The effects of alcohol vary from person to person because each individual differs. Although some drinkers can limit their consumption, others have a hard time controlling it.
Understanding what constitutes a drink is the first step toward understanding the consequences of drinking. It is known that one drink is:
- One 12-ounce serving of beer has approximately 5% alcohol content.
- Eight to nine fluid ounces of malt liquor – approximately 7% alcohol
- The alcohol content of 5 fluid ounces of wine is around 12 percent.
- It is estimated that one and one-half ounces of distilled spirit (vodka, rum, gin, tequila, whisky, etc.) at 80 proof are 40 percent alcoholic.
The effects of alcohol on drivers can be dictated by several risk factors, including the amount consumed, medical history, alcohol tolerance, and other drugs mixed with alcohol, legal or illegal.
It is possible to become ill from inside and outside of your body when you abuse alcohol. You may not be able to see the damage drinking causes to your internal organs, but you shouldn’t ignore the warning signs of alcoholism. Unfortunately, it is often too late for harmful effects to be discovered, making it challenging to reverse many health complications.
Each organ in your body can be affected by drinking, but specific organs are the most vulnerable to extensive damage from alcohol. However, with the help of a professional treatment program, you can reduce your risks of developing health problems now and in the future.
When drivers drink too much alcohol, it can cause the following outcomes:
- Having trouble speaking clearly
- Feeling drowsy
- Throwing up
- A diarrheal condition
- Stomach pains
- Migraines
- Having a hard time breathing
- Hearing and vision distortions
- A blackout (a loss of memory caused by drinking alcohol) occurs when the person cannot recall events during the drinking episode.
More long term adverse effects of Alcohol abuse are:
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and binge drinking can lead to several health problems, including:
- Car crashes, fall, burns, drownings, and other unintentional injuries
- The intentional infliction of injuries via firearms, sexual assault, abuse of domestic animals, etc.
- Loss of productivity and increased workplace injuries
- Breakdown of family relationships, increased family problems
- A permanent brain injury