What are the dangers of consuming alcohol at harmful levels – short term and long term?
There are many dangers associated with consuming alcohol at levels that are considered hazardous to one’s health, and while most of them are physical there are also physiological consequences. Some of the short-term effects of drinking to excess include hangovers, headaches, possible vomiting and nausea. Drinking to excess can also expose people to dangerous situations, such as risk of injury or unplanned sexual activity. A serious short-term effect of consuming alcohol at harmful levels is possible alcohol poisoning, which takes place when there is so much alcohol in the body that it causes the collapse of the autonomic nervous system. This can lead to brain damage, coma or even death. A possible long-term effect of drinking to excess on a regular basis is becoming dependent upon alcohol, which takes place when the body becomes accustomed to functioning with alcohol present. After time, it can damage parts of the body including the liver and brain.
