Are you having a hard time resisting a drink? After reading these harmful short-term effects of alcohol on the body, you may never want a drink again.
For many people, drinking is a normal part of social occasions. Going out every once in a while and getting a buzz on with some friends or getting tipsy at a special event is par for the course.
Because alcohol is a legal drug, most people consider it to be fairly harmless. But alcohol is anything but harmless, especially when it’s being abused.
Though most people are aware of the harmful long term effects of alcohol abuse, many are not aware of the harmful short term effects of alcohol on the body.
Here are some ways that drinking even a bit too much can negatively impact your health.
Alcohol Overdose
Have you ever had too much to drink and spent the rest of the night in the bathroom vomiting? If so, you’ve overdosed on alcohol.
Unfortunately, many people don’t take alcohol poisoning, or alcohol overdose, seriously. They think that getting drunk enough to vomit or experience diarrhea is just something that happens to everyone at some point.
While this experience may be common, it’s not harmless. The fact that your body is purging itself means that you’re experiencing a toxic level of a drug in your body.
Alcohol overdose can also lead to trouble breathing, heart problems, and unconsciousness. And if you think that one time isn’t enough to permanently damage your body, you’re wrong. Even one instance of alcohol overdose can have serious health effects.
Loss of Coordination
There’s a good reason why the word tipsy is often used to describe getting drunk. Consuming too much alcohol can lead to loss of motor function. This makes it difficult for people to stand, walk, and control their movements.
Whenever you experience loss of motor function there’s a chance for serious injury. Many people break bones, tear tendons and ligaments, and get generally banged up from falls or stumbles they took while drinking.
In extreme circumstances, loss of coordination can lead to death. The most common example is when a drunk person falls down a set of stairs and sustains a fatal head injury.
While it may not seem like a big deal to stumble around a bit during a night out at the bar, loss of coordination as a result of drinking always carries the possibility of serious injury.
Increased Blood Pressure
Consuming too much alcohol in one sitting can lead to increases in blood pressure. In some cases, your blood pressure can increase to seriously unhealthy levels. This is especially true if you already have high blood pressure.
A rapid increase in blood pressure can be very dangerous for your whole body. It can lead to heart damage, stroke, breathing problems, and kidney problems.
To avoid these serious health problems, always limit the number of drinks you have in one sitting. If you find you’re having trouble limiting the number of drinks you have in one sitting, it’s possible you’re suffering from alcohol addiction.
Reduced Body Temperature
Drinking alcohol changes the way the blood flows in your body. It restricts the blood vessels in your skin, which makes you feel warmer. But actually, this causes your core body temperature to drop.
If your core body temperature drops enough, you’re at risk for hypothermia, especially if you go out in the cold. And because alcohol makes your skin feel warmer, you might not notice how cold you are until it’s too late.
In cold climates, people can easily die of alcohol-related hypothermia by passing out in the cold outdoors.
Avoiding the Harmful Short Term Effects of Alcohol on the Body
The best way to avoid the harmful short term effects of alcohol on the body is to always limit the amount of alcohol you’re consuming. This means having fewer drinks at each sitting and reducing the number of times per week you’re drinking.
If you’re finding it difficult to cut back on your drinking, you may have a problem with alcohol. Wondering if you’re drinking too much? Check out the Alcohol Issues section of our website for more information.
