What Is Excessive Alcohol Use?

Excessive alcohol consumption is risky behavior that can lead to long-term health problems. If you have ever had an alcohol-induced blackout, it may be easy to ignore it by saying it’s an ordinary part of the drinking culture. If it’s not something that happens, it may seem like nothing major. But, this risky behavior of binge drinking, regardless of how often it happens, can lead not only to dangerous situations.

The Center for Disease Prevention (CDC) found that around 88,000 people die each year from alcohol-related causes. This is including alcohol accidents and chronic health problems such as liver cancer. Also, excessive drinking is the cause of 10% of deaths in individuals aged 20-64.

What is Excessive Drinking?

While there are definitions of what is reasonable alcohol use, many health professionals would actually say that it is not reasonable alcohol consumption. But, the American Dietary Guidelines accept no more than 1 standard drink per day for women and 2 per day for men.
A person’s liver can process 1 standard drink or 17.74 mL (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol per hour. Usually, it contains 17.74 mL of pure alcohol:

350 mL of beer or a single bottle of 5% alcohol.

236 mL malt liquor with 7% alcohol content.

147 mL wine with 12% alcohol content.

44.36 mL of hard liquor or a single shot with a 40% alcohol content.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) classifies excessive drinking over a two-hour period into 4 or more alcoholic beverages for women and 5 or more alcoholic beverages for men. According to the Center for Disease Prevention and Prevention (CDC), excessive drinking is a serious but preventable problem in the United States. This cost $ 249 billion in health, workplace productivity, and trials in 2010.

Chronic Health Effects of Excessive Drinking

High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, and Stroke

Excessive drinking can cause heart disease. These including cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease), irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and stroke.

Liver disease

Heavy alcohol use damages the liver and can lead to fatty liver disease (steatosis), hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis.

Cancer

Excessive alcohol use can be found in cancers of the mouth and throat, throat (larynx), esophagus, colon and rectum, liver, and breast (in women). The less alcohol a person drinks, the lower the risk.

Immediate Health Effects of Excessive Drinking

Injuries, Violence, and Poisoning

Drinking too much alcohol can cause traffic accidents, falls, choking, and burns. Also use violence, including murder, suicide, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence. Alcohol is also poisoned by opioids and other substances, in overdoses.

Unwanted Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections

Heavy drinking is higher in unprotected sex and having many sex partners. This is peace of mind and thinking about sexually transmitted, including HIV.

Poor Pregnancy Outcomes

There is no ‘safe’ use of alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol use during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol spectrums in babies. He may also experience miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, and sudden infant death syndrome.