Long-term health effects of drinking alcohol

When a young person drinks alcohol often, this has an impact on the young person's health and well-being. Depending on how much is taken and the physical condition of the young person, drinking alcohol could have long-term effects on their health that may include:

Depression

Alcohol is an anxiety inducing drug which may lead to depression and this will affect the young person's ability to cope with life’s problems.

Diabetes

Drinking a lot of alcohol may cause diabetes as alcohol affects the levels of sugar in the blood, especially if drinking alcohol with high levels of sugar, e.g. alcopops.

Liver problems, such as cirrhosis

The liver cannot cope with excessive amounts of alcohol as it becomes over-worked and eventually tires and finds it difficult to function properly.

Heart problems

Drinking alcohol can lead to heart problems as too much pressure is put on the heart to function properly. This could lead on to high blood pressure and developing diseases of the heart.

Obesity

Drinking alcohol may lead to a poor diet as the body craves fatty foods such as chips and crisps when alcohol has been taken. This may lead to obesity/weight problems in the future.

Check out the CCEA GCSE Learning for Life and Work Second Edition Textbook to find out more or check out: My Revision Notes: CCEA GCSE Learning for Life and Work: Second Edition

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