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Many of us drink alcohol to relax and socialise. But drinking too much alcohol can negatively affect your physical and mental health, your actions, and your decision-making. There are many short and long-term side effects of alcohol consumption. Show
Why is alcohol a health issue?Many Australians drink some alcohol. Some people drink alcohol in amounts that are harmful to their health. This kind of drinking can cause death, disease, and injury. This is a major factor in ill health and social harm in Australia. One standard drink contains 10 grams of pure alcohol, which is found in (approximately):
No level of alcohol consumption can be considered safe. To reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury for healthy adults:
But some people need to take more care. You are at greater risk of harm from alcohol if you are:
During pregnancy, and while breastfeeding, no level of drinking is considered safe for the baby. Drinking heavily can put you at risk of short-term injury or illness. The negative side effects of alcohol can also accumulate, harming your health over your lifetime. To avoid the negative effects of alcohol, you should practice safe drinking and manage your alcohol intake. What are the short-term health effects of alcohol?In Australia, 1 in 3 people drink more than they should on a single occasion. This is commonly referred to as ‘binge drinking’ (drinking more than 4 standard drinks on any one occasion). In the short term, drinking too much alcohol can cause side effects, including:
What are the long-term health effects of alcohol?Drinking more than 2 standard drinks a day can seriously affect your physical and mental health over your lifetime. The side effects of alcohol include dependence and addiction, especially in people who have depression or anxiety. It can also increase the risk of suicide. Regular, heavy alcohol consumption can also result in unhealthy weight gain. Even drinking small amounts of alcohol increases your cancer risk. The negative effects of alcohol can impact your body long term. Here are some ways that regular heavy drinking can affect your physical health.
Excessive alcohol consumption is also a major factor in road and other accidents, violence, and crime. According to the National Drug Household Survey in 2019:
What is a hangover?A hangover is the experience of unpleasant symptoms after drinking alcohol. Usually, the more you drink, the worse the hangover will be. Some people get a hangover after just one drink. Others may drink heavily and not experience a hangover at all. It depends on your body, and how it processes alcohol. The symptoms of a hangover can include the following.
Can you 'cure' a hangover?Hangover cures are generally a myth. There are no cures for a hangover. All you can do is take steps to ease the symptoms and wait until it goes away.
Tips to avoid a hangoverTo avoid a hangover, don't drink more than you know your body can cope with. If you're not sure how much that is, be careful. Drink in moderation. In Australia, alcoholic beverages are required by law to state the approximate number of standard drinks they contain on the label. This includes all bottles, cans, and casks. Once you know how much alcohol a standard drink contains, you can keep track of what you're consuming. You may be surprised! A couple of glasses of wine can quickly add up to a lot more than you intended to drink. To reduce your chances of getting a hangover:
Resources and supportDrinkwise is an organisation established by the alcohol industry to encourage a healthier and safer drinking culture in Australia. To find out more about how alcohol affects your health, you can use the DrinkWise tool. For trusted information about reducing the risk of alcohol use you can consult the NHMRC Alcohol Guidelines. How does alcohol affect the society?Beyond health consequences, the harmful use of alcohol brings significant social and economic losses to individuals and society at large. Alcohol consumption causes death and disability relatively early in life. In people aged 20–39 years, approximately 13.5% of total deaths are attributable to alcohol.
What are 3 effects of alcohol on social behavior?Abstract. Drinking alcohol clearly has important effect on social behaviors, such as increasing aggression, self-disclosure, sexual adventuresomeness, and so on. Research has shown that these effects can stem from beliefs we hold about alcohol effects.
What are 3 things that influence the effects of alcohol on someone?How alcohol affects you can depend on a range of factors, including your:. mental and physical health.. medical conditions.. use of other drugs and medications.. What are 4 things that influence the effects of alcohol?Genetics, body weight, gender, age, what type of beverage, food in your stomach, medications in your system, and your state of health, influence how people respond to alcohol.
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