EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ABUSE AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU STOP DRINKING?Alcohol is a substance that is widely accepted throughout the entire world. Unfortunately, there are millions of people in the United States alone who struggle with alcohol use disorder. When alcohol use disorder is occurring, the brain becomes rewired to both crave alcohol and require it in order for the body to function. This is what causes the perpetual, dangerous drinking behaviors exhibited by alcoholics. When alcohol is consumed, it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, it is pumped through all vital organs including the heart, liver, and kidneys. The more that alcohol is abused, the more likely it becomes for a person to suffer vital organ damage as a result of this process. The desired effects of drinking alcohol (e.g. lowered inhibitions, relaxation) can kick in after consuming 1-2 drinks (one drink is considered 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1.5 oz of distilled spirits). However, because alcohol is a depressant, the more that a person consumes, the more intense his or her symptoms will become. Instead of simply experiencing lowered inhibitions and relaxation, a person can quickly begin experiencing dizziness, shaking, loss of consciousness, and vomiting. If drinking continues to a point where the body can no longer process the consumed alcohol, an overdose occurs, which can lead to permanent damage if not cause death. Sadly, many people are unable to be responsible with their drinking or abstain from it because they have the disease of addiction. As an alcohol addiction develops and morphs into something more severe, the effects that a person can experience can range from being inconvenient to deadly. EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ABUSEIf you have alcohol use disorder, you will experience the effects of your drinking. However, those effects are going to vary based on how much and how often you drink, as well as what you are drinking and if you are experiencing any other physical/psychological health problems. Typically, however, people who have alcohol use disorder develop a number of physical and psychological effects: PHYSICAL EFFECTSBlacking outVomitingNauseaDiarrheaIrregular heartbeatHigh blood pressureIncreased risk for cancerLoss of gray matter in the brain (responsible for speech, self-control, memory)Loss of white matter in the brain (which aids in the speedy transport of signals in the brain) PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTSMood swingsAnxietyDepressionPoor attention spanCognitive learning difficultiesIt is also possible to develop wet brain as a result of alcohol use disorder. Symptoms of wet brain include severe memory loss, problems forming new memories, hallucinations, and confusion. In order to stop the occurrence of symptoms such as these, as well as the development of further symptoms, it is imperative that you stop drinking as soon as possible.
