What Happens When You Drink Too Much Alcohol?

People often assume the only effect of drinking too much alcohol is a terrible hangover. However, in addition to feeling awful the morning after, people who drink too much alcohol may experience dangerous and even life-threatening effects. In this guide, you’ll learn more about the effects of alcohol on your life.

1: Alcohol can impair your judgment.

One of the dangers of drinking too much alcohol is that it can impair your judgment. This means that you may not make good decisions while you’re drunk, which could lead to dangerous or risky behavior. For example, you might decide to drive home after drinking too much, or you might agree to go home with someone that you wouldn’t normally be alone with under normal circumstances. If you drink too much, your brain functions will also be impaired, so it becomes harder to think clearly and act normally.

2: Alcohol can cause blackouts.

Another effect of drinking too much alcohol is blackouts or periods of time where you cannot recall what happened while you were drunk. This is because too much alcohol can interfere with your ability to form memories. Blackouts are dangerous because you may not remember what you did while you were drunk.

3: Alcohol can make you sick.

Alcohol is a toxin, which means that it can cause illness in your body when you drink too much. For example, it can cause:

• Nausea and vomiting, which occur when the alcohol irritates your stomach and causes you to throw up.
• A hangover, which is characterized by having a headache, nausea, upset stomach, shakiness, and sometimes vomiting.
• Alcohol poisoning, which happens when you drink too much alcohol and your body is unable to process it quickly enough. This can lead to severe illness or death, so you should never ignore the symptoms of alcohol poisoning.
• Gastritis, or an inflamed stomach lining due to chronic excessive drinking. Alcohol can irritate your stomach, which can cause gastritis.
• Ulcers, especially if you also take aspirin or ibuprofen after drinking too much alcohol.

4: Alcohol can have permanent effects on your brain and body.

Drinking too much alcohol over time can have lasting effects on your mind and body. For example, excessive drinking can lead to:

Permanent brain damage – This includes problems with cognitive functions, such as memory, judgment, and coordination, and it can also increase your risk of developing dementia or other neurologic conditions later in life.

Liver disease – including cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), fatty liver, and hepatitis.

Heart damage – Drinking too much alcohol over time can lead to high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, heart failure, or stroke. This is because the more you drink, the higher your risk of developing these conditions becomes.

Cancer – There’s some evidence that drinking excessively may increase your risk for certain cancers, such as cancer of the mouth, neck, throat, esophagus, colon, and liver.

5: Alcohol can be addictive.

One of the most dangerous effects of drinking too much alcohol is that it can be addictive. This means you may find yourself unable to control how much you drink, and you may feel like you need to drink alcohol in order to feel normal. If you’re addicted to alcohol, you may also experience withdrawal symptoms when you try to quit, such as shaking, sweating, nausea, and anxiety.

So, if you’re worried about the effects of alcohol on your life, it’s important to seek help. There are many resources available for people who want to stop drinking, including counseling, support groups, and medication. Don’t try to go it alone – getting help from a clinic like The Process Recovery Center Massachusetts is highly beneficial.