HEALTH
IMPLICATIONS OF ALCOHOL
The risk of alcohol dependence
begins at low levels of drinking and increases directly with both the volume of
alcohol consumed and a pattern of drinking larger amounts on an occasion. Young
adults are particularly at risk.
Alcoholism is characterized by an
increased tolerance of and physical dependence
on alcohol, affecting an individual's ability to control alcohol consumption
safely. These characteristics are believed to play a role in impeding an
alcoholic's ability to stop drinking. Alcoholism can have adverse effects on
mental health, causing psychiatric disorders and increasing the risk of
suicide. The onset of depression
is a common symptom.
The National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
(NIAAA) defines binge drinking as the amount of alcohol leading to a blood
alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08, which, for most adults, would be reached by
consuming five drinks for men or four for women over a 2-hour period.
According to the NIAAA, men may be
at risk for alcohol-related problems if their alcohol consumption exceeds 14 standard
drinks per week or 4 drinks per day, and
women may be at risk if they have more than 7 standard drinks per week or 3
drinks per day. It defines a standard drink as one 12-ounce bottle of beer, one
5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.
The following are the health
implications of alcohol consumption:
·
Impaired brain development
·
Wernicke korsa koft syndrome
·
Vision changes ataxia
·
Impaired memory
·
Cravings
·
Irritability
·
Antisocialism
·
Depression
·
Anxiety
·
Panic
·
Psychosis
·
Hallucinations
·
Delusions
·
Sleep disorder
·
Mouth, trachea and esophagus cancer
·
Blood anemia
·
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
·
Cirrhosis of the liver
·
Hepatitis
·
Chronic gastritis
·
Pancreatitis
·
Increased risk of diabetes type 2.
·
