The Effects of Alcohol Consumption - Essay Example

English The Effects of Alcohol Consumption Alcohol is a form of an intoxicating substance, which is found in wine, beer and liquor, and it is obtained from carbohydrate through metabolisms of microorganisms in the absence of oxygen, in fact, the process is referred to fermentation. There is different amount is alcohol levels in various dinks such as beer, wine and liquor; thus resent studies have indicated that moderate intake of alcohol is valuable to the human health especially on the coronary system (Alcohol and Drug Information Service,1). Nevertheless, moderate drinking refers to taking a maximum of two drinks in a day, though there is a notion that the amount of alcohol that is moderate and safe for individuals depends on the age, sex, weight and other factors. In addition, a standard drink should have ten grams of alcohol, and it is served in typical size glasses while a glass of wine is considered equitable to two standard drinks when served in two hundred milliliter glass. Moreover, there are labels on the bottles of alcoholic drinks that indicate the standard drink contained. However, despite this information reasonable ideas concerning alcohol, people are still abusing alcohol and this leads to some effects. Therefore, this paper will seek to discuss the effects of alcohol consumption on human beings, whereby different psychosocial complications related to consumption of alcohol will be explored. There have been increased rates of alcohol consumption in different parts of the world, and this has led to drawing attentions to the public health concerning the implications of alcohol consumption. In fact, resent studies have depicted that the increased rate of alcohol consumption around the globe contributes significantly to the rise in cases of disability and death. Therefore, there are harmful effects of alcohol consumption on the health due to an increased chance of developing an addiction, which results to be a significant concern for a long period. Consequently, this has led to the need for recognizing alcohol consumption as a risk factor contributing to transmission of numerous communicable diseases, accidents, social and domestic violence. In addition, different patterns of dinking have an influence on the results of the long-term effects of intoxication causing health and social problems. The Absorption of alcohol occurs in the stomach through the small intestines, after which it is distributed to the other organs, and tissues via the blood circulation. However, there is a substantial amount of alcohol absorbed by the liver at a high rate, and it is broken down to form carbon dioxide water and energy. After the alcohol is consumed, the chemicals are excreted via the kidneys, which entail approximately ninety-eight percent alcohols and the two to five percent, through sweat, breath and urine. After the intake of alcohol, there are numerous organs in the body that are affected leading to medical complications such as severe damage on the stomach lining, continual liver damage, and loss of intellectual function. Other severe problem occurs after consumption of alcohol and prolonged use, though some of these problems are treatable, but in some instances, the damage caused may be permanent. One effect of alcohol consumption relates causing a disease referred to as gastric and acid peptic disease, which is associated with effect on the lining of the stomach that results to serious damage known as gastritis (Bujanda, 3382). The symptoms of this condition are vomiting during instances of heavy drinking while there is other severe gastritis affects common consumers of excess alcohol without eating food. Consequently, this result to a repeated damage on the stomach lining, which results to hyperacidity also referred to as a disease called acid peptic. The other consequence relates to the alcoholic liver disease (ALD), which results from severe complications of long-term consumption of alcohol. Moreover, there are stages associated with the condition, which are identified through changes in the alcoholic fat, whereby the liver increases in size die to deposition of the fat. The second stage is referred to as alcoholic hepatitis, which involves continuous damage on the liver resulting to jaundice. The third stage is called alcoholic pre-cirrhosis, whereby then cells are ruined, and the fourth stage is a permanent damage on the liver, which is alcoholic cirrhosis. Numerous deaths associated with consumption of alcohol are attributed to cirrhosis since it is considered an indicator of the magnitude of problems associated with alcohol. Moreover, people suffering from alcohol related problem depict a manifestation of ALD, and they progress through all the four stages (Health Check Systems, 1). However, there are chances of reversing the liver dysfunctions that have proceeded up to the third stage, and this process requires self-restrain from alcohol for a period three weeks to a month. Nevertheless, when a person reaches the fourth stage, the problem cannot be reversed, in fact, it results to other complications like fluid in abdomen, vomiting of blood, Spleen swelling and death. The other effect of alcohol consumption is malabsorption syndrome, which is inability to assimilate nutrients because of damaged lining of the abdomen, pancreas and guts. This result to a foul smell from the bulky stools egested, and it results to malnutrition due to lack of absorption of the vital nutrients form food. On the other