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Alcohol is one of the largest drug addictions in our world today. Most of us are guilty of a few drinks a week, but others tend to indulge even more often and do not see this as a problem, perhaps because alcohol is considered socially acceptable in most societies. Alcohol is considered a depressant because it slows down the body’s nervous system. In turn, this impairs co ordination, reaction time, and slows body movements.

To understand the affect that alcoholic beverages really have on the body, we must first look at how it is processed. When a person takes a drink of a beverage with alcohol in it, it first enters the stomach and small intestine. The majority is absorbed through the small intestine, with the rest being absorbed through the stomach. The alcohol is then metabolized by the liver, and is broken down by enzymes. The liver can only process one ounce (one shot!) of alcohol per hour. By consuming more than this, as the majority of people do on a night out, will fill your blood and body tissues with the excess amounts that cause numerous health issues. For a person that consumes alcohol over time, there is a large amount of damage done to virtually every organ in the body. Alcohol is related to over half of esophagus cancers, destroys numerous brain cells, a large contributor to heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure, and makes the drinker more susceptible to lung conditions such as pulmonary infections. If this isn’t enough to deter you from drinking, alcohol consumption inhibits the absorption of nutrients that the body needs to stay healthy. In order to keep your body healthy, it is recommended to do a complete cleanse about four times a year.

Unfortunately the effects of alcoholism do not only affect the person with an alcoholism problem, but can impact their family and friends as well. Alcohol abusers or problem drinkers drink too much on a regular basis, and this can and will pose obstacles in their relationship with those around them that do not rely on alcohol. Many people can only treat their alcoholism with help and knowledge on the disease. For more information on the signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse, click here .