Effects of<unk> ohol on the body The risk of<unk> ohol dependence begins at low levels of drinking and increases directly with both the volume of<unk> ohol consumed and a pattern of drinking larger amounts on an occasion, to the point of intoxication, which is sometimes called "binge drinking". Long-term misuse Some of the possible long-term effects of ethanol an individual may develop. Additionally, in pregnant women,<unk> ohol can cause fetal<unk> ohol syndrome.<unk>  is characterised by an increased tolerance to<unk> ohol – which means that an individual can consume more<unk> ohol – and physical dependence on<unk> ohol, which makes it hard for an individual to control their consumption. The physical dependency caused by<unk> ohol can lead to an affected individual having a very strong urge to drink<unk> ohol. These characteristics play a role in decreasing the ability to stop drinking of an individual with an<unk> ohol use disorder.<unk>  can have adverse effects on mental health, contributing to psychiatric disorders and increasing the risk of suicide. A depressed mood is a common symptom of heavy<unk> ohol drinkers. Warning signs Warning signs of<unk>  include the consumption of increasing amounts of<unk> ohol and frequent intoxication, preoccupation with drinking to the exclusion of other activities, promises to quit drinking and failure to keep those promises, the inability to remember what was said or done while drinking (colloquially known as "blackouts"), personality changes associated with drinking, denial or the making of excuses for drinking, the refusal to admit excessive drinking, dysfunction or other problems at work or school, the loss of interest in personal appearance or hygiene, marital and economic problems, and the complaint of poor health, with loss of appetite, respiratory infections, or increased anxiety. Physical Short-term effects Drinking enough to cause a blood<unk> ohol concentration (BAC) of 0.03–0.12% typically causes an overall improvement in mood and possible euphoria (a "happy" feeling), increased self-confidence and sociability, decreased anxiety, a flushed, red appearance in the face and impaired judgment and fine muscle coordination. A BAC of 0.09% to 0.25% causes lethargy, sedation, balance problems and blurred vision. A BAC of 0.18% to 0.30% causes profound confusion, impaired speech (e.g. slurred speech), staggering, dizziness and vomiting. A BAC from 0.25% to 0.40% causes stupor, unconsciousness, anterograde amnesia, vomiting (death may occur due to inhalation of vomit while unconscious) and respiratory depression (potentially life-threatening). A BAC from 0.35% to 0.80% causes a coma (unconsciousness), life-threatening respiratory depression and possibly fatal<unk> ohol poisoning. With all<unk> oholic beverages, drinking while driving, operating an aircraft or heavy machinery increases the risk of an accident; many countries have penalties for drunk driving. Long-term effects Having more than one drink a day for women or two drinks for men increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, and stroke. Risk is greater with binge drinking, which may also result in violence or accidents. About 3.3 million deaths (5.9% of all deaths) are believed to be due to<unk> ohol each year.<unk>  reduces a person's life expectancy by around ten years and<unk> ohol use is the third leading cause of early death in the United States. Long-term<unk> ohol misuse can cause a number of physical symptoms, including cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, epilepsy, polyneuropathy,<unk> oholic dementia, heart disease, nutritional deficiencies, peptic ulcers and sexual dysfunction, and can eventually be fatal. Other physical effects include an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, malabsorption,<unk> oholic liver disease, and several cancers. Damage to the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system can occur from sustained<unk> ohol consumption. A wide range of immunologic defects can result and there may be a generalized skeletal fragility, in addition to a recognized tendency to accidental injury, resulting a propensity to bone fractures. Women develop long-term complications of<unk> ohol dependence more rapidly than do men. Additionally, women have a higher mortality rate from<unk>  than men. Examples of long-term complications include brain, heart, and liver damage and an increased risk of breast cancer. Additionally, heavy drinking over time has been found to have a negative effect on reproductive functioning in women. This results in reproductive dysfunction such as anovulation, decreased ovarian mass, problems or irregularity of the menstrual cycle, and early menopause.