Alcoholism Effects

Alcohol reduces tension and coordination, lowers inhibitions, impairs concentration and reaction time, and slows reflexes. The frontal lobes of the brain are affected causing an overall reduction in the size of the brain and increase in size of the ventricles, not to mention other effects on the central nervous system, reticular formation, the spinal cord, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, and many neurotransmitter systems. Alcoholism causes vitamin deficiency, "Wernicke's Encephalopathy" "Korsakoff's Syndrome." Typical withdrawal symptoms include shaking (tremors), sleep problems, nausea, hallucinations and even seizures.

Symptoms

Alcoholism is mainly distinguishable by four symptoms:

• Craving: A strong need to drink.
• Loss of control: Inability to control one's drinking.
• Physical dependence: Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, occur when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking.
• Tolerance: The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to "get high.