Alcohol is a toxic depressant drug that can have severe short-term and long-term negative consequences on the body, including addiction, heart problems, liver disease, cancer, and changes in brain structure. It even puts you at increased risk of dying due to violence or accidents.

Scientific evidence has proven that even modest alcohol consumption reduces lifespan significantly (6.86 years), according to a study published in Nature Scientific Reports entitled Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Lifespan by Zhu, Liduzi Jiesisibieke and Schooling, Mary C.

Alcohol may be a socially acceptable drug that people use to “take the edge off”, but the truth is that it is a dangerous drug that damages your health while producing no positive benefit.

Alcohol is the most commonly misused drug on Earth, and it leads to a range of socio-economic, physical, and mental health problems. It affects people’s decision-making, overall health, family and romantic relationships, productivity, and even legal standing.

Keep reading to learn about the short-term and long-term effects drinking can have on your body, how it impacts your physical health and mental well-being, and how to recognise the early signs that you are developing a dependence.

What Are the Short-Term Effects of Alcohol?

The short-term effects of alcohol include perceived relaxation, slower reaction time, impaired judgement, and lowered inhibitions.

In small amounts, alcohol can cause immediate effects that some people might find enjoyable, but those sensations can quickly shift into something far more negative. 

Here’s what might happen to you in the short term under the influence of alcohol:

• A feeling of relaxation or reduced anxiety
• Increased sociability
• A temporary boost in mood
• Mild euphoria or a sense of warmth
• Slowed reaction times
• Impaired judgement and decision-making
• Lowered inhibitions
• Difficulty concentrating
• Drowsiness or fatigue
• Nausea or vomiting
• Headaches
• Poor coordination and balance
• Blurred vision or slurred speech
• Memory lapses or blackouts
• Risky behaviours or emotional outbursts

It’s clear that consuming alcohol has negative short-term consequences for your motor skills, judgement, and emotional state of being. Some of the short-term effects may seem pleasurable, like reduced anxiety and increased confidence, but just 1-2 drinks can affect your coordination, while 4 or more may lead to blackouts or even provoke aggressive behaviour.

According to the study “Effects of Alcohol on Human Aggression”, by Parrott, Domic J., et al., published in Current Opinion in Psychology (2018), “alcohol intoxication produces key neuropsychological changes that alter executive functioning and impede self-regulatory capacities in ways that tip the balance towards an aggressive response.”

Even if you feel good at first, the effects of alcohol can change quickly and spiral out of your control before you realise it.

What Are the Long-Term Effects of Alcohol?

Alcohol damages nearly every organ and system of your body, from your brain development and emotional processing to your liver, kidneys, heart, stomach, and even reproductive organs. It leads to addiction, heart failure, depression, and liver disease, among many other conditions.

Alcohol plays a causal role in over 200 diseases, according to the World Health Organisation.

Drinking regularly, even in small amounts, can eventually lead to damaging effects on both your body and mind, some of which may be irreversible.

The long-term effects of alcohol consumption on the body include:

• Liver damage, including fatty liver, hepatitis, and cirrhosis
• Increased risk of high blood pressure and heart disease
• Weakened immune system and slower recovery from illness
• Permanent changes in brain structure and function
• Memory loss and difficulty concentrating
• Mood disorders like anxiety and depression
• Sleep disturbances and chronic fatigue
• Higher risk of certain cancers, including liver, breast, and colon cancer
• Digestive issues, including ulcers and chronic acid reflux
• Hormonal imbalances and reproductive problems

Treating Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or socio-economic status. Recognising alcohol addiction is the critical first step towards recovery; seeking professional help for Addiction is the second. In addition, timely intervention and the right treatment and rehabilitation approach are equally important factors to a successful recovery.

Rehabilitation usually involves detoxification followed by behavioural counselling and therapy. Medications may also be prescribed to prevent relapse. The key to effective treatment lies in continuous care, ensuring that the client remains abstinent and learns practical strategies to cope with cravings.

