Alcohol and the Human Body National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA

‌Drinking alcohol excessively can also get in the way of other activities, your relationships, and your self-esteem, which can further affect your mental health. You might try to drink more alcohol to get rid of these symptoms, but using alcohol to manage your mental health instead of getting help can lead to more problems. Similar to Korsakoff syndrome, alcohol-related dementia is a form of alcohol-related brain damage that results in memory loss.

• These changes in brain function are immediate and may last long after the drinking session ends.
• You might notice certain times of the day or being around certain people will make you feel more anxious or more depressed and want to drink more.
• Alcohol use can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, cognitive decline, liver disease, mental health conditions, and more.
• They’re often an important component of social events, celebrations, and milestones; we toast people, events, and memories with alcohol.

As with the financial costs of alcohol abuse, studies have found occasional binge drinking can also affect families. Research suggests that the risk of intimate partner violence rises not only in the context of frequent drinking but also when a partner has consumed a large volume of drinks in one sitting. Alcohol use may also contribute to complications that affect multiple bodily systems, such as certain cancers, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and chronic pain.

The Health Consequences of Excessive Alcohol Use

Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. Also not included in these figures are the work days that family members miss due to the alcohol problems of a loved one. The CDC estimates that 40% of the cost of binge drinking is paid by federal, state, and local governments. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), excessive alcohol use costs the U.S. almost a quarter trillion dollars a year. Economic costs are one part of the toll, but there are also other societal issues that are tied to alcohol use.

How Does Alcohol Affect the Brain in the Long-Term?

Alcohol abuse has been linked to cancers of the breast, mouth, esophagus, throat, larynx, colon and rectum. Whether you want to cut back or quit entirely because of a growing alcohol dependency, talk to your doctor about developing a personalized plan. They can assess your drinking habits, discuss potential health risks and provide support and guidance.

What Are the Psychological Effects of Alcohol?

• Alcohol abuse also impacts users’ behavior, which can result in accidents and violence.
• As with the financial costs of alcohol abuse, studies have found occasional binge drinking can also affect families.
• However, the connection between alcohol and various sleep disorders is often lesser-known.
• Although it was once believed that having alcohol in moderation could lead to health benefits, we’ve recently learned that consuming any amount isn’t considered safe.

If consumption stops suddenly, the person may experience withdrawal symptoms. The body absorbs alcohol relatively quickly, but it takes longer to get the alcohol out of the body. Consuming several drinks in a short time causes the alcohol builds up in the body.

• Department of Justice, alcohol makes intimate partner violence more frequent and severe.
• Over time, this isolation can feel overwhelming and create a barrier to seeking support.
• As a result, they eventually need to drink more to notice the same effects they once did.
• For some people, alcohol dependence can also cause social problems such as homelessness, joblessness, divorce, and domestic abuse.

Any amount of alcohol can diminish your judgment and functioning, and even low or moderate alcohol use can have harmful effects on different organs. It can inflame the stomach lining, causing heartburn and nausea. Over time, this can give you ulcers and chronic inflammation in your stomach, esophagus, and gut. It can also make it harder for your intestines to digest important nutrients like B12 and thiamine. Alcohol can also cause a buildup of digestive enzymes in the pancreas, leading to a condition called pancreatitis, or an inflamed pancreas. This can affect how much insulin you make, putting you at higher risk for diabetes.

Drinking moderately if you’re otherwise healthy may be a risk you’re willing to take. But heavy drinking carries a much higher risk even for those marijuana addiction without other health concerns. Be sure to ask your healthcare professional about what’s right for your health and safety. Even drinking a little too much (binge drinking) on occasion can set off a chain reaction that affects your well-being. Lowered inhibitions can lead to poor choices with lasting repercussions — like the end of a relationship, an accident or legal woes. Each of those consequences can cause turmoil that can negatively affect your long-term emotional health.

Alcohol addiction can be a stumbling block, but it doesn’t necessarily prevent you from having a successful career again or for the first time. During treatment, counselors can help you plan for the future and discover what your purpose is in life. Finding this purpose can motivate patients to get healthy for all the right reasons. Alcohol can have short- and long-term effects on the brain and disrupts the brain’s communication pathways. These can influence mood, behavior and other cognitive functions. “Given alcohol withdrawal has the potential for dangerous and fatal complications, we often monitor and treat patients in a hospital setting.

Medical Professionals

The evidence for moderate alcohol use in healthy adults is still being studied. But good evidence shows that drinking high amounts of alcohol are clearly linked to health problems. Many people drink alcohol as a personal preference, during social activities, or as a part of cultural and religious practices.

Reversing the Effects: Can You Undo the Damage of Long-Term Alcohol Use?

It also interacts with some antibiotics, like metronidazole, making you feel more ill due to a reaction with alcohol,” Dr. Hildahl says. Whether you’re considering Sober October, Dry January or are ready to go booze-free without the help of a themed month, there are amazing benefits to breaking up with alcohol. Dr. Hannah Hildahl, UnityPoint Health, explains what alcohol does to your mind and body from top to bottom. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism.

• This occurs because alcohol disrupts serotonin levels, which play a critical role in mood regulation.
• Alcohol use may also contribute to complications that affect multiple bodily systems, such as certain cancers, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and chronic pain.
• Through family education and training, family members can also learn how to become part of the aftercare support system for their loved ones.
• People who have issues with their work life, family relationships, finances or emotions because of their alcohol use could have a drinking problem.

But beyond these outward effects of excessive alcohol use, what happens to your body if you drink too much? For example, a usually shy and quiet person may become increasingly chatty, socially confident, and outgoing when drinking alcohol. Lowered inhibitions can also lead to poor decision-making and increase the risk of engaging in risky behaviors. One of the best-known effects of drinking alcohol is lowered inhibitions. Alcohol disrupts the brain’s prefrontal cortex—the area responsible for judgment and self-control.