Alcoholism & Binge Drinking

People who have a problem with alcohol will often drink in the morning and during the day at times others might judge inappropriate or strange.

As our bodies become used to a substance, we begin to develop tolerance for the chemical.  This means we require more of the drug to feel its effects.

Because alcohol is a depressant it can be damaging for the brain, also causing low mood and depression.  Drinking too much also impacts impulse control and the ability to make good or reasoned judgement.  This is why some people act impulsively and make poor choices when drunk.

Experts have identified many ways that alcohol impacts our brains and memory.  Whether from the night before, or years ago, alcohol can cause memory lapses.  This means you might forget the events of an entire night, or moments of the recent past.  There is also an increased risk of permanent memory loss, otherwise known as dementia.

Heavy alcohol use impacts psychological function in many ways and can lead to serious decline in mental health.  For example, anxiety, low mood, sleep issues, low-libido, deliriousness, amnesia, and even psychosis and dementia due to the harmful effects.

Long-term excessive alcohol use leads to serious physical health risks, including chronic problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, liver disease, stroke, digestive problems, and many kinds of cancers, including mouth, breast, oesophagus, throat, voice box, colon, liver, and rectum cancers.

Often individuals will experience relationship problems because they find it difficult to get along with others.

Although alcohol has a soporific (that is, drowsy) effect, it actually disrupts sleep.  This means individuals may find it easy to fall asleep but will likely wake in the night, and be unable to enter into deep sleep, something we need to feel rested.

Some people may miss work due to intoxication, or because they’re hungover.  This can lead to unemployment, and even homelessness. Some will miss appointments and time with others, causing relationship problems, and divorce. And others may be unable to control anger which can lead to domestic abuse, and criminality.

Alcohol’s chemical compound is ethanol.  This affects brain chemistry, making people feel panicked because of how it impacts the chemical GABA, which helps us relax. When people drink small amounts of alcohol, GABA can be stimulated, causing a relaxing effect.  But, heavy consumption depletes GABA, which results in feelings of tension and panic.

When people become used to a chemical, whether that’s in the form of a drug (including alcohol), or food, they can start to have cravings for it.  As our bodies get used to the drug, we develop tolerance, dependency, and addiction, resulting in physiological and psychological withdrawal symptoms if we attempt to reduce or stop consumption.