As noted in the NIAAA Director’s Report on Institute Activities to the 136th Meeting of the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2014), “excessive alcohol consumption has the potential to adversely affect multiple organ systems including the liver, brain, heart, pancreas, lung, kidney, endocrine and immune systems, as well as bone and skeletal muscle.”

And while it may start with an occasional drink to relax or unwind, repeated exposure to alcohol can rewire your brain’s reward system, making it harder for you to stop, even when negative effects start to appear. This is clinically known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), but you may know it by the term “alcoholism”.

The effects of alcohol on your body and mind don’t end when you sober up. The longer and more often you drink, the higher the risks, and the harder it becomes for you to reverse the damage.

How Alcohol Affects Your Physical Health

From the moment alcohol enters your body, it starts affecting nearly every system in your body. And while you might not notice the damage right away, over time, those effects can even become life-threatening.

By drinking regularly and excessively, you may encounter the following problems:

Weight gain and liver damage

Alcohol is high in calories but low in nutrients. Regular drinking can lead you to unwanted weight gain and fat buildup around your organs, especially your liver. Over time, this can cause fatty liver disease, hepatitis, or even cirrhosis (a condition that scars and permanently damages the liver).

Weakened immune system

Drinking too much weakens your immune response, making it harder for your body to fight off infections. You may find yourself getting sick more often or struggling to heal after injuries.

Heart and blood pressure problems

While a glass of wine might seem heart-healthy, long-term alcohol use can lead to high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), or a serious weakening of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy).

Digestive issues and stomach problems

Alcohol irritates your stomach lining, which can lead to acid reflux, ulcers, or chronic inflammation in your digestive tract. It also disrupts your gut microbiome (the community of bacteria that helps with digestion and overall health).

Hormonal imbalances

Alcohol disrupts your hormones, especially the ones responsible for managing stress, metabolism, and sexual function. In men, this might mean reduced testosterone levels and fertility issues. In women, it can affect menstrual cycles and increase the risk of breast cancer.

Nutrient deficiencies

Alcohol interferes with how your body absorbs important nutrients like B vitamins, folic acid, and magnesium. That means you could be eating well but still feeling fatigued, weak, or mentally foggy because your body isn’t getting what it needs.

Alcohol is toxic, destructive, and potentially fatal. It’s one of the leading causes of preventable deaths each year (behind smoking).

Research from the World Health Organization states that alcohol contributes to about 5.3% of all global deaths every year, as reported in the Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health (2018).

As damaging as alcohol is to you physically, it’s just as dangerous to mental health as well. That’s what we’ll cover next.

How Does Alcohol Affect Your Mental Health?

Alcohol is a depressant drug that eventually leads to depression, anxiety, brain damage, and addiction or dependence.

While a single drink might make you feel more relaxed or confident, alcohol interferes with how your brain processes emotions, decision-making, and stress. 

In this case, your mental well-being faces a number of threats, such as:

• You might feel a brief lift in your mood, but it’s often followed by emotional crashes
• After drinking, you may notice a spike in anxiety or feel more on edge than usual
• You could have a harder time focusing or thinking clearly
• Alcohol can disrupt your sleep, leaving you with restless nights or vivid, unsettling dreams
• You may become more irritable or angry or experience sudden mood shifts
• If you struggle with depression, drinking can make your symptoms worse
• Feelings of guilt, shame, or hopelessness can creep in, especially the morning after
• You might act more impulsively or take risks you wouldn’t normally consider
• Handling stress or personal challenges can become more difficult
• Over time, you’re at greater risk of developing a full-blown substance use disorder
• In extreme cases, you could experience alcohol-related psychosis or even hallucinations

This happens because alcohol disrupts the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are responsible for regulating mood and controlling emotions. Over time, this imbalance can worsen existing mental health problems or even trigger new ones.

