The Ups and Downs of Alcohol Use on the Mind and Body
Running head: The Ups and Downs of Alcohol Use
The Ups and Downs of Alcohol Use On the Mind and Body
Stephanie Alger
ENG 1100: on-line, Cause & Effect Paper
The Ups and Downs of Alcohol Use on the Mind and Body
Aaron Howard said “Responsible drinking. Now that’s an oxymoron!” This however is not necessarily the case. Too much of anything is not beneficial to you and alcohol is certainly not an exception. Alcohol has been recognized as a pharmaceutical with medicinal benefits for at least 10,000 years and is still recognized as having medicinal benefits when one drink per day is consumed (Dasgupta, 2011). However, when consumed in excess alcohol can have a wide array of negative effects on both the mind and body.
Alcohol’s Effects on the Mind
Many of the negative effects of alcohol on our minds, is based on our blood/alcohol content, with an obvious correlation of more severe effects accompanying a higher blood/alcohol level. Most drinkers are fully aware that intoxication can result in decreased reflexes and motor skills. Alcohol also reduces inhibitions by affecting frontal lobe function which can lead to diminished judgment. Depression can also result from increased blood/alcohol content (Dasgupta, 2011). Another effect of high amounts of alcohol consumption is what is known as a “Blackout” or as referred to in an 1884 article as an alcoholic trance where the drinker appears to be functional to the outside world; however they will have no memory of the event whatsoever (Ray & Ksir, 2002).
The darker effects on the mind include hostile behavior due to serotonin levels dropping which can disrupt normal bran function. Glucose metabolism is also lower in alcoholics and since sugar is brain food this also leads to a disruption in normal brain function. Alcoholics also experience lowered levels of thymine which leads to brain damage and even diseases such as Korsakoff disease. Alcohol abuse can result in the loss of neurons in
The Ups and Downs of Alcohol Use On the Mind and Body
Stephanie Alger
ENG 1100: on-line, Cause & Effect Paper
The Ups and Downs of Alcohol Use on the Mind and Body
Aaron Howard said “Responsible drinking. Now that’s an oxymoron!” This however is not necessarily the case. Too much of anything is not beneficial to you and alcohol is certainly not an exception. Alcohol has been recognized as a pharmaceutical with medicinal benefits for at least 10,000 years and is still recognized as having medicinal benefits when one drink per day is consumed (Dasgupta, 2011). However, when consumed in excess alcohol can have a wide array of negative effects on both the mind and body.
Alcohol’s Effects on the Mind
Many of the negative effects of alcohol on our minds, is based on our blood/alcohol content, with an obvious correlation of more severe effects accompanying a higher blood/alcohol level. Most drinkers are fully aware that intoxication can result in decreased reflexes and motor skills. Alcohol also reduces inhibitions by affecting frontal lobe function which can lead to diminished judgment. Depression can also result from increased blood/alcohol content (Dasgupta, 2011). Another effect of high amounts of alcohol consumption is what is known as a “Blackout” or as referred to in an 1884 article as an alcoholic trance where the drinker appears to be functional to the outside world; however they will have no memory of the event whatsoever (Ray & Ksir, 2002).
The darker effects on the mind include hostile behavior due to serotonin levels dropping which can disrupt normal bran function. Glucose metabolism is also lower in alcoholics and since sugar is brain food this also leads to a disruption in normal brain function. Alcoholics also experience lowered levels of thymine which leads to brain damage and even diseases such as Korsakoff disease. Alcohol abuse can result in the loss of neurons in
References: Dasgupta, A. (2011). The Science f Drinking. Langham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Ray, O., & Ksir, C. (2002). Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies.