For men who’ve been drinking for years, alcohol can cause chronic erectile dysfunction and lower testosterone. In women, it can cause issues like difficulty reaching orgasm, vaginal dryness and painful sex. While the exact mechanisms aren’t fully understood, alcohol’s impact on hormones, blood flow and nerve function likely play a role.
Kidney Damage
Severe head marijuana addiction injuries may even be fatal because they affect the brain’s ability to control essential functions, such as breathing and blood pressure. Alcohol begins affecting a person’s brain as soon as it enters the bloodstream. In a healthy person, the liver quickly filters alcohol, helping the body get rid of the drug. However, when a person drinks to excess, the liver cannot filter the alcohol fast enough, and this triggers immediate changes in the brain. Alcohol can be enjoyed in moderation, but it’s essential to be aware of its effects on the body. Whether you choose to drink or abstain, staying informed and making conscious choices about alcohol consumption is crucial for maintaining good health.
Can You Get Alcohol Poisoning from Binge Drinking?
While a drink here or there might seem harmless, long-term, heavy alcohol use can wreak havoc on both the body and brain in ways that aren’t always easy to reverse. If you’re on the fence about cutting back or quitting altogether, here’s what you need to know. 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. Alcohol addiction is a disease characterized by a strong craving for alcohol, and continued use despite a negative impact on health, interpersonal relationships, and ability to work.
Cancer Development and Heart Complications
Binge drinking—and heavy drinking—is a type of alcohol misuse (a spectrum of risky alcohol-related behaviors). Perhaps the most significant psychological effect, however, is addiction. Over time, people who consume large quantities of alcohol develop a tolerance to the drug. This dependency means that their brains crave the drug, causing them to experience withdrawal when they do not drink.
- Research indicates that you’re most vulnerable to alcohol-induced developmental damage between ages 11-14, when your brain undergoes critical developmental milestones.
- Many of the side effects of alcohol abuse can be reversed with early intervention, professional treatment, and community support.
- If you drink for long periods of time, it can cause depression, and when you abruptly stop drinking, it can cause anxiety,” says Dr. Anand.
- Generally, these symptoms are short-lived, but they may worsen or lead to long-term complications.
Dial 999 for an ambulance if you suspect alcohol poisoning and you’re worried. Don’t try to make the person vomit because they could choke on it. To prevent choking, turn them on to their side and put a cushion under their head. It usually takes the liver about an hour to remove one unit of alcohol from the body. The excess amount of alcohol in your system can also upset your digestion, leading to symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and indigestion.
Do Electrolytes Really Help During Alcohol Detox and Recovery?
“Alcohol helps people fall asleep, but it disrupts REM and deep sleep the rest of the night. So, you may wake up more throughout the night and feel groggy the next day. Alcohol also chronic ethanol use relaxes the muscles in the throat causing snoring and sleep apnea to be worse,” Dr. Hildahl says. Alcohol is a depressant that slows down the brain and nervous system.
Condition Spotlight
This can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms requiring medical treatment. Through the ages, alcoholism has been undisputedly maintaining its position in the list of risk factors for preventable diseases in the world. According to a WHO report, 5.3% of all deaths that occurred worldwide in the year 2016 were because of harmful alcohol use 1. It is the main culprit behind the advancing nature of many chronic diseases.