The Dangers of Drinking

While moderate drinking has been shown to have potential health benefits, excessive or binge drinking can be dangerous. Many people drink in social situations because it relaxes them, making it easier for them to mix and mingle. But the same physiological responses that lower inhibition can, in excess, have damaging effects.

Alcohol is absorbed from the stomach and small intestine into the blood stream. That’s why we hear law enforcement officers talk about a person’s “blood alcohol level”, because it’s a direct measurement of how much alcohol is in a person’s body. Alcohol depresses the central nervous system, which means that every system in your body is affected in some way. The higher a person’s blood alcohol level, the more severe the effects.

At lower levels, a person simply feels more relaxed. As the blood alcohol level increases, slurred speech and disorientation occur, followed quickly by sever motor impairment and possible loss of consciousness. If alcohol is consumed too rapidly, it can cause someone to slip into a coma. It can even cause death.

Alcohol abuse can impede involuntary functions like heart beat and breathing. It can strip the lining from the stomach, and cause inflammation of the liver (hepatitis). Other dangers of alcohol abuse include high blood pressure, brain damage, depression, memory loss, ulcers, and cirrhosis.

Someone who abuses alcohol long term is three times more likely to develop liver cancer, four times more likely to develop esophageal cancer, and six times more likely to develop oral cancer. Women also increase their risk of breast cancer by 7 percent.

The dangers of drinking extend beyond internal systems, though. There are relational and vocational dangers as well. Continued alcohol abuse can damage relationships either because people get tired of making excuses for your behavior or because you say or do things while drinking that you regret later. Your job can be affected if you’re going into work with a hangover or without adequate sleep, causing your performance to deteriorate.

If you’re struggling with alcohol abuse, or are concerned about the amount of alcohol you consume, get help. Talk to a health care professional, get an accurate assessment of your drinking habits, and determine what your next step should be.