makes you urinate more frequently. So, after drinking alcohol, you might feel dehydrated because your body is losing fluids faster than you are taking them in.
Alcohol can cause several different types of infections. These include infections that affect the respiratory tract (including pneumonia), the gastrointestinal tract (such as diverticulitis), and skin infections from bacterial or fungal sources.
Wrapping-up:
In addition to the physical effects of alcohol on your body, it also has psychological effects. The main psychological effect of alcohol is reduced inhibition. In other words, when people drink alcohol, they become less self-conscious and less concerned with social norms. They may say things they wouldn’t say when sober and can be more outgoing and friendly than usual. Alcohol also reduces anxiety and relaxes muscles — both helpful effects for people who suffer from these problems in their day-to-day lives.
