The Dangers of Alcohol
Physical Effects of Alcohol on You

Do you drink? Are you aware of the dangers of alcohol? Liver cancer is one. Do you know what its other negative physical side effects are? Blurred vision and impaired senses are just some of its dangers.

According to facts, it is a highly-abused substance. Anybody who is of legal age (this varies depending on the country) can buy it in a convenience store.

One of the known dangers of alcohol is it is a powerful brain depressant and its abuse has many short term and long term physical effects.

Unfortunately, one of the negative effects of alcohol is it makes cancer prevention difficult.

At low doses (or an equivalent of one 12 oz beer), what alcohol does is to produce initial positive side effects.

When you drink, how does that glass of wine in your hand make you feel? I'm certain that you experienced the following physical changes:

1. Improvement of mood or euphoria

This includes feelings of physical relaxation, friendliness, cheerfulness, increased self-confidence.

2. Promotion of sleep

A small dose of alcoholic drink helps increase total sleep time and prevention of awakenings during the night. Insomniacs even experience improved sleep from moderate doses.

But here's where its dangers lie: Based on facts, it is a psychoactive drug that brings about mood changes that you might find pleasant. The feeling of pleasantness may lead to abuse and eventually, to dependence.

Many people engage in heavy drinking in the hope of creating that feeling over and over again. The habit opens the door to the dangers of alcohol and both its short term and long term physical effects.

There are more dangers to drinking than the good physical effects. As you drink more, most of its short term effects become unpleasant.

The negative physical side effects are...

1. Shortened attention span

2. Impaired judgment

Too much alcohol in your system causes you to say the first thought that comes to mind which, most often than not, is inappropriate.

3. Body movement coordination problems

Examples are stumbling, unstable walk and loss of balance.

4. Comprehension and memory problems

5. Blurred vision and senses

This is marked by dizziness and impaired speech and awareness.

6. Confusion

It is characterized by uncertainty of where you are and what is happening.

7. Heightened emotional state

You may feel either aggressiveness, withdrawal or overt affection.

8. Poor pain response

9. Nausea and vomiting

10. Asphyxiation or choking

This can occur when you vomit while you’re unconscious.

Now let's talk about the physical long term effects of alcoholic drinks.

The negative side effects are definitely not only for a short period of time. As you drink a lot more and more often, you face the following dangers to your health:

1. Damaged cell membranes

Your cells act like sponges that quickly absorb alcohol. In fact, as soon as it enters the bloodstream, it spreads to nearly every tissue in your body.

Remember that any damage to your cell results to mutations. A mutation that can’t be repaired becomes a trigger point for cancer to start and its prevention challenging.

An alcoholic drink is a proven risk factor for prostate cancer.For information on this type of tumor, take a look at this page: What is Prostate Cancer.

2. Unconsciousness

This happens as your reflexes are depressed, breathing becomes slow and shallow and heart rate drops. This may lead to coma.

3. Blood poisoning

4. Hallucinations

5. Suppression of Anti-Diuretic Hormone (ADH)

Production of ADH is inhibited. This is one of the dangers of alcohol you must avoid because this makes your kidneys unable to absorb as much water as they should. When this happens, the consequence is dehydration.

6. Brain damage

This is caused by apoptosis or cell death in the neurons.

7. Liver cancer

This is one of the long term dangers or effects of an alcoholic drink. It is also a risk factor for other types such as breast cancer. To read more on it, click Breast Cancer Facts.

8. Death

Death may occur when its concentration in the bloodstream reaches .40%. This is one of the dangers of alcohol.You may also die from alcohol-related cancers.

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