Even One Sip of Alcohol Can Be Harmful

Alcohol is often seen as a substance seen at parties, clubs, bars, and celebrations. It's frequently associated with having a good time. However, alcohol can be a toxic drug. Upon immediate use, it can alter the chemistry in a person's brain. Alcohol can produce short-term behavioral changes in the body and the brain. However, over time, it can also produce a long-term addiction. 

Pharmacologically, alcohol is a depressant, and it is the most widely used and abused drugs in the United States. Although there is also much abuse of alcohol around the world. When consumed, alcohol is quick to slow down the function of the central nervous system. It suppresses brain activity and can act as a mild tranquilizer or a general anesthetic, depending on the amount a person drinks. In very low quantities, it can appear to a be a stimulant by curbing inhibitions.

As alcohol concentration increases, however, further suppression of nervous functions produces the classic symptoms of impairment, such as slurred speech, an unsteady gait, disrupted sensory perception, and the inability to react in a timely manner. At high concentrations, however, alcohol produces general anesthesia. An acutely impaired person can enter into a coma like state and be difficult to wake up. And actually in extreme cases, the breathing and heartbeat in a person who is intoxicated may cease, leading to death.

Essentially, alcohol impacts vision, impairs judgment, slows reaction times, and compromises a person's ability to complete two tasks at once. Because of the effects on a person, addiction specialists and drug counselors advise that there are essentially no safe limits to drinking or drug use. One sip of alcohol has its immediate effects. In essence, the same is true with drugs. Although some drugs take longer to show their effects on its users, they can still provide enough impairment on a person to create risks. 

 
The body naturally rids itself of alcohol as a rate of approximately 0.01% for every 40 minutes. Despite popular thought, the body's process of metabolizing alcohol is relatively fixed. In other words, drinking coffee, taking a cold shower, or taking other forms of herbs or medicine in order to get sober will not change anything. A person will sober up according to the timing of the body.  It's also important to know that the physiological stress of cleaning the body of alcohol contributes to the breakdown of many major anatomical systems. When the body consistently needs to clear itself of alcohol, it takes a toll on the body. 

Although alcohol is a drug that is commonly associated with celebrating, drinking it comes with many risks. If you or someone you know is affected by an addiction to alcohol, contact a mental health provider. A professional can provide guidance on various treatment methods that can assist with breaking the cycle of addiction. When a person is afflicted with addiction, getting sober is not easy. However, treatment can ease the process and provide a person with the right support.