The Short & Long Term Effects of Alcohol Use
Alcohol. Something we’ve all indulged in from time to time on special occasions or with a meal. Some like to pair wine with pasta, some even like certain beers with a steak. Sometimes alcohol is used as something to partake in for a celebration while other times alcohol is used as a coping mechanism. This tendency to “drink the pain away” can lead to addiction. In honor of alcohol awareness month, we’ll be discussing alcohol’s effects on someone's wellbeing and the impact of alcohol abuse on one’s overall health. But first, let’s come to terms with the facts & figures behind alcohol use as a whole.
Drinking becomes a rite of passage for many when becoming a young adult and into one’s college years. According to a study conducted by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH, for short), 85.6 percent of people 18 and older reported that they drank alcohol at least once, 69.5 percent reported that they drank in the past year, and 54.9 percent (59.1 percent of men in this age group and 51.0 percent of women in this age group) reported that they drank in the past month. Those who tend to drink heavily or at the very least develop a tendency to drink more than the recommended amount often develop what’s known as AUD or Alcohol Use Disorder. AUD impacts all age groups, even those in their preteens. The NSDUH found that 14.5 million (nearly 15 million) people ages 12 and older (5.3 percent of this age group) had AUD. Furthermore, 9.7 percent of 12- to 20-year-olds reported that they have had at least 1 drink in their lives. Unfortunately, research shows drinking during one’s teenage years can interfere with adolescent brain development and increase the risk of developing AUD. Underage drinking also contributes to a range of acute consequences, such as injuries, sexual assaults, alcohol overdoses, and deaths—including those from car crashes.
Not only are adolescents and adults consuming alcohol semi-regularly, but young adults in their college years are found to drink more than those not in college. 52.5 percent of full-time college students ages 18 to 22 drank alcohol in the past month, compared with 44.0 percent of other persons of the same age. Even more shocking is 33.0 percent of full-time college students ages 18 to 22 reported binge drinking in the past month, compared with 27.7 percent of other persons of the same age. As a whole, an estimated 95,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the third-leading preventable cause of death of adults in the United States. Between 2011 and 2015, the leading causes of alcohol-attributable deaths due to chronic conditions in the United States were an alcohol-associated liver disease, heart disease and stroke, unspecified liver cirrhosis, upper aerodigestive tract cancers, liver cancer, supraventricular cardiac dysrhythmia, AUD, breast cancer, and hypertension according to the CDC (Center of Disease Control).
Now for less depressing information, let’s understand what alcohol does to the body in the short term & long term. Some effects of drinking will include slurred speech, lack of coordination in the body, lack of balance, numbness of the feet & hands, memory loss (both short & long term), gassiness, bloating, irregular bowel movements, and poor judgment. If the consumption of drinking becomes too heavy, one may become unconscious, blackout due to the impairment of short-term memory and even slipping into a coma. These short-term effects of alcohol use could lead to long-term damage and eventually alcoholism if not corrected in the early stages of regular drinking. Those who suffer from alcoholism develop a plethora of extra issues, some that may even become fatal. Regular alcohol overconsumption leads to short & long-term memory loss as well as a shortened attention span. Some may have trouble learning due to lack of retention and eventual diminishment of gray & white matter in the brain. Eventually, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, steatosis (or fatty liver) can lead to liver cancer as well as alcoholic hepatitis. If things become worse, AUD can become cancer throughout the body or lead to stroke. As for cardiovascular health, heart attacks are common along with high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat. As a whole, it’s safe to say alcohol overconsumption leads to more health issues that may become irreversible. Now that we know what the effects of alcohol usage are, we must understand what AUD or alcoholism truly is.
Alcohol Use Disorder is a pattern of alcohol use that involves problems controlling one’s drinking such as being preoccupied with drinking, continuing to use alcohol even when it causes problems, having to drink more to feel buzzed or drunk, or having withdrawal symptoms when you rapidly decrease or stop drinking. If your pattern of drinking results in significant distress or problems functioning in your daily life then you likely have AUD. This disorder, like any other, can be mild, moderate, or severe based on your symptoms. Signs and symptoms may include:
● Being unable to limit the amount of alcohol you drink
● Wanting to cut down on how much you drink or making unsuccessful attempts to do so
● Spending a lot of time drinking, getting alcohol or recovering from alcohol use
● Feeling a strong craving or urge to drink alcohol
● Failing to fulfill major obligations at work, school or home due to repeated alcohol use
● Continuing to drink alcohol even though you know it's causing physical, social or interpersonal problems
● Giving up or reducing social and work activities and hobbies
● Using alcohol in situations where it's not safe, such as when driving or swimming
● Developing a tolerance to alcohol so you need more to feel its effect or you have a reduced effect from the same amount
● Experiencing withdrawal symptoms — such as nausea, sweating and shaking — when you don't drink, or drinking to avoid these symptoms
People may also experience other physical and psychological symptoms such as blackout, dizziness, aggression, self-destructive behavior, anxiety, euphoria, vomiting, or delirium.
Although the exact cause of alcohol use disorder is still unknown, the following factors put you at an increased risk of developing this disease:
● more than 15 drinks per week if you’re male
● more than 12 drinks per week if you’re female
● more than 5 drinks per day at least once a week (binge drinking)
● a parent with alcohol use disorder
● a mental health problem, such as depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse defines one standard drink as 12 ounces of regular beer (5% alcohol), 8-9 ounces of malt liquor (7%), 5 ounces of unfortified wine (12%), or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof hard liquor (40%). According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults of legal drinking age that do partake in drinking should do it in moderation by limiting their consumption to 2 drinks or less a day for men and 1 drink or less a day for women.
Most of us have had an alcoholic drink in our lifetime. It is important to remember that drinking needs to be done in moderation. Drinking large amounts of alcohol can have both short-term and long-term effects. In the short term, you may feel buzzed, and potentially hungover but continuous excessive drinking can lead to serious health problems such as liver disease and memory loss. Drinking in moderation means 2 drinks or less a day for men and one drink or less a day for women. If you or anyone you know is struggling with alcoholism, please call your primary care provider or visit our behavioral health program’s website at Behavioral Health - UMACO Patient Wellness Programs (umusa.net) for more information.