FOR SHORT TERM

The following are the short-term consequences of alcohol misuse:

• Injuries and accidents which requires medical attention, such a head injury
• Engaging in aggressive behaviour and suffering from violence
• Sexual activity without protection that may result in an unforeseen pregnancy or STDs (STIs)
• loss of personal belongings like smartphones wallets, or keys
• Alcohol poisoning, which can result in vomiting, convulsions, and unconsciousness

Binge drinkers are more prone to act recklessly and run a higher risk of getting into accidents because they consume large amounts of alcohol over a short period of time.

FOR LONG TERM

Alcoholism raises your likelihood of developing major health problems, such as:

• Stroke
• Liver cancer
• Breast cancer
• Liver disease
• Bowel cancer
• Pancreatitis
• Heart disease
• Mouth cancer
• Digestive problem

In addition, long-term alcohol addiction can result in major health issues as well as social issues for some people, including, divorce, domestic violence, unemployment, and homelessness.

Dependent drinking occurs when a person loses control of their drinking and has an excessive desire to drink (alcoholism).

Although a person's relationships and quality of life are typically impacted by dependent drinking, they may not always find it simple to recognise or accept this.

Drinkers who are extremely dependent on alcohol are frequently able to tolerate drinking at levels that would be harmful for some individuals or even kill some people.

When a dependent drinker abruptly cuts back or stops drinking, they frequently experience physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms, such as:

• Sweating
• Hallucination (Seeing objects or things that are unreal)
• Hand tremors – "the shakes"
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Insomnia (Difficulty in sleeping)

To prevent withdrawal symptoms, this frequently results in "relief drinking."