Alcohol

Alcohol is a drug that depresses the central nervous system, like barbiturates, sedatives, and anesthetics. Alcohol is a depressant, although the user may feel stimulated. When alcohol is consumed speech becomes free and animated, social inhibitions may be forgotten, and the drinker can begin to act and feel more emotional. But these effects are misleading; the "stimulation" occurs only because alcohol affects those portions of the brain that control judgment. "Being stimulated" by alcohol actually amounts to a depression of self-control. A principal effect of alcohol is to slow down brain activity, and depending on what, how much, and how fast a person drinks, the result is slurred speech, hazy thinking, slowed reaction time, dulled hearing, impaired vision, weakened muscles and fogged memory.

The brain, liver, heart, pancreas, lungs, kidneys, and every other organ and tissue system are infiltrated by alcohol within minutes after it passes into the blood stream. The strength of the drink will have a significant effect on absorption rates, with higher concentrations of alcohol resulting in more rapid absorption. Pure alcohol is generally absorbed faster than diluted alcohols, which are, in turn, absorbed faster than wine or beer. Alcohol taken in concentrated amounts can irritate the stomach lining to the extent that it produces a sticky mucous which delays absorption. The pylorus valve which connects the stomach and small intestine may go into spasm in the presence of concentrated alcohol, trapping the alcohol in the stomach instead of passing it on to the small intestine where it would be more rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. The drinker who downs several straight shots in an effort to get a quick high may actually experience a delayed effect. Finally, the temperature of the beverage affects its absorption, with warm alcohol being absorbed more rapidly than cold alcohol.

Alcohol abuse effects are numerous and alcohol abuse effects are deadly. Alcohol abuse can be put into two categories- short term and long term. There are alcohol abuse effects that can clear up in the first year or two of sobriety. Some times alcohol abuse effects will never clear up. When use of alcohol becomes abuse of alcohol a few things occur. The first and most apparent is the want of more alcohol. This obsession sets in shortly after abuse begins.

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