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| SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL |
Depending on how much is taken and the physical condition of the individual, alcohol can cause:
Slurred speech
Drowsiness
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Upset stomach
Headaches
Breathing difficulties
Distorted vision and hearing
Impaired judgment
Decreased perception and coordination
Unconsciousness
Anemia (loss of red blood cells)
Coma
Blackouts (memory lapses, where the drinker cannot remember events that occurred while under the influence)
LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
Binge drinking and continued alcohol use in large amounts are associated with many health
problems, including:
Unintentional injuries such as car crash, falls, burns, drowning
Intentional injuries such as firearm injuries, sexual assault, domestic violence
Increased on-the-job injuries and loss of productivity
Increased family problems, broken relationships
Alcohol poisoning
High blood pressure, stroke, and other heart-related diseases
Liver disease
Nerve damage
Sexual problems
Permanent damage to the brain
Vitamin B1 deficiency, which can lead to a disorder characterized by amnesia, apathy and disorientation
Ulcers
Gastritis (inflammation of stomach walls)
Malnutrition
Cancer of the mouth and throat
“My addiction built steadily and, before I realized it, I had become a morning as well as an
afternoon drinker.
“I decided to stop drinking. I lay awake most of that night, and by noon the next day every bone in my body ached. In a blind panic, I nervously poured a glass full of gin, my hands shaking so violently that I spilled half the bottle. As I gulped it down, I could feel the agony gradually lessening. Then I finally knew the terrible truth: I was hooked. I couldn’t quit.”
—Faye
THE YOUNGEST VICTIMS
When consumed by pregnant mothers, alcohol enters the bloodstream, passes through the placenta and enters the fetus (unborn child).
Alcohol can damage a fetus at any stage of pregnancy, but is most serious in the first few months. There is a risk of alcohol-related birth defects including growth deficiencies, facial abnormalities, and damage to the brain and nervous system.
A TRAIL OF TRAGEDY
Alcohol has claimed the lives of many gifted artists, musicians and writers over the past decades. These are just a few:
John Bonham (1948–1980): Excessive alcohol led to the tragic death of Led Zeppelin drummer
John “Bonzo” Bonham, best known for his drum solo on the song “Moby Dick.” He was found dead of asphyxiation from vomit after a night of heavy drinking, on his way to rehearsals for an upcoming tour.
Steve Clark (1960–1991): Guitarist for Def Leppard. A heavy drinker, he died in his London
home of a lethal combination of alcohol and drugs.
Michael Clarke (1946–1993): American musician, drummer for The Byrds. He died of liver failure after three decades of heavy alcohol consumption.
Brian Connolly (1945–1997): Scottish rock vocalist and lead singer for Sweet. His drinking problem caused him to leave the band in 1978; he reunited years later but his drinking had damaged his health and he died of liver failure in 1997.
Oliver Reed (1938–1999): British actor known for his roles in Oliver!, Women in Love, The Three Musketeers and Gladiator. He died from a sudden heart attack during a break from filming Gladiator. He was heavily intoxicated after 3 bottles of rum, 8 bottles of beer and numerous doubles of whiskey.
ALCOHOL: A SHORT HISTORY
Fermented grain, fruit juice and honey have been used to make alcohol (ethyl alcohol or ethanol) for thousands of years.
Fermented beverages existed in early Egyptian civilization, and there is evidence of an early alcoholic drink in China around 7000 B.C. In India, an alcoholic beverage called sura, distilled from rice, was in use between 3000 and 2000 B.C.
The Babylonians worshiped a wine goddess as early as 2700 B.C. In Greece, one of the first alcoholic beverages to gain popularity was mead, a fermented drink made from honey and water. Greek literature is full of warnings against excessive drinking.
Several Native American civilizations developed alcoholic beverages in pre-Columbian1 times.
A variety of fermented beverages from the Andes region of South America were created from corn, grapes or apples, called “chicha.”
In the sixteenth century, alcohol (called “spirits”) was used largely for medicinal purposes. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the British parliament passed a law encouraging the use of grain for distilling spirits. Cheap spirits flooded the market and reached a peak in the mid-eighteenth century. In Britain, gin consumption reached 18 million gallons and alcoholism became widespread.
The nineteenth century brought a change in attitudes and the temperance movement began promoting the moderate use of alcohol—which ultimately became a push for total prohibition.
In 1920 the US passed a law prohibiting the manufacture, sale, import and export of intoxicating liquors. The illegal alcohol trade boomed and by 1933, the prohibition of alcohol was cancelled.
Today, an estimated 15 million Americans suffer from alcoholism and 40% of all car accident deaths in the US involve alcohol.
Source: drugfreeworld
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