Overall Effects of Alcohol

Short-term effects
In low doses, alcohol produces:

A relaxing effect
Reduced tension
Lowered inhibitions
Poor concentration
Slow reflexes
Slow reaction time
Reduced coordination
Slower brain activity
Sensations and perceptions that are less clear

In medium doses, alcohol produces:

Slurred speech
Sleepiness
Altered emotions
Poor vision
Sleepiness and disruption of sleeping patterns
Increased urine production
More blood flow to skin surface
Lower core body temperature

In high doses, alcohol produces:

Vomiting
Uncontrolled urination
Uncontrolled defecation
Breathing difficulties
Passing out
Alcohol poisoning
Coma
Possible death

Long-term effects of alcohol

Disrupts normal brain development;

Liver damage and cirrhosis of the liver;
Brain cells die, decreasing brain mass;
Stomach and intestinal ulcers and destroyed organs;
Blood pressure increases, causing heart disease, heart attack, or stroke;
Male sperm production decreases;
Lower levels of iron and vitamin B, causing anemia;
Alcoholism;
Death; and
Fetal alcohol syndrome in unborn children.
Source: http://www2.courtinfo.ca.gov/stopteendui/teens/resources/substances/alcohol/short-and-long-termeffects.cfm

Social, occupational, financial and legal effects of drinking alcohol

Alcohol leads of a variety of problems at work and with family members and
friends and may lead to certain financial difficulties or legal problems.
Occupational Problems due to Problem Alcohol Use

Frequent absences from work or in-between duty timings

Decreased productivity

Unemployment or loss of employment

Fight with colleagues

Accidents while handling heavy machinery

Sleeping at work

Carelessness, missed deadlines

Aggressive behavior physical or verbal

Social and Relationship Problems due to Problem Alcohol Use

Violence towards family members, especially towards intimate partner /

spouse

Separations and divorces

Emotional hardship to the family

Substantial mental health problems for other family members, such as

anxiety, depression

Aggressive or violent behavior towards others

Misbehaving in social gatherings, e.g., getting intoxicated or drunk on parties

Legal and Financial Effects of Problem Alcohol Use

Arrest for misconduct

Increasing the vulnerability towards crimes and illegal acts

Acts of violence against others

Risk of being a perpetrator or a victim of sexual harassment, physical,

emotional and sexual abuse
Expenditure on purchasing alcohol
Medical expenditure money spent on treatment of various health problems
resulting from alcohol use
Financial burden on the employers or the company due to under-productivity
Financial hardships due to loss of employment or poor performance in the
work arena
Squandering financial resources of family/household

Source: https://www.alcoholwebindia.in/content/social-occupational-financial-and-legal-effects-drinking-alcohol

Long-term effects
As well as the recognised immediate effects of drinking too much, such as nausea and
vomiting, binge drinking and prolonged heavy drinking over longer periods of time can
affect you in many different ways.

Brain damage
Binge drinking can cause blackouts, memory loss and anxiety. Long-term drinking can result
in permanent brain damage, serious mental health problems and alcohol dependence or
alcoholism. For more information on the effects of alcohol on mental health click here. Young
people's brains are particularly vulnerable because the brain is still developing during their
teenage years. Alcohol can damage parts of the brain, affecting behaviour and the ability to
learn and remember.

Cancers

Drinking alcohol is the second biggest risk factor for cancers of the mouth and throat
(smoking is the biggest). People who develop cirrhosis of the liver (often caused by too
much alcohol) can develop liver cancer. For more information on the effects of alcohol on
womens risk of breast cancer click here.

Heart and circulation

Alcohol can cause high blood pressure (hypertension), which increases the risk of having a
heart attack or stroke. It also weakens heart muscles, which can affect the lungs, liver, brain
and other body systems, and also cause heart failure. Binge drinking and drinking heavily
over longer periods can cause the heart to beat irregularly (arrhythmia) and has been linked
to cases of sudden death.

Lungs
People who drink a lot of alcohol have more lung infections, are more likely to suffer
collapsed lungs and can be more likely to get pneumonia. When a person vomits as a result
of drinking alcohol, they may choke if vomit gets sucked into their lungs.

Liver
Drinking too much alcohol initially causes fat deposits to develop in the liver. With continued
excessive drinking, the liver may become inflamed, causing alcoholic hepatitis, which can
result in liver failure and death. Excessive alcohol can permanently scar and damage the
liver, resulting in liver cirrhosis and an increased risk of liver cancer. Women are particularly
susceptible to the effects of alcohol on the liver. For more information click here.

Stomach
Drinking above recommended limits can lead to stomach ulcers, internal bleeding and
cancer. Alcohol can cause the stomach to become inflamed (gastritis), which can prevent
food from being absorbed and increase the risk of cancer.

Pancreas
Heavy or prolonged use of alcohol can cause inflammation of the pancreas, which can be
very painful causing vomiting, fever and weight loss and can be fatal.

Intestine
Heavy drinking may result in ulcers and cancer of the colon. It also affects your body's
ability to absorb nutrients and vitamins.

Kidneys
Heavy drinking can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure a leading cause of
chronic kidney disease.

Fertility
In men: impotence (lowered libido/sex drive) and infertility. In women: infertility.
Drinking alcohol when pregnant can seriously damage the development of the unborn
baby. For more information on the effects of alcohol on fertility and pregnancy click here.

Bones
Alcohol interferes with the body's ability to absorb calcium. As a result, your bones become
weak and thin (osteoporosis).

Weight gain
Alcohol is high in calories. Weight for weight, the alcohol in a drink contains almost as many
calories as fat. The average bottle of wine contains 600 calories while four pints of average
strength lager contain 640.

Skin
Alcohol dehydrates your body and your skin. It also widens blood vessels, causing your skin
to look red or blotchy.

Sexual health
Binge drinking makes you lose your inhibitions and affects your judgement. This may make
you less likely to use a condom, which increases your risk of getting a sexually transmitted
infection such as chlamydia, HIV or hepatitis. It can also lead to an unplanned pregnancy.

Mental health
People may think that alcohol helps them cope with difficult situations and emotions, and
that it reduces stress or relieves anxiety, but alcohol is in fact associated with a range of
mental health problems including depression, anxiety, risk-taking behaviour, personality
disorders and schizophrenia.
Alcohol has also been linked to suicide. The Mental Health Foundation reports that:

65% of suicides have been linked to excessive drinking;

70% of men who take their own life drink alcohol before doing so;
almost one third of suicides among young people take place while the person is
intoxicated.
Excessive drinking can disrupt normal sleeping patterns, resulting in insomnia and a lack of
restful sleep, which can contribute to stress and anxiety.1
1. Mental Health Foundation. Cheers! Understanding the relationship between alcohol and mental health. London: Mental Health Foundation, 2006.

Other effects
Alcohol affects the parts of your brain that control judgement, concentration, coordination,
behaviour and emotions. If you binge drink, you may be at greater risk of:

becoming a victim of crime, eg rape, domestic violence, mugging or assault;

being involved in anti-social or criminal behaviour, eg fights, domestic violence,

vandalism or theft;
having an accident, eg a road accident, fall, accident at work or accidental fire;
losing your job, eg repeated absence or poor performance (think about the financial

consequences);
damaging relationships with family or friends.
Source: http://www.knowyourlimits.info/know%E2%80%A6-effects-alcohol