<unk> oholic ketoacidosis can occur in individuals who chronically misuse<unk> ohol and have a recent history of binge drinking. The amount of<unk> ohol that can be biologically processed and its effects differ between sexes. Equal dosages of<unk> ohol consumed by men and women generally result in women having higher blood<unk> ohol concentrations (BACs), since women generally have a lower weight and higher percentage of body fat and therefore a lower volume of distribution for<unk> ohol than men. Psychiatric Long-term misuse of<unk> ohol can cause a wide range of mental health problems. Severe cognitive problems are common; approximately 10 percent of all dementia cases are related to<unk> ohol consumption, making it the second leading cause of dementia. Excessive<unk> ohol use causes damage to brain function, and psychological health can be increasingly affected over time. Social skills are significantly impaired in people suffering from<unk>  due to the neurotoxic effects of<unk> ohol on the brain, especially the prefrontal cortex area of the brain. The social skills that are impaired by<unk> ohol use disorder include impairments in perceiving facial emotions, prosody, perception problems, and theory of mind deficits; the ability to understand humor is also impaired in people who misuse<unk> ohol. Psychiatric disorders are common in people with<unk> ohol use disorders, with as many as 25 percent suffering severe psychiatric disturbances. The most prevalent psychiatric symptoms are anxiety and depression disorders. Psychiatric symptoms usually initially worsen during<unk> ohol withdrawal, but typically improve or disappear with continued abstinence. Psychosis, confusion, and organic brain syndrome may be caused by<unk> ohol misuse, which can lead to a misdiagnosis such as schizophrenia. Panic disorder can develop or worsen as a direct result of long-term<unk> ohol misuse. The co-occurrence of major depressive disorder and<unk>  is well documented. Among those with comorbid occurrences, a distinction is commonly made between depressive episodes that remit with<unk> ohol abstinence ("substance-induced"), and depressive episodes that are primary and do not remit with abstinence ("independent" episodes). Additional use of other drugs may increase the risk of depression. Psychiatric disorders differ depending on gender. Women who have<unk> ohol-use disorders often have a co-occurring psychiatric diagnosis such as major depression, anxiety, panic disorder, bulimia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or borderline personality disorder. Men with<unk> ohol-use disorders more often have a co-occurring diagnosis of narcissistic or antisocial personality disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, impulse disorders or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Women with<unk> ohol use disorder are more likely to experience physical or sexual assault, abuse, and domestic violence than women in the general population, which can lead to higher instances of psychiatric disorders and greater dependence on<unk> ohol. Social effects Serious social problems arise from<unk> ohol use disorder; these dilemmas are caused by the pathological changes in the brain and the intoxicating effects of<unk> ohol.<unk> ohol misuse is associated with an increased risk of committing criminal offences, including child abuse, domestic violence, rape, burglary and assault.<unk>  is associated with loss of employment, which can lead to financial problems. Drinking at inappropriate times and behavior caused by reduced judgment can lead to legal consequences, such as criminal charges for drunk driving or public disorder, or civil penalties for tortious behavior. An<unk> oholic's behavior and mental impairment while drunk can profoundly affect those surrounding him and lead to isolation from family and friends. This isolation can lead to marital conflict and divorce, or contribute to domestic violence.<unk>  can also lead to child neglect, with subsequent lasting damage to the emotional development of children of people with<unk> ohol use disorders. For this reason, children of people with<unk> ohol use disorders can develop a number of emotional problems. For example, they can become afraid of their parents, because of their unstable mood behaviors. They may develop shame over their inadequacy to liberate their parents from<unk>  and, as a result of this, may develop self-image problems, which can lead to depression.<unk> ohol withdrawal "The bottle has done its work". Reproduction of an etching by G. Cruikshank, 1847. As with similar substances with a sedative-hypnotic mechanism, such as barbiturates and benzodiazepines, withdrawal from<unk> ohol dependence can be fatal if it is not properly managed.<unk> ohol's primary effect is the increase in stimulation of the GABAA receptor, promoting central nervous system depression. With repeated heavy consumption of<unk> ohol, these receptors are desensitized and reduced in number, resulting in tolerance and physical dependence. When<unk> ohol consumption is stopped too abruptly, the person's nervous system experiences uncontrolled synapse firing. This can result in symptoms that include anxiety, life-threatening seizures, delirium tremens, hallucinations, shakes and possible heart failure. Other neurotransmitter systems are also involved, especially dopamine, NMDA and glutamate. Severe acute withdrawal symptoms such as delirium tremens and seizures rarely occur after 1-week post cessation of<unk> ohol. The acute withdrawal phase can be defined as lasting between one and three weeks. In the period of 3–6 weeks following cessation,
Alcoholism
Paracetamol poisoning
Alcohol abuse
Opioid use disorder
Alcohol intolerance
Alcohol dependence
Binge drinking
Vegetarianism