Physical effects of alcohol abuse

The physical effects of alcohol abuse can be extremely uncomfortable.

The physical effects of alcohol abuse can vary from person to person. The physical effects can have serious consequences for the person drinking and the people around them. Since alcohol abuse can affect a person both physically and psychologically, there are several symptoms that should be looked out for.

Alcohol abuse causes a change in the way the person behaves. How the behavior changes will vary depending on the amount of alcohol that was consumed, the person’s tolerance to alcohol, their size and other medical conditions. For some people, it only takes a couple drinks of alcohol for them to experience impaired judgement and lack of coordination.

Loss of Muscle Control

When the blood level has reached a blood alcohol level of 0.10, loss of muscle control will start to occur. It is common for the person to have slurred speech when they speak. Another physical effect of alcohol abuse can be excessive falling and other serious accidents. When a person operates a car or other mechanical devices they will be more likely to cause serious accidents that can be deadly.

Memory Loss / Blackouts

When a user drinks alcohol in heavy doses they will experience memory loss and blackouts. It is common for the next day during the hangover phase for the user to not remember the time of consumption. If heavy use occurs for an extended time the person can experience more severe memory loss.

Confused

Another common physical effect of alcohol abuse is a confused state of mind. A confused state of mind starts when the alcohol level in the blood reaches a concentration of 0.40. During the confused state of mind the user will become dazed and will hardly be able to function when attempting simple actions such as walking or sitting up straight.

Coma

When the blood alcohol level reaches 0.50 the user is at a high risk of coma. Coma can cause a high level of respiratory paralysis and serious problems. Coma can be life threatening and become fatal.

Stomach Pains / Nausea / Vomiting

Stomach pains are common physical effects of alcohol abuse. When alcohol is heavily abused, the user can experience nausea and vomiting problems. Nausea and vomiting are short term effects that can subside over time. As the person develops an alcohol dependency, these symptoms can start to fade and then make the person believe that they aren’t having alcohol abuse problems.

Headaches

When a user has used a larger amount of alcohol than their body can handle they will typically experience severe headaches. These headaches can be in different places around the head and cause the person to become dizzy. Dizziness occurs when the person moves too fast. Many people will experience light headedness the morning after they have drank. The headaches are typically not life threatening and can be treated with Tylenol and some rest.

Get Help

If you or a loved one is showing the physical effects of alcohol abuse it is time to get help. There are different types of treatment programs available to help an alcoholic overcome their addiction. If the signs of alcohol abuse are overlooked, the person could develop some serious medical conditions and even experience fatal symptoms.