Short Term Effects Of Alcohol

“Live for today, plan for tomorrow, party tonight,” is the motto many of us follow. The moment the week begins to draw to an end, we begin to make plans for the next destination to party at. It is a common phenomenon for even people as young as sixteen year olds to “drink and make merry”. In all this merry making, we often forget about the short-term effects that alcohol can cause to our body. We have become so immune to them that we do not see them as dangerous at all; at best, we may think of them as embarrassing, but we must know that too much alcohol in a person’s blood could even lead to a comatose state or, worse still, death. Here are some short-term effects of alcohol that people notice in others but often tend to overlook.

 

 

Here are some examples of how alcohol harms us even for a short period: 

Reduced Inhibitions
As we all know, alcohol alters the way the human brain functions. It gives the drinker a false sense of confidence, making him/her lose inhibitions. When the alcohol level in a person’s bloodstream goes beyond 0.05g/L, changes in his/her behavior begin to become noticeable. He or she would lose all inhibitions – those imposed by one’s own self as well as those imposed by society’s codes of conduct. Drinkers then begin to do things that they may not do when they are not under influence – it could be in the form of participating in an illicit sexual activity, speaking or behaving irresponsibly and causing embarrassment to others. 

Loss Of Muscle Control
Since alcohol retards the coordination between the brain and the muscles of the various voluntary organs in the body like hands, feet and others, the drinker will begin to lose control on his or her muscles. Their movements will begin to slow down and they will begin to slur in speech. This usually happens when the alcohol level reaches the level 0.10g/L and can lead to impaired judgment, which is the prime cause for accidents, committed by those who drive under the influence of alcohol. 

Memory Loss
Since the brain, under the influence of alcohol, loses its capacity to function with the same efficiency that it normally does, it is difficult for it to record with precision, certain events and situations. The drinker may not remember after he or she becomes sober as to what they did under the influence of too much alcohol.

Nausea
Our body is known to have its own defense mechanism that functions whenever the need arises. As the level or alcohol in the bloodstream keeps increasing, the body feels the need to protect itself from the excess alcohol and throws it away in the form of vomiting or nausea.

Exaggerated Emotions
Most of us are expected to show less emotions in front of the public, which mostly comes under the model code of conduct. Control is the keyword that we all follow, but which is unknown to the drinker who has more than 0.30g/L level of alcohol in his/her blood stream. The drinker may begin to laugh out too loud, cry too much or even get too angry and excited and may even turn his or her anger on to others. 

Hangover
Most of us know this state that affects us a few hours after having consumed alcohol. Alcohol, though it is a liquid, is a dehydrating agent, which is precisely the reason why people feel severe headache and hangover hours after they have consumed too much alcohol.