While some research suggests that
small amounts of alcohol may have beneficial cardiovascular
effects, there is widespread agreement that heavier drinking
can lead to health problems. Short-term effects include memory
loss, hangovers, and blackouts.
Long-term problems associated with heavy drinking include stomach
ailments, heart problems, cancer, brain damage, serious memory
loss, and liver cirrhosis. Heavy drinkers also markedly increase
their chances of dying from automobile accidents, homicide,
and suicide. Although men are much more likely than women to
develop alcoholism, women's health suffers more, even at lower
levels of consumption. Drinking problems also have a very
negative impact on mental health. Alcohol abuse and alcoholism
can worsen existing conditions such as depression or induce
new problems such as serious memory loss, depression, or anxiety.
Furthermore, alcohol problems don not only hurt the drinker.
Spouses and children of heavy drinkers are more likely to
be subjected to family violence, children are more likely
to suffer physical and sexual abuse and neglect and are more
likely to develop psychological problems. Women who drink
during pregnancy run a serious risk of damaging their fetuses.
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