Alcohol Health Risks
For individuals who are 21 or older, drinking alcohol can be a relatively safe activity if done in moderation. However, certain individuals cannot drink safely:
- Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant
- People who plan to drive or engage in other activities that require alertness and skill (such as driving a car)
- People taking certain over-the-counter or prescription medications
- People with medical conditions that may become worse by drinking
- Recovering alcoholics
(Taken from http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/FAQs/General-English/default.htm)
Choosing to abstain from alcohol is a safe and acceptable lifestyle choice for everyone, and for individuals under the age of 21, this is the only legal option. Even consuming small amounts of alcohol increases individuals’ health-related risks, and drinking more than two standard drinks in one sitting significantly increases the potential for negative health risks. This website includes information on the short and long-term effects of alcohol and the risk of substance abuse, substance dependence, and overdose.
The Effects of Alcohol
The effects of alcohol can be broken down into two main categories: Short-Term Effects and Potential Long Term Effects.
Short-Term Effects
- Impaired driving-related skills, including slower reaction times, decreased attention span, and poor coordination
- Slurred speech and unsteady walk
- Poor judgment
- Hangovers
- Headaches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Aches and pains
- Accidents and injury
- Increased vulnerability to violence and unwanted sexual encounters
- Memory loss (blackout)
- Loss of consciousness
- Depressed mood
- Anxiety
- Impaired motivation and concentration
- Missed classes and poor academic performance
- Relational difficulties
Potential Long-Term Effects
- Academic and work problems
- Recurrent interpersonal problems
- Difficulty regulating mood
- Anxiety
- Weight gain
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Stomach problems
- Sexual impotence
- Central nervous system damage
- Memory loss
- High blood pressure
- Depressed immune system
- Cancer
- Liver disease
- Alcoholism
Substance Abuse
Individuals who abuse substances may experience a range of symptoms affecting their physical health, their academic and work performance, and their social relationships.
Symptoms of Substance Abuse
Symptoms of substance abuse may include:
- Excessive/unusual absences from or tardiness to class or work
- Attendance at class or work while intoxicated or high
- Loss of interest in class or work
- Grades going down
- Changes in sleeping patterns
- Apparent difficulty concentrating or following instructions
- Drinking or using drugs on a daily basis
- Judicial/ conduct problems related to substance abuse
- Passing out or unconsciousness as a result of drinking or using drugs
- Forgetfulness as it relates to routine activities
- Drinking in the morning hours
- Loss of balance or coordination
- Slurred speech and staggering
- Not remembering what happened when they were using
- Hangovers
- Mood swings
- Reduced ability to attend to details
- Loss of appetite and poor eating habits
- Lessened concern about personal grooming
- Only wanting to go to parties if alcohol or drugs will be available
- Preoccupation with means of getting intoxicated or high
Substance Dependence
Individuals who regularly consume more than two alcoholic beverages at a time are at an increased risk for developing alcohol dependence. Alcohol dependence includes increased tolerance and/ or withdrawal symptoms. Tolerance means that individuals need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to have the same “high” that they experienced when they first began drinking. Withdrawal symptoms may include nausea, sweating, shakiness, and sweating after stopping drinking. Individuals with substance dependence typically crave alcohol, especially in the morning, and may not be able to stop drinking, even when they want to stop. Seek medical advice prior to quitting if you are physically dependent upon alcohol. Over time, substance dependence negatively impacts the individual’s social and occupational activities and oftentimes results in physical health problems.
Overdose
Extremely high doses of alcohol (typically defined as 8 drinks or more) can lead to life-threatening health problems including heart attack, respiratory failure, coma, and death. Alcohol continues to be absorbed by the body even after someone has passed out. It is important to continue to check on an individual that is passed out and place them on their side.
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Anna M. Gove Student Health Center, 107 Gray Drive 27412
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
VOICE 336.334.5340
FAX 336.334.5343