Alissa Meza
English 2 Block 1
Ms. McKoy
Exploratory Essay
Most of us know that drinking too much can lead to car accidents, addictions or worse. We know drinking a little can make us giggly or weepy, lose our balance or lose our lunch. Feel extremely hungry the morning after or want nothing more than to be still in a dark room until that terrible pounding headache dies down. Few of us know much more than the above, especially when it comes to what's actually going on inside the body to create these reactions. In fact, alcohol even in the smallest doses, affects nearly every system in the body from the brain to circulation to immunity. While at low to moderate doses, alcohol does seem to provide certain health benefits -- including a longer life and a healthier heart. At higher doses, drinking carries with it the risk for long-term effects and permanent damage (“Huffington Post”).
Permanent damages that occur after consuming alcohol are physical or health wise. Health issues that are represented in the article The Effects of Alcohol in the Body, says that when the brain stem, which functions the body to keep us alive, is overdosed with alcohol it can result to death. Then the more you drink your cerebellum is disrupted, leading to balance problems, slower reaction time and slurred speech. Physical damage is seen in car crashes that have happened because of drunk driving, but also shown in the behavior of a person consuming alcohol.
Drinking alcohol affects the body in many ways, these effects can lead to physical and mental changes. People under the influence of alcohol readily admit their reaction time is slower than when not drinking, and they take many chances they would never take when sober. Too often those chances are fatal. That can put alcohol users and others at risk of injury or death. Possible dangers include falls, household accidents, and car crashes. Also depending on how much is taken and the physical condition of the individual, alcohol can cause many illnesses.
Many illnesses are caused by drinking which is capable of damaging nearly every organ and system in the body (“Wikipedia”). Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver and poor liver function. Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas. Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to fracture. At the end these illnesses usually end up killing us because of so much harm done.
Alcohol distorts a person’s perceptions and judgment which creates negative conflicts in life. So to prevent any tragedy it is the best for us to think before acting (“Drug Free World”). Am I going to willingly hurt myself? Do you care enough to just throw your life away? Is the path you’re taking now leading you to your death? But the main question is why do it when you know the consequences? So before taking any amount of alcohol, think of the possible ways you are harming yourself and others after drinking.
Work Cited
"Alcohol Use and Older Adults." NIHSeniorHealth:. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Sept. 2013.
"Drug Free World: Substance & Alcohol Abuse, Education & Prevention." Drug Free World: Substance & Alcohol Abuse, Education & Prevention. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Sept. 2013.
Klein, Sarah. "The Effects Of Alcohol In The Body (INFOGRAPHIC)." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 28 Dec. 2012. Web. 04 Sept. 2013.
"Long-term Effects of Alcohol." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 09 June 2013. Web. 10 Sept. 2013.
