2008 Woodie Awards
The reality behind a fun, drunken night
Ana Castellanos
Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: Health
While many find it funny and amusing to get wasted and pass out, it is actually a really serious matter, especially when you can't even remember what you did the night before.
Every year more than 2,000 young people die in alcohol related car crashes, more than 30 percent of unplanned pregnancies occur while under the influence of alcohol, and many sexual assaults happen because of alcohol abuse. Not so funny any more, right?
Try to imagine how badly a person is affected to forget what they did for more than a couple hours. When alcohol enters the bloodstream through the stomach and makes its way into the small intestine, it travels to every organ of your body,including the liver, pancreas, lungs, and brain. Even a very small amount of alcohol, can affect the brain by slowing down a person's judgment and reactions. Long term drinking can cause problems with a persons memory, thoughts, and concentration and can also affect the voice box, which includes the throat, mouth esophagus and larynx.
The skin and eyes are affected. Drinking alcohol causes the blood vessels in your face, head, and chest to break and become noticeable. A person under the influence of alcohol can lose control over their bladder, coordination and balance. Drinking too much and too fast can lead to alcohol poisoning. Thats when you see people throwing up and passing out; in some extreme and not very lucky cases, the lugs or heart will stop working and that can lead to a coma.
Alcohol not only affects those who are heavy drinkers. Even if you consider yourself a social or on an ocacassional drinker, alcohol will slowly affect your body, and it is very likely that you will become addicted. Your alcohol tolerance will get bigger, and even though you may hear from your friends it's a good thing, it really isn't.
To get the buzz you used to get with a few shots, or a couple of beers, you will have to consume more than that.
Which results in spending more money on getting your booze, greater health risks, and it's a warning sign that a person is sadly becoming an alcoholic.
So whether you choose to drink daily, weekly, or once in a while, be aware of the damage you are causing your body.
You don't have to drink to have fun, even if your friends are, remember that drinking doesn't solve problems it only makes them worse. If you choose to drink be responsible about it, and remember 'dont drink and drive.
Every year more than 2,000 young people die in alcohol related car crashes, more than 30 percent of unplanned pregnancies occur while under the influence of alcohol, and many sexual assaults happen because of alcohol abuse. Not so funny any more, right?
Try to imagine how badly a person is affected to forget what they did for more than a couple hours. When alcohol enters the bloodstream through the stomach and makes its way into the small intestine, it travels to every organ of your body,including the liver, pancreas, lungs, and brain. Even a very small amount of alcohol, can affect the brain by slowing down a person's judgment and reactions. Long term drinking can cause problems with a persons memory, thoughts, and concentration and can also affect the voice box, which includes the throat, mouth esophagus and larynx.
The skin and eyes are affected. Drinking alcohol causes the blood vessels in your face, head, and chest to break and become noticeable. A person under the influence of alcohol can lose control over their bladder, coordination and balance. Drinking too much and too fast can lead to alcohol poisoning. Thats when you see people throwing up and passing out; in some extreme and not very lucky cases, the lugs or heart will stop working and that can lead to a coma.
Alcohol not only affects those who are heavy drinkers. Even if you consider yourself a social or on an ocacassional drinker, alcohol will slowly affect your body, and it is very likely that you will become addicted. Your alcohol tolerance will get bigger, and even though you may hear from your friends it's a good thing, it really isn't.
To get the buzz you used to get with a few shots, or a couple of beers, you will have to consume more than that.
Which results in spending more money on getting your booze, greater health risks, and it's a warning sign that a person is sadly becoming an alcoholic.
So whether you choose to drink daily, weekly, or once in a while, be aware of the damage you are causing your body.
You don't have to drink to have fun, even if your friends are, remember that drinking doesn't solve problems it only makes them worse. If you choose to drink be responsible about it, and remember 'dont drink and drive.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Jason B.
posted 10/02/07 @ 5:10 PM NA
I can thank alcohol for getting me laid the first time!
Thanks Alcohol
Candace Vaughn
posted 10/16/07 @ 9:21 AM NA
Jesus, some sort of officer should have come to school and told us this in 5th grade!
Candace Vaughn
posted 10/16/07 @ 9:23 AM NA
If anything write a story about the creep above.
Pedro
posted 10/28/07 @ 7:31 PM NA
You offer no sort of new information that we haven't learned from those cheesy 1980's warning videos most of us suffered in 8th grade. It sounds like you went on wikipedia and just spit out whatever you read. (Continued…)
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