Alcohol

Found in beer, wine, and liquor, alcohol is ingested and absorbed into the stomach as a liquid. Alcohol enters the bloodstream quickly, creating intoxication, which numbs the senses and allows the drinker to have a feeling of “relaxation.” Overconsumption of alcohol causes impaired vision and senses, nausea, vomiting and most commonly, impaired judgment. Alcohol is often related to motor vehicle fatalities as a result of this impaired judgment.

As alcohol is continuously over consumed, the addiction that results causes severe thirst for more. Alcoholism is characterized by a strong craving, loss of control, physical dependence, and increased tolerance. If this thirst is not quenched or treated, powerful withdrawal symptoms can occur, such as anxiety, sweating, nausea, rapid heart rate, delirium tremens (confusion and hallucinations) or convulsions. When alcohol is continually misused for a long period of time, the brain, liver and heart can be severely damaged and the risk for certain cancers increases. In cases of pregnant women who over consume alcohol, harmful side effects can occur in the fetus, such as severe brain damage or growth abnormalities.