The Effects of Alcohol on the Body (Essay Sample)

Alcoholism is a significant factor affecting most of the people who indulge in the practice of taking alcohol. To some, taking alcohol may be due to choice, while to others, it can be due to life factors that they find themselves in. Taking too much alcohol can lead to alcoholism which in the long run can affect the health of the person using them. This paper illustrates the causes and effects of alcoholism.
Family history can be one of the causes of alcoholism. If a parent has struggled with alcoholism, the next generation is more likely to consume alcohol, leading to alcoholism. Even though it has not been established that a gene causes alcoholism, scientific investigations have demonstrated that biological aspects such as physiology and genetics are associated with alcoholism. Scientists believe that numerous genes account for around fifty percent of the chance of becoming an alcoholic. If carried down through the family, specific genes on a human chromosome can put family members at risk of developing drinking issues (Choate). However, alcoholism doesn't need to exist in the bloodline for someone to become addicted to it, as other environmental factors can also contribute to this. Being in the presence of a family member who is an alcoholic can also contribute to the consumption of alcohol. These family members can make heavy drinking appear pleasant, acceptable, and a nice thing to do, helping one feel better about indulging in alcohol in the long run, resulting in alcohol addiction.
Another environmental factor that can lead to alcoholism, according to research, is living near places where alcohol is sold or consumed, such as alcohol stores and clubs. Such people are more likely to participate in the activity of drinking alcohol because their environment makes alcohol readily available. Another factor is that they will be surrounded by people who are taking alcohol, which may make it seem fancy to them, and as a result, tempting them to take alcohol and, in the long run, leading to alcoholism (Reinaldo and Pillon). Advertisements to the general public by alcohol manufacturers and distributors are also among the environmental factors that can lead to alcoholism. Advertisements portray to the general public the image of alcohol as a socially acceptable, relaxing, and enjoyable activity, causing them to partake in the activity.
Another aspect that might lead to alcoholism is social circumstances, which can alter how a person views drinking owing to the influence of others. Peer pressure among young adults can lead to alcoholism because if one gives in to peer pressure, one may try drinking alcohol for the first time and enjoy being drunk, and content drinking by peers can lead to alcoholism in the long term. Young adults who begin abusing alcohol earlier are more likely to get addicted if they continue to use it (Choate). Furthermore, young adults who start drinking on their own at a young age may develop the habit of drinking alcohol in the long term, leading to alcohol addiction.
Other factors contributing to alcoholism are phycological factors, including anxiety, excessive stress levels, depression, and other mental health conditions. People who have these health problems frequently use alcohol to repress their emotions and relieve the symptoms of mental disorders (Le Maître et al.). Over time, drinking to relieve emotional tension and discomfort leads to alcoholism. For many, drinking provides a sense of pleasure and encourages the brain to repeat the same behavior, rendering them susceptible to becoming alcoholics. People suffering from mental illnesses should not use drugs to numb their emotions because this will exacerbate the issues produced by excessive reliance on alcohol.
Effects of alcohol on the body are not felt right away. After taking much, one may think to vomit, and in the morning, one may wake up with hangovers and headaches, but these effects don't last long in the body. Alcohol begins to toll on someone physically and mentally the longer you consume it (Van Skike et al.). There are short terms effects of alcohol which are, for example, nausea, mood change, changing behavior, and vomiting, among others. There is also long-term development: memory loss, loss of weight, and weak immune system, among others. Taking too much alcohol can damage the pancreas, constantly giving you abdominal pains.
The liver, too, gets affected, causing liver cirrhosis, which is permanently damaged. The part greatly affected is the central nervous system. When someone is drunk, one always stammers while talking, and this is because alcohol reduces communication between your brain and body and makes it challenging to coordinate (Van Skike et al.). That's why it's advised never to drink and drive. Heavy drinking causes brain damage. It may also affect your sex hormone and lower libido and make it challenging to keep up with an erection for the male and the female; it may affect your cycle and risks of infertility.
Another significant effect is that it can break up marriages (Reinaldo and Pillon). Once you are drunk, one gets violent, and you find yourself in fights. Once you're addicted to alcohol, it takes time to get over it on your own, and if you can't, that means you need to visit a rehabilitation center. This takes up much of the family's money to pay for therapy, and as an individual, you find yourself not meeting your family's needs. Once you start coming home while drunk and the children witness this, a higher chance is that they may grow up and be like you (Choate). It also affects child school performance. This child may even suffer from depression, and they may become so violent and aggressive.
Alcohol affects not only an individual but also the society.40% of highly consumed alcohol is paid for by the government (Crowley). These are tariffs such as car accidents, medical care, and security forces. However, many of these expenses are underestimated because information about alcohol's role in sickness, damage, and demise isn't always readily available or published. These figures do not account for any medical or mental health issues due to alcohol consumption. Alcoholism is linked to several chronic diseases and disorders. Alcohol also plays a role in cancer: psychological disorders, and a variety of cardio-respiratory and intestinal illnesses.
Alcohol drinking can also raise the risk of diabetes, cerebral hemorrhage, and cardiac infarction, the leading cause of loss of life in the United States. Each year, more billion is spent on medical care related to alcohol, including purposeful and accidental injuries related to alcohol (Crowley). Apart from managing wounds caused by aggression due to alcoholism, the government uses around 25 billion to cover the expenses of the criminal justice system. However, alcohol is not harmful to partake in, but it should not be a daily drink. It makes one get drained financially, and it comes with many losses like health, spouse, and even children.