EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON YOU
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| They are dependent on the drug- alcohol. They do not plan to drink, and may even dislike the taste of the beverage. But they cannot control the urge to drink. |
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The drug alcohol is a depressent - that is, it lowers the activity of the nervous system.Alcohol affects the control centers of the brain, and so an intoxicated person may behave in ways that are usually restrained by self control. He or she is likely to be confused, disoriented and unable to walk steadly. |
| Prolonged heavy drinking can produce much more serious effects as well. It results in mental confusion, hallucinations, and paralysis of the hands and feet, gaps in memeory- especially of the recent events. They may also develop other forms of mental ilness. |
Some of the information in this section may startle you, but it'll also help you understand how drinking affects your health in different ways, and whether or not you're putting yourself at risk by using alcohol. Health problems that can be significantly influenced by alcohol include: AIDS, Alcoholism , Alcohol Poisoning , Cancer Depression and Suicide, Heart Disease , Liver Disease,Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).
 Some
studies have found a link between alcohol use and cancers of the colon,
stomach, pancreas and lungs. Although there's no evidence that alcohol
itself is a carcinogen, it has been associated with suppression of
the human immune system. Immune suppression makes chronic alcohol
abusers more susceptible to various infectious diseases and, theoretically,
to cancer. |
| One
thing about cancer: you're never too young to get it. If you think
cancer is a disease that only senior citizens or middle-aged people
have to worry about, better think again. Cancer can strike anyone
of any age, and the chances are greater for users of alcohol. Considerable
evidence suggests a connection between heavy alcohol consumption and
increased risk of cancer. In fact, an estimated 2 to 4 percent of
all cancer cases are thought to be caused either directly or indirectly
by alcohol. |
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| Researchers
have determined that alcohol relaxes every muscle in your body. Except
one. Studies show that after three drinks, the most important muscle
in your body - your heart - may begin to beat faster or irregularly.
Over time, an elevated or irregular heart rate can lead to hypertension
(high blood pressure) and, ultimately, heart disease. |
| Recent
research, also shows that prolonged drinking can also be a very high
risck factor for the cause of diabitics. |
| When
a pregnant woman drinks an alcoholic beverage, the concentration of
alcohol in her unborn baby's bloodstream is the same level as her
own. The liver of a fetus cannot process alcohol at the same adult's
rate of one ounce every two hours. Alcohol, therefore, stay in the
fetus longer, unborn baby's blood alcohol concentration is even higher
than the mother's during the second and third hour after a drink is
consumed. |
| The
risks related to alcohol and AIDS also hold true for other sexually-transmitted
diseases. Drinking may cause you to take unaccustomed sexual risks
and behave in a way that you normally would not. After a few drinks,
judgment falters and inhibitions disappear. Having sex with the wrong
person or unprotected sex - what difference does it make? You're flying,
you're feeling great, you're living in the moment and, after all,
the moment is what's important. Until you wake up and realize it was
a moment that will last a lifetime. Studies show that alcohol abuse
is a factor in 60% of all sexually-transmitted diseases. |
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However, most of us drink at least occasionally. Usually it does little harm and may even do some good. A little alcohol can prevent some heart disease. Most older people have good health and can enjoy alcohol without problems. But alcohol can affect people differently as they grow older, and sometimes this leads to difficulties. |
| How can alcohol be blamed for 100,000 deaths each year? |
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| *5% of all deaths from diseases of the circulatory system are attributed to alcohol. *15% of all deaths from diseases of the respiratory system are attributed to alcohol.* 30% of all deaths from accidents caused by fire and flames are attributed to alcohol. *30% of all accidental drownings are attributed to alcohol. *30% of all suicides are attributed to alcohol.* 40% of all deaths due to accidental falls are attributed to alcohol.* 45% of all deaths in automobile accidents are attributed to alcohol. *60% of all homicides are attributed to alcohol. |
| ALCOHOL ABUSE HURTS ALL OF US. |
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