What are the short and long term effects of alcohol use and abuse?
Short Term: When a person consumes alcohol, it is absorbed by the stomach, enters the bloodstream, and is distributed throughout the body. Some short term effects are dizziness, talkativeness, slurred speech, nausea, and vomiting. Even a small amount of alcohol can significantly impair judgment and coordination. If a person drinks a lot of alcohol in one day, he or she may experience a hangover the next day, indicated by headaches, nausea, thirst, and dizziness. Long Term: Long term heavy use of alcohol can lead to addiction known as alcoholism. Combined with poor nutrition and lack of exercise, excessive alcohol use can eventually lead to brain and liver damage. If pregnant women drink excessively, their child may be born with a condition known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. In some cases, these children may suffer from mental retardation and other disorders. What is drinking too much? Alcohol has different effects on different people, and as such, it is impossible to give a minimum numer
