Eric Jamison
Mrs. Rogers
2nd Block/English 11
November 21, 2011
Draft: Alcohol and its Effects
Alcohol can effect people physically, emotionally, and more. In many research studies, alcohol is one of the worst problems in the United States. Alcohol is a drink form a drug which acts as a depressant. However, many people think alcohol is a good thing for them because it affects everyone differently. Drinking alcohol socially can be fun but most of the times people drink more alcohol than their bodies can handle. In the United States, most people have experienced drinking alcohol and its effects at least once in their lives. There are many effects of alcohol which can lead to alcohol abuse, alcoholism, stress, destructive behavior, and physical or mental changes to the body.
Many people that drink under the age limit think it is cool to drink alcohol, but they do not realize the effects it will impact on lives, body, and future. High school students drink thirty-five percent of wine coolers sold in the United states and they also drink 1.1 billion cans of beer. Drinking alcohol has both short and long term effects on the human body. Alcohol can effect everybody differently depending on the person’s age, weight, gender, height, and how much food the person has ate and alcohol has been consumed. Some short term effects of alcohol can be nausea, confusion, slurred speech, and disturbed sleep. People can become loud, talkative, sleepy, violent, or quiet after alcohol has been consumed. Another short term effect is hangovers. A hangover is a headache that feel like dull pressure, thirst, fatigue, or dizziness. Many people feel a hangovers effects the next day when they have had too much to drink the day or night before. It is not a good feeling and some people may say during the hangover period that they will not ever drink again. Alcohol is a dangerous drug and can damage the human body due to long term effects. (Alcohol Rehab Center; DrugFree.org).
According to the Alcohol Rehab Center, “the lethal drug (alcohol) inflicts more damage than the illegal one (heroin).” Alcohol effects every person differently; however, damage to the human body is serious and sometimes irreversible. Some effects to the human body are heart damage, liver failure, brain damage, and reproductive impairments. Alcohol also makes digestion difficult because it affects the liver. Also, alcohol stops the blood flow to your brain, which can cause permanent damage to the brain. Alcohol causes headaches, memory loss, and blackouts. Many people have experience or seen the effects of these headaches and do not realize the seriousness of their actions. In addition to brain damage, alcohol has been known to increase the heart rate and blood pressure. The heart becomes weak and people become more at risk for strokes. People who drink alcohol just about everyday can cause damage to their liver from alcohol poisoning and binge drinking. Binge drinking can also lead to alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning is drinking too much alcohol which can cause slurred speech, poor coordination, confusion, and can lead to a coma or death. Liver damage also changes fat metabolism and causes scarring called Cirrhosis. Cirrhosis occurs when a healthy liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue and the only treatment is to get a new liver. Despite the negative effects of alcohol, the age of people starting to drink alcohol is continuously becoming lower. (Alcohol Rehab Center; DrugFree.org; Mayo Clinic)
“Alcohol kills more people and destroys more families than any other drug in the United States,” as stated by the Alcohol Rehab Center. Alcoholism is known as a family disease that can affect a person’s life. According to Tetyana Parsons, “one out every four families has a problem with alcohol.” Alcohol can affect each family member differently in many different ways. Parental alcoholism can