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What Are The Short Term And Long Term Effects Of Alcohol?

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Posted on Thu, 7 Nov 2013
Question: What are the short-term and long-term bodily effects of alcohol. What are the possible biases that might your affect your understanding and presentation of this information? What is the etiologies of an alcohol-use problem that includes withdrawal as a symptom?
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Answered by Dr. Srikanth Reddy (55 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Answers as per the questions asked.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for the query and I would try my best to help you with these issues.
1) What are the short-term and long-term bodily effects of alcohol.
Short term effects of alcohol are dose dependent. In the lower doses it is a sedative and calms the nerves. It reduces the anxiety and that leads to a feel good factor. It might cause some euphoria as well. However as the dose increases there is imbalance, giddiness, loss of fine motor control, slurred speech, disinhibition, delirium and also death depending on the ose of alcohol.
Coming to the long term effects, apart from the problems of alcohol dependence there are lots of other physical health problems like hepatitis, pancreatitis, neuropathy, cerebellar degeneration, pellagra, werniceks encephalopathy, renal problems. Withdrawal of alcohol is in it self a significant problem.

2) What are the possible biases that might your affect your understanding and presentation of this information?
Bias that i can think of is, if I am myself am an alcohol user then I would justify its use. I may be in denial. But the fact that I am not an alcoholic, gives me a clear understanding of the issues. Secondly if my family member had been a suferer of alcohol dependance then that would lead to a negative bias.

3) What is the etiologies of an alcohol-use problem that includes withdrawal as a symptom?
Etiologies of alcohol use problem can be divided into three types
a) Genetic: alcohol runs in families
genetic predispositon to take alcohol
Psychiatric co-morbidities
b) Personal: Need to experiment, poor anger control, impassivity
c) Environment: Parents taking alcohol, peer pressure, availability of alcohol, poor laws.

Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
bit.ly/dr-srikanth-reddy

Wish you good health,
Kind regards
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.
Note: In case of any other concern or query related to prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or the recovery of persons with the any type of addiction or substance use, follow up with our Addiction Medicine Specialist. Click here to book a consultation now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
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Answered by
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Dr. Srikanth Reddy

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2007

Answered : 2770 Questions

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What Are The Short Term And Long Term Effects Of Alcohol?

Brief Answer:
Answers as per the questions asked.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for the query and I would try my best to help you with these issues.
1) What are the short-term and long-term bodily effects of alcohol.
Short term effects of alcohol are dose dependent. In the lower doses it is a sedative and calms the nerves. It reduces the anxiety and that leads to a feel good factor. It might cause some euphoria as well. However as the dose increases there is imbalance, giddiness, loss of fine motor control, slurred speech, disinhibition, delirium and also death depending on the ose of alcohol.
Coming to the long term effects, apart from the problems of alcohol dependence there are lots of other physical health problems like hepatitis, pancreatitis, neuropathy, cerebellar degeneration, pellagra, werniceks encephalopathy, renal problems. Withdrawal of alcohol is in it self a significant problem.

2) What are the possible biases that might your affect your understanding and presentation of this information?
Bias that i can think of is, if I am myself am an alcohol user then I would justify its use. I may be in denial. But the fact that I am not an alcoholic, gives me a clear understanding of the issues. Secondly if my family member had been a suferer of alcohol dependance then that would lead to a negative bias.

3) What is the etiologies of an alcohol-use problem that includes withdrawal as a symptom?
Etiologies of alcohol use problem can be divided into three types
a) Genetic: alcohol runs in families
genetic predispositon to take alcohol
Psychiatric co-morbidities
b) Personal: Need to experiment, poor anger control, impassivity
c) Environment: Parents taking alcohol, peer pressure, availability of alcohol, poor laws.

Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
bit.ly/dr-srikanth-reddy

Wish you good health,
Kind regards
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.