Negative Short Term Effects of Alcohol Abuse

Short term effects of alcohol abuse include low folate levels and significant changes in your feelings and how you see things.

Drinking of alcoholic beverages produces initial short term effects in the portion of your brain that controls inhibitions.

Next to feel its short term effects is your digestive system because it is unable to break down liquor. You feel the short term effects really quick because as soon as drops of liquor land in your stomach, they go straight to your blood.

1. Lower Folate Level

Decrease in folate is one of the short term and negative effects of drinking abuse. A short supply of folate is also caused by smoking. So if you drink AND smoke, your body is in dire need for folate.

Your body needs folate because it is an important B-complex vitamin that aids your cells to make DNA and red blood cells properly.

If your body is deficient in folate long term, you are more prone to . . .

• depression,
• insomnia,
• irritability, and
• gingivitis.

If you're pregnant, low level of folate can cause serious effects in your baby. Cancers that occur in the lungs, colon, uterus, cervix and esophagus are found to be more common among people who have low folate levels.

However, there are studies on how too much folate is also not good. It may lead to the development of cancer. Too much of anything (even the good thing) isn't advisable.

2. Impaired Senses and Reflexes

Heightened senses are the initial short term effects you will have when you abuse alcoholic drinks. You feel elated and alert. But the truth is liquor is a depressant. Its abuse slows down the functions of your central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) resulting to impaired senses such as your hearing and seeing. That's why a person who is drunk speaks louder because he can't hear himself well and his vision becomes blurred.

If you drink a lot of liquor or beer, it impairs your response reflexes as well. It slows down how you react. That's why when you drink, you are not supposed to drive. Many vehicular accidents happen because of drunk driving.

3. Impaired Sense of Judgment

An impaired sense of judgment is also one of the short term side effects of alcohol abuse. You become uninhibited, aggressive and even violent. Many crimes such as rape have been committed because of drunkenness.

Frequent drinking results to alcohol abuse. You might find yourself getting addicted to drinking. A sign of addiction is when you start to think you can't function well without a drink.

Alcoholism is one of the long term consequence of alcohol abuse. It often leads to a lot of behavioral problems such as a short temper, aggression and even depression. 

Depletion of folate in your body is one of the short term effects of alcohol that makes prevention of cancer difficult.

Related Pages You Might Like:

Negative Effects of Alcohol | Dangers of Alcohol | Cancer and Alcohol

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