Introduction
Here I will be looking at the effects of drinking in detail and show the show term and long term effects of heavy drinking. I will also show what celebrities that drink and how it can damage a healthy lifestyle.
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How to Quit
Firstly, if you think you have a serious drinking problem and are experiencing any of the associated symptoms, you should consult your doctor or another medical professional about it as soon as possible. There are also a number of national alcohol support services who you can go to for advice.
Giving up completely may not be easy – especially if you’ve been a heavy drinker in the past. The following tips and techniques can make it that little bit easier.
Make your intentions known Tell your family and friends that you’re trying to stop drinking alcohol and explain why. This way, you can share your successes with them, and they’ll understand why you’ve started turning down drinks or trips to the pub.
Frequently reminding yourself and the people close to you why you want to stop drinking can help keep you on track, and may even encourage someone else to give up or cut down with you.
Avoid temptation In the early stages, it’s a good idea to avoid situations where you may be tempted to drink. This could mean opting out of the weekly pub quiz for a while, or if you tend to drink when eating out, try going to restaurants that don’t sell alcohol, or simply volunteering to drive. Similarly, try to identify the times when you would usually drink and fill the gap with something else. So if you would usually head to the pub after work on a Friday evening, you could organise to meet friends at the cinema, or if you’re giving up alcohol in pursuit of a new, healthier you, why not fill the gap with a weekly exercise class or a trip to the swimming pool to help you wind down?
Identifying your ‘triggers’ is all the more important if you’ve tried and struggled to stop drinking in the past. Try to identify why you were unsuccessful - did you still go to the pub most evenings? Did you explain your reasons for not drinking to your partner? Was alcohol still readily available at home?
Short term Effects
Depending on how much is taken and the physical condition of the individual, alcohol can cause:
- Slurred speech- This will make you unable to speak fluently and people wouldn't understand you if you are in trouble or your trying to be friendly. It can also be hard because if you have to talk to the Police about a fight or an other crime that took place and they wont be able to understand what took place because you wouldn't be able to speak properly and they would have to wait until the morning which by then you could have forgotten.
- Drowsiness- Drinking heavily can make you feel drowse and this can be really bad as you can fall asleep in the worst places like a road or a train track or you can fall asleep in a funny way and become an internet sensation and have a picture or video of you in the internet.
- Vomiting- You vomit because alcohol is a poison to the system and when it reaches the stomach it can really damage it so it throws it back up to get rid of it so it cant harm any of the vital organs.
- Diarrhea
- Upset stomach
- Headaches
- Breathing difficulties
- Distorted vision and hearing
- Impaired judgment
- Decreased perception and coordination
- Unconsciousness
- Anemia (loss of red blood cells)
- Coma
- Blackouts (memory lapses, where the drinker cannot remember events that occurred while under the influence)
facts and figures
A pint of 4.5% cider contains more than twice the number of alcohol units than a standard 25ml shot of 40% spirit.
One unit of alcohol is equal to either 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol.
If men drink more than a pint and a half of 4% beer, or a large 250ml glass of 13% wine, they will exceed the lower risk guidelines.
Women will exceed the lower risk guidelines if they drink more than a medium 175 ml glass of 13% wine, or a pint of 4% beer.
A pint of lager contains as many calories as a slice of pizza.
You would have to run for roughly 34 minutes to burn off the calories in half a bottle of 13% red wine.
Long term effects
Binge drinking and continued alcohol use in large amounts are associated with many health problems, including:
- Unintentional injuries such as car crash, falls, burns, drowning-This can be because you aren't aware of your surrounding and also your reactions could be impaired and this can be fatal because you could end up dying or effecting someone else's life in a bad way and you will have to live with that for the rest of your life.
- Intentional injuries such as firearm injuries, sexual assault, domestic violence
- Increased on-the-job injuries and loss of productivity
- Increased family problems, broken relationships
- Alcohol poisoning
- High blood pressure, stroke, and other heart-related diseases
- Liver disease- You get liver disease by drinking to much and because alcohol is a poison it gets in your system and the Liver has the job of cleaning it out and each time it damages the tissue lining and this can lead to liver disease and other liver problems.
- Nerve damage
- Sexual problems
- Permanent damage to the brain
- Vitamin B1 deficiency, which can lead to a disorder characterized by amnesia, apathy and disorientation
- Ulcers
- Gastritis (inflammation of stomach walls)
- Malnutrition- This is when you have drink instead of eating thinking that the calories in the drink will help you with energy but it doesn't and you will soon have lack of certain nutrients and this can make you prone to disease.
- Cancer of the mouth and throat