hand, there are problems associated with the damage of pancreas through a condition referred to as pancreatitis, which is initiated by excessive alcohol uptake while the symptoms are pain in the berry. In addition, this condition is related to a prolonged consumption of alcohol that contributes to failure to digest food. Prolonged intake of alcohol drinking contributes to malnutrition and chronic illness, and this raises serious concern in areas where there is poor quality alcohol. This increases vulnerability to problem resulting to forming a habit of drinking and neglecting food. On the other hand, among richer people are chances of consuming a lot of alcohol accompanied with a good diet leading to reduced chances of developing problems. Nevertheless, excessive consumption of alcohol along with rich diet can contribute to obesity and other problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Consumption of alcohol can also contribute to intellectual deficiencies and dementia, whereby long terms alcohol consumption can lead to abstraction of the ability to, make rational judgment, having social behaviors and memory. Moreover, there is a correlation identified through the structural changes that occur in the brain that can be detected by CT and MRI scans. However, these deficiencies are reversible through abstaining from alcohol consumption, whereby the social drinkers can reverse their intellectual deficits. Nevertheless, there are cases of serious deficits that are referred to as alcoholic dementia, which are substantial to the intellectual and social functioning Alcohol has an effect on the relationship between the alcoholic and their family members, whereby they report experiences of anger, fear, guilt and stigmatization. In other cases, they may be subjected to cases of harassment, conflict and tension through confrontation for their behaviors of alcoholism (Bateman, 1). On the other hand, there are numerous separations caused by alcoholism since there are instances of children of alcoholic reporting cases of emotional and social difficulties. Alcohol consumption can also contribute to codependences, whereby the partners of a person who abuses alcohol can be affect resulting to living an unhealthy life, which is focused on coping with the prevailing conditions. Other problems in the social life of an abuser in their family entail long absence from home and destruction of property due to anger, inefficient communication between the alcoholic and other member of the family. Therefore, this may contribute to cases of criticism, marginalization, hostility, accidents involving the abuser. Alcohol consumption has also contributed significantly to numerous causes of traffic accidents, whereby people drive under the influence of alcohol (SEARO, 1). This is a problem experienced in both developed and underdeveloped world since there have been numerous report of destruction related to automobile, which results to significant loss on productive people in the society. On the other hand, it has also caused a burden on other people concerning disability caused by accidents after a traffic accident caused by alcoholism. Numerous campaigns have been initiated to create awareness on the negative effects of drunken driving in order to mobilize people against this issue, as a way of reducing traffic accident associated with alcohol consumption. The other effect relates to increased cases of absenteeism as a result consumption of alcohol, and in other cases, people are not punctual, thereby contributing to poverty and work inefficiency. Alcohol consumption contributes to reduction of dexterity in various jobs, and in other instances, it can result to accidents when working with machines, whereby a worker can be crippled. Similarly, alcoholism can affect the entire workforce in terms of reducing their output, which is generated through their work in various industries. It also contributes to increased cases of quarrels; fights and problems in maintain a good relationship with their peers and this can result to a reduction in performance. There are problems caused by alcoholism in the social and legal areas, through the increased encounter with police officers and other enforcement agencies. There are cases where the alcohols abusers are influenced to engage in crime in order to obtain money for maintain their alcoholism. Other social problems are caused by crime associated with alcoholism include rape, physical and sexual assault, homicides, and commercial sex work.Works Cited Alcohol and Drug Information Service. Alcohol and Its Effects. Available online at: http://www.dassa.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=122 [Accessed on December 5 2012] Bateman Matthew. "Effects of alcohol". drinkaware.co.uk. 24 Nov 2012. Available online at: http://www.drinkaware.co.uk /facts/effects-of-alcohol-2[Accessed on December 5 2012] Bujanda Luis. "The Effects of Alcohol Consumption upon the Gastrointestinal Tract". The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Vol. 95, No. 12, 2000: 3375-3382. Available online at: http://nutrilearning.com.ar/docs/articulos/interes/gastro/The_Effects_of_Alcohol.pdf[Acessed on December 5 2012] Health Check Systems. "Alcohol and Your Health". Tips: Fitness Products. 2012. Available online at: http://www.healthchecksystems.com/alcohol.htm[Acessed on December 5 2012] SEARO. "Consequences of Alcohol Use". WHO. 2012. Available online at: http://www.searo.who.int/LinkFiles/Facts_and_Figures_ch5.pdf[Acessed on December 5 2012]   Read More