Many Americans enjoy a drink from time to time, whether it's socializing with friends, celebrating an important event, or even as a way to unwind and relax from a hard day. For most people, there's no problem having a glass of wine or a beer at the end of the day, but what happens when that one drink turns into several … every night? Even though most people enjoy a drink without any problems, there are serious health risks that come with binge drinking or drinking too much over time. But how much, is too much?
It's important for anyone who drinks alcohol to do so in a responsible way, by understanding the recommended limits and the potential effects of overdrinking.
Many factors can influence the effects alcohol has on you, including, the amount of food in your stomach, your age, weight and body chemistry.
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Effects of intoxication
- Alcohol starts to affect the brain within five minutes of drinking. As your blood alcohol level goes up, so do the effects it has on your mind and body.
- With up to a 0.05 percent blood alcohol level, you may be more talkative, relaxed and feel more confident.
- With a 0.06 percent to 0.15 percent blood alcohol level, you begin to show signs of being drunk, such as slurred speech, loss of balance and coordination, slowed reflexes, aggression, and worsened driving skills.
- With a 0.16 percent to 0.30 percent blood alcohol level, you're unable to walk without help, and you may have severely impaired judgment, memory and reaction time. You may vomit, lose bladder control, lose consciousness and other signs of alcohol poisoning.
- Above a 30 percent blood alcohol level, there is a risk of coma and death.
Effects of long-term heavy drinking on the body
Drinking excessively over the years can increase your risk of serious health problems. Common alcohol-related health conditions include:
- Brain changes — Long-term heavy drinking can affect your memory, coordination and judgment, and even reduce the size of your brain cells. These changes may affect your motor skills, temperature regulation, sleep, mood and some mental functions, including learning and memory.
- Liver disease — The liver plays an important role in alcohol detox, making it at risk for damage. Alcoholic liver disease usually begins as a fat buildup in the liver. This fat makes it harder for your liver to work and leaves it open to diseases like alcoholic hepatitis. If you keep drinking heavily, you may get cirrhosis, which is the last stage of alcoholic liver disease.
- Heart disease — Both long-term heavy drinking and binge drinking can cause high blood pressure, stroke and heart problems. These often result in heart failure.
Types of drinking problems
Fortunately, most drinking problems are mild to moderately severe and respond well to counseling. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol dependence affects only a small amount of drinkers. Signs of alcohol abuse include:
- Risky drinking — If you’re a risky drinker, you may not drink daily but when you do, you drink a lot. Binge drinking can be dangerous. It can lead to alcohol poisoning and make existing health issues worse.
- Alcohol abuse — If you continue to drink even when it affects your physical or mental health, your relationships or job performance, you’re probably abusing alcohol. Alcohol abuse is not necessarily just a pattern of consistently heavy drinking or dependence. If it's causing problems in your life, it's something you should address.
- Alcohol dependence — If you depend on alcohol, you might have an increased tolerance for its effects and even go into withdrawal when you stop drinking. You’re alcohol dependent if it plays a central role in your life or you continue to drink even when you face major alcohol-related problems.
For more information on the effects on your body from drinking too much, see the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's publication, Beyond Hangovers: Alcohol's Impact on Your Health.
If you think you might have an alcohol addiction or to seek alcohol abuse help, visit Military OneSource or call 800-342-9647 to get a referral for counseling services from your local military treatment facility, TRICARE or another appropriate resource.