alcohol and the body

Alcohol and the Body

Alcohol abuse is a rising concern in today’s world. More than 80,000 Americans die each year due to alcohol related incidents, making alcohol the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

Alcohol in moderation could be beneficial to some, but unfortunately can and is lethal to others. Drinking in moderation is considered no more than 4 drinks on a single day and no more than 14 drinks a week, for men. For women, moderation is even less, at 3 drinks a day and no more than 7 drinks a week. This is primarily due to women having smaller build and weighing less than men. To consider this moderate, both daily and weekly limitations must be met. (NIAAA).

To define what a standard drink is, one drink contains .6 fluid ounces of alcohol, thus, a 12 ounce glass, can or bottle of beer, which contains about 5% alcohol is one standard drink. An 8-9 ounce drink of malt liquor, 5 ounce glass of wine and 1.5 ounces of hard liquor are all defined as one standard drink.

When the standard and moderate amounts recommended are exceeded we begin to run into abuse, dependency and addiction to alcohol. All three areas are unique to the individual. How much and how often plays a role in the level of abuse, as well as the duration of the amounts consumed. When alcohol is misused, the effects can be limitless and extremely damaging to a person’s life. It can stem out into areas not only that become harmful to one’s health, but family dynamics, as well as social, professional and legal aspects.

The health effects of alcohol are many, including but not limited to, change in brain structure and functions, damage to the heart, liver, pancreas, possible cancers of the mouth, esophagus, pharynx, larynx, liver an...

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...s also, another effect of alcohol, even when one is seeking to become abstinent.

Within hours of the discontinuation of consuming alcohol, withdrawal symptoms can occur. For some who have a mild alcohol disorder, this can range from headache, dizziness, and nausea within 12 hours, to those who are heavy drinkers for long periods of time or who drink heavily on a daily basis, that can have much more harmful effects such as seizures, delirium tremens (DTs), anxiety, shakiness, rapid heartbeat, fever, confusion, and hallucinations. For these heavy drinkers, it can be a life threatening situation, where medical attention is necessary.

The effects of alcohol are numerous when considering the range in which it can impact a life. From health, to family, to legal problems, and even when deciding to become sober, alcohol has a tight grip on those who abuse the drug.