Individuals with an<unk>  use disorder will often complain of difficulty with interpersonal relationships, problems at work or school, and legal problems. Additionally, people may complain of irritability and insomnia.<unk>  is also an important cause of chronic fatigue. Signs of<unk>  are related to<unk> 's effects on organ systems. However, while these findings are often present, they are not necessary to make a diagnosis of<unk> . Signs of<unk>  show its drastic effects on the central nervous system, including inebriation and poor judgment; chronic anxiety, irritability, and insomnia.<unk> 's effects on the liver include elevated liver function tests (classically AST is at least twice as high as ALT). Prolonged use leads to cirrhosis and liver failure. With cirrhosis, patients develop an inability to process hormones and toxins. The skin of a patient with<unk> ic cirrhosis can feature spider angiomas, palmar erythema and — in acute liver failure — jaundice and ascites. The derangements of the endocrine system lead to the enlargement of the male breasts. The inability to process toxins leads to liver disease, such as hepatic encephalopathy.<unk>  can result in brain damage which causes impairments in executive functioning such as impairments to working memory and visuospatial function, and can cause an abnormal personality as well as affective disorders to develop. Binge drinking is associated with individuals reporting fair to poor health compared to non-binge drinking individuals and which may progressively worsen over time.<unk>  also causes impairment in a person's critical thinking. A person's ability to reason in stressful situations is compromised, and they seem very inattentive to what is going on around them. Social skills are significantly impaired in people suffering from<unk> ism due to the neurotoxic effects of<unk>  on the brain, especially the prefrontal cortex area of the brain. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for cognitive functions such as working memory, impulse control and decision making. This region of the brain is vulnerable to chronic<unk> -induced oxidative DNA damage. The social skills that are impaired by<unk>  include impairments in perceiving facial emotions, difficulty with perceiving vocal emotions and theory of mind deficits; the ability to understand humour is also impaired in<unk> rs. Adolescent binge drinkers are most sensitive to damaging neurocognitive functions especially executive functions and memory. People who<unk> <unk>  are less likely to survive critical illness with a higher risk for having sepsis and were more likely to die during hospitalization. A smaller volume of consumed<unk>  has a greater impact on the older adult than it does on a younger individual. As a result, the American Geriatrics Society recommends for an older adult with no known risk factors less than one drink a day or fewer than two drinks per occasion regardless of gender. Violence<unk>  is significantly associated with suicide and violence.<unk>  is the most significant health concern in Native American communities because of very high rates of<unk>  dependence and<unk> ; up to 80 percent of suicides and 60 percent of violent acts are a result of<unk>  in Native American communities. In the United States<unk> -related violence is related to more severe injuries and chronic cases. Pregnancy A label on<unk> ic drinks promoting zero<unk>  during pregnancy<unk>  among pregnant women causes their baby to develop fetal<unk>  syndrome. Fetal<unk>  syndrome is the pattern of physical abnormalities and the impairment of mental development which is seen with increasing frequency among children with<unk> ic mothers.<unk>  exposure in a developing fetus can result in slowed development of the fetal brain, resulting in severe retardation or death. Surviving infants may suffer severe abnormalities such as abnormal eyes, fissures, lips and incomplete cerebella. Some infants may develop lung disease. It is even possible that the baby throughout pregnancy will develop heart defects such as ventricular septal defect or atrial septal defect. Experts suggest that pregnant women take no more than one unit of<unk>  per day. However, other organizations advise complete abstinence from<unk>  while pregnant. Adolescence Adolescence and the onset of puberty have both a physiological and social impact on a developing person. About half of grade 12 students have been drunk, and a third binge drink. About 3% drink every day. One of these social impacts is the increase in risk-taking behaviors, such as the emergence of<unk>  use. Children aged 16 and under who consume<unk>  heavily display symptoms of conduct disorder. Its symptoms include troublesome behaviour in school, constantly lying, learning disabilities and social impairments.<unk>  during adolescence greatly increases the risk of developing an<unk>  use disorder in adulthood due to changes to neurocircuitry that<unk>  causes in the vulnerable adolescent brain. Younger ages of initial consumption among males in recent studies has shown to be associated with increased rates of<unk>  within the general population. Societal inequalities (among other factors) have influenced an adolescents decision to consume<unk> . One study suggests that girls were scrutinized for "drinking like men", whereas magazines that target the male population sent underlying messages to boys and or men that drinking<unk>  was "masculine". (Bogren, 2010)
Alcohol abuse
Alcoholism
Alcohol dependence
Alcohol intolerance
Recreational drug use
Polysubstance use
Drug use
Childhood trauma