Alcoholism

Alcoholism

It may not be readily noticed but alcoholism is a worldwide problem. The term alcoholism is applied to a behavioral disorder characterized by an excessive use of alcohol to interfere with the physical and mental state to the human body (Holmes 36). Alcohol in the body has some dangerous effects. The short terms effects are the parts of the body that is directly affected right after you drink the alcohol. The long term effects play a role in a continuous drinking problem and the organs it affects could be life threatening. All in all, the affects on the body, the short term effects, and the long term effects are what make alcoholism so dangerous.

Alcohol moves through the body and is absorbed by the stomach. The rate of absorption depends on the food, especially fatty foods, in the stomach. After the alcohol is absorbed it is broken down by the liver. Before the alcohol reaches the liver most of the time about one-tenth of the alcohol is released out of the body by either sweat or urine. After the alcohol is broken down it is distributed to every part of the body (Encyclopedia of America). All in all that is how alcohol moves through the body.

The short term effects vary from affected organs to mass production of urine (Encyclopedia of America). First, when a person takes a drink of alcohol it is said that the brain is most affected. If you take in too much alcohol at one time it is possible to forget to breathe. The liver as a result of alcohol intake is stimulated and gives off

more sugar. With the sugar being given off it will result in low blood pressure. The kidney is also affected because it is stimulated by the alcohol to produce more urine. Sleep may also be affected because it will cause more rapid eye movement during sleep. All in all these are the short term effects of alcohol on the human body.

It may seem that short term effects are not that bad but over