More information on Alcoholism

What is Alcohol?

Alcohol, also known as ethanol or ethyl alcohol, is a chemical which since ancient times has been made by the fermentation of sugars.
Ethanol acts as a drug affecting the central nervous system. Its behavioural effects stem from its effects on the brain and not on the muscles or senses. It is a depressant. Depending on dose, it can be either a mild tranquillizer or a general anaesthetic. It suppresses particular brain functions. At very low doses, it can appear to be a stimulant by suppressing certain inhibitory brain functions. However, as concentration increases, further suppression of brain functions produces the classic symptoms of intoxication: slurred speech, unsteady walk, disturbed sensory perceptions, and inability to react quickly. At very high concentrations, ethanol produces general anaesthesia; a highly intoxicated person will be asleep and very difficult to wake, and if awakened, unable to move voluntarily.

How Does Alcohol Affect the Brain and Body?

Alcohol is poisonous, and the body begins to dispose of it as soon as it is detected in the system. Over 90% is processed by the liver which converts it into a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde’s distinctive smell can be a very apparent feature of the ‘morning after’.
Almost everything a person does, thinks, feels, eats or drinks is associated with chemicals in the brain known as neurochemicals or neurotransmitters. Changes in the brain’s neurochemistry result in feelings such as anxiety, depression, happiness, hunger, excitement and so on.
Alcohol has a dual effect on the chemistry of the brain. Initially, it is a depressant that reduces activity in the central nervous system for up to two hours after the last drink. This strong effect may be perceived as stimulation; however, it is the result of certain inhibitors in the brain cortex being suppressed. This explains why alcohol is seen as a social lubricant, a source of courage or a booster of confidence. It also explains why people who are highly intoxicated will exhibit extremes of behaviour. There may be slurred speech, staggering, loss of emotional control, stupefaction, severe respiratory depression, coma, and in a few extreme cases, death. A weaker effect is an agitation of the central nervous system that lasts for up to six times as long as the depressive effect. The “morning after” hangover and shakiness are due to this agitation. They appear to be temporarily relieved by more drinking, which can lead to a vicious circle of physical and emotional dependence.

The symptoms of withdrawal from chronic alcoholic drinking are usually far more dangerous than those associated with opiates (heroin) and other drugs. They include restlessness, shakiness, confusion, hyperventilation, hallucination, and convulsions. These symptoms can be expected to begin within the first 24 hours and increase in intensity to reach a peak within two to three days. The symptoms may become progressively more intense. Fever, convulsions, delusions, delirium, a fall in blood pressure, and visual hallucinations are to be expected. In a number of cases, these symptoms have proved fatal. Having a safe detox os vital at a facility is vital.
Alcoholism can also be nutritionally disastrous and may lead to neglect of a healthy diet, chronic malnutrition, severe vitamin B deficiency and loss of calcium and magnesium. The list of medical conditions associated with alcoholic drinking makes grim reading. Gastritis, anaemia, cardiac arrhythmia, pancreatitis, peripheral neuritis (loss of the sense of touch) and hypoglycaemia are only a few of the specific conditions associated with the early stages of alcoholic drinking. With chronic alcoholic drinking, comes the risk of liver damage, korsokoff syndrome, brain damage, and cardiomyopathy (a disease of the heart muscle). Cancers of the tongue, mouth, liver and oesophagus can also be consequences of chronic alcoholism.

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Alcohol Addiction

More information on Alcoholism

What is Alcohol?

How Does Alcohol Affect the Brain and Body?