How Does Alcohol Affect The Body

Legally in the United States, alcohol is known as beverage that has a minimum age requirement of twenty-one years old. Many people use alcohol as a way to celebrate, socialize or to release stress. To the body, alcohol is classified as a depressant. This means that alcohol disrupts the way the body functions. Ethanol or Ethyl is the main ingredient found in several alcoholic beverages, including wine, beer, and vodka. Ethyl Alcohol is produced by the fermentation of grains and fruits. Ethyl Alcohol is what affects the body causing intoxication. High dose of alcohol can have a severe effect on an individual’s mental state. This can lead to problems concerning mental health, as well as physical health..

As alcohol is consumed, it travels from

the stomach to the brain slowing down the nervous system. The consumption of alcohol causes difficulty in walking, blurred vision, slow reaction, memory lost, as well as many other factors that have a severe effect on the brain. In How Alcoholism Works by Stephanie Watson she describes how alcohol has a negative effect on the function of the brain and nervous system. The body’s behavior and emotions are controlled by a messenger named Neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters has a direct effect on two regions of the brain, the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. Alcohol confuses the neurotransmitter, which causes a decrease in the electrical activity of the brain. The lack of electrical activity makes it difficult to think and move. By alcohol slowing down the nerve center it hinders the hypothalamus and pituitary brain regions. Therefore, the urge for sexual activity increase but sexual performance decreases.
In addition to the way alcohol affects the nervous system, it also has short-term effects on the functions of the brain. The medulla is the area of the brain that controls the body’s breathing, consciousness, and body temperature. When alcohol is consumed, it causes the body to feel sleepy and cold. This can lead to the body experiencing a short-term memory lapse also known as blackouts. (Watson)

Abusing alcohol can have a negative effect on the body’s mental well-being. The chemicals in alcohol causes the brain to give the body a feeling of relaxation, which can lead to addiction. The National Alliance on Mental Illness states “there body becomes dependent on the substance”. As alcohol damages the nervous system, it disrupts the balance of chemicals in the brain. This is why alcohol is described as a depressant. The chemical alteration can lead towards a mental state of being depressed, anxiety, and stress. “Alcohol and Mental Health” by the website Mental Health describes the way individuals are in a mental state of despondency and dejection uses alcohol as “self-medication”. Many believe that drinking alcohol will change their mood. However, the painless feeling is a short term effect. Alcohol increases the brain serotonin that affects the mood, sleep, memory, etc., also known as the key component in depression. While people use alcohol as a cure it makes matters worse and destructs the body’s mental health.

Within a matter of minutes, alcohol slows down the nervous system and damages the mental state of the body. Drinking more than the body can consume causes abnormal functioning of the brain. The body will have difficulty thinking and moving correctly. This is the reasoning behind why people tend to make irrational decisions when intoxicated. In addition, the disruption of the brain’s chemical balance can cause the body to fall into a mental state of depression, anxiety, or stress. Although the consumption of alcohol may be seen as a fun activity, this simple beverage can have a long-term effect on your body and its mental health.