Few people are fully aware of what alcohol really does when it enters your body. There is the euphoria you may experience, but there are also other actions taking place at the same time. It is slowing your ability to think and react, plus it is causing little bits of damage. The more you put in your body, the more damage it has the potential to do. Plus, alcohol even has the power to rewire how your brain works. Do you really want to give this substance that much control over your body?
Understanding Starts with How Alcohol Works
At its most basic level, alcohol is fermented sugar. It can be used for a lot of things, but one of the main things it is used for besides drinking is fuel. It can also be used as an industrial-strength solvent for cleaning up major spills or messes. When you drink, you are putting a flammable liquid in your body. That is why it can be so dangerous. It has the strength and volatility to hold a flame. Now that you understand what alcohol is in basic terms, maybe you can better see how it can damage the inside of your body when consumed.
What Alcohol Really Does to Your Body
From when you begin drinking alcohol, it begins to affect your body. Here are some of the problems your body will face each time you consume alcohol:
- It shrinks your brain.
- Your behavior begins to change.
- You get tired more quickly.
- Your liver and pancreas have to filter the your blood.
- Stomach issues begin with the acidity of alcohol.
- Your mind may begin seeing things that are not there.
- Many people slur their speech when drinking.
- The risks of developing diabetes increase.
- Infertility often shows up in those who drink regularly.
- Bones begin to thin out as calcium is leeched out of the body as alcohol is consumed.
- And more.
What Alcohol Really Does to Your Mind
Your mind is totally different in how it responds to alcohol. Most people quickly become dependent on it. Their mind goes from thinking it is a fun way to blow off some steam to the alcohol is a necessary component to reducing stress. Drinking depresses the body and all of its functions. While most people feel up or elated when drinking, it is usually only because they feel fewer inhibitions. The truth is, alcohol actually increases whatever mood you started drinking with. So, if you were feeling depressed when you began drinking, this will only intensify as you drink.
Your mind is very likely going to feel as though you need alcohol in a short period of time if you turn to alcohol regularly. Plus, it is also going to make you think that your judgment is totally intact. Again, this is not the case. When you drink alcohol, you become much less capable of seeing the long-term effects of your choices. This means you may not realize how intoxicated you really are and may go out driving, thinking it is a totally safe activity. This could put you and others at potential risk, and could wind up with you facing DUI charges.
The Dangerous Effects of Too Much Alcohol
If you consume a lot of alcohol, there are several problems you may face over the course of time. First, you could wind up with cirrhosis of the liver. This is when your liver begins to get sick from trying to filter out the alcohol from the rest of your body. Once this disease starts, it only progressively gets worse. Next, you could wind up with long-term mental damage from alcohol. Your judgment slows down when alcohol is in your system, but with enough alcohol, that effect can linger. It can lead to trouble remembering things, poor decision-making skills, and even dementia like symptoms, no matter your age.
Third, you can develop alcohol poisoning if you consume too much alcohol at once. Having too much alcohol in your system can cause your body to shut down. Alcohol slows your body, which is why making choices when drinking is so dangerous. If you overwhelm your body with alcohol, it can slow it down to the point of your body shutting down. Your breathing and heart rates will both decrease, and could even stop. The final effect of alcohol poisoning, if not treated, can be death.
Also, you could end up unable to go without alcohol. Alcohol is unique in that it can literally alter how your brain is wired. After a long time of drinking, such as regularly for a few years, your brain begins to believe that it requires alcohol to function properly. Without the alcohol, your brain forgets what it is supposed to do. It forgets to send the signals to breathe properly and for your heart to beat. This could be harmful and can lead to death.
You Have Help if You Struggle with Alcohol
If you have an issue with alcohol or it has been a part of your life for an extended period of time, you are not alone. That is part of what alcohol really does to you – it convinces you that you need to have more and more of it. There are many people who also struggle with alcohol and its many effects. Thankfully, you also have help if that is the case. Alcohol can take over your life, if you let it.
Sometimes alcohol leads you to thinking it is alright to make mistakes like going out for more alcohol after you’ve been drinking. If you ever made that mistake and are now facing DUI charges in Arizona, then you need help to make sure you are able to get your life back on track. Here at the Stonewall Institute, we can help you with anything from getting your DUI Alcohol screening to helping you find the rehab that will give you your life back. We are here, ready to help!