As detailed in the study “Associations of Common Mental Disorder with Alcohol Use in the Adult General Population” by Puddephatt, Jo-Anne, et al., published in Addiction (2021), “individuals with common mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and phobias were found to be twice as likely to report an alcohol use disorder compared to those without such conditions (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.72–2.36)”. These findings highlight a strong association between poor mental health and problematic alcohol use in the general population. Meanwhile, the WHO warns that alcohol use is a significant risk factor for suicide, especially among young adults.

Even if you drink to “numb” emotional pain or social anxiety, the relief is temporary and often followed by a rebound effect that leaves you feeling worse. The mental crash from drinking alcohol is more than a hangover. It’s your brain’s attempt to rebalance itself after a chemical crash. 

If you’re noticing changes in your mood, sleep, or ability to cope with stress, alcohol might be playing a bigger role than you realise. This is an obvious sign for you that it is time to stop drinking and seek help.

How to Know If You Have a Problem With Alcohol

Recognising the signs of addiction can be difficult, especially when drinking is normalised in your social circle or used as a way to cope with stress. But if alcohol begins to affect your health, relationships, or daily life, it may be time for you to think if there is a deeper problem. Understanding what alcohol abuse looks like is the first step to making positive changes in your life.

Key Signs of Alcoholism

Alcohol-related issues don’t always mean drinking every day. Sometimes it’s about how much, how often, and why you drink. Here are some important points to pay attention to:

• You often drink more than you planned
• You feel a strong urge to drink, especially when stressed, anxious, or upset
• You’ve tried to cut back or quit altogether but have been unable to do so
• Alcohol is causing you problems at work, school, or in relationships, and you keep drinking anyway
• You need more alcohol to get the same effect, or you feel odd or sick without it
• You blackout or forget things after drinking
• You lie about your drinking or hide it from others
• You feel guilty, ashamed, or anxious about your drinking habits

Even if just a few of these things feel familiar to you, it may be a sign that alcohol is becoming more than just a “social habit”.

When Occasional Drinking Becomes a Bad Habit

There’s a difference between moderate drinking and alcohol use disorder (AUD), but the line can be blurry. Studies have shown that many people with AUD still go to work, take care of their families, and appear “functional”, but their bodies and minds tell a different story.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines AUD as a chronic brain disorder characterised by compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over intake, and a negative emotional state when not using.

What Treatment Looks Like When You’re Ready for a Change

If any of the signs mentioned above feel familiar to you, know that help is available and recovery is always possible. With prolonged abstinence, many of the physical and mental issues associated with long-term alcohol use can even begin to reverse.

Treatment for alcohol use disorder doesn’t look the same for everyone. Some people find success with outpatient counselling or support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), while others may need inpatient care or medication to manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, and other psychology-based methods can help you uncover the deeper reasons behind your drinking and develop healthier coping skills.

In some other cases, medications like naltrexone, acamprosate, or disulfiram can reduce alcohol cravings or support long-term sobriety.

Whatever path you choose, remember this: it’s never too late to step back and return to a healthy, fulfilling life without alcohol.

How The Cabin Can Help Treat Alcoholism

If you’re worried about the damage alcohol is causing to your body and ready to make a change, that’s an important realisation. And we are here to help.

The Cabin is Asia’s longest-running and most respected rehabilitation clinic, and we’ve helped countless thousands of people around the world recover from alcohol use disorder. Many have reversed the long-term damage to their minds and bodies and are now living happy, healthy, alcohol-free lives.

Treatment at our clinic in northern Thailand is often far more affordable than any treatment in the Western world AND far more comprehensive. But even if you don’t wish to attend our treatment centre, we can still find you help (online or offline) in your local area.

Contact us today for your free evaluation call. We will help find you the treatment you need anywhere in the world, even if it’s not with us.

Learn more about The Cabin Chiang Mai’s effective treatment programme for alcohol addiction. Contact us today.