We all know the feeling referred to as being “drunk”, but how exactly does drinking a liquid cause us to act differently and think differently? Alcohol is just like any other liquid we consume daily, but there are side effects that come along with it. Slurred words, loss of coordination and stumbling (lots of it) are all direct results of consuming this liquid. What happens in our bodies to make us feel this way?
When alcohol is consumed, a portion of it is absorbed directly into the bloodstream. When alcohol is in your blood, it flows throughout your body and even to your brain. The effects alcohol has an a person depends on which part of the brain it reaches. When alcohol is consumed in large quantities, it can reach more parts of the brain, increasing the affects on our body and our behavior. Normally, the brain receives chemical signals from other parts of the brain but when you drink alcohol, the ethanol replaces these chemical signals and sends signals of its own. This slows down the brain and the regular cycle and flow. As mentioned in this article, once the alcohol has hit all parts of the brain it finally reaches the medulla. This is the center of responsibilities and keeps you from doing things without thinking. When this is affected, poor choices tend to be made without even remembering or recognizing what is going on (drunk verging on a blackout and losing consciousness).
Alcohol is a depressant and depresses the nerves but yet makes people lively, confident and talkative. It can make people feel good or bad. This brief video clip describes how alcohol makes it’s way through the body, affecting all of our decisions. Think before you drink!!
Sources:
http://io9.com/5939522/how-does-alcohol-get-you-drunk
I really enjoyed reading this article cause I myself was going to write a blog on this very subject but decided on another subject instead so very glad that someone else decided to. I remembered learning about this in health class in 8th grade but it was nice to get a little refresher on what is actually happen when you consume alcohol and start feeling drunk effects, especially since we are not college students and in the presence of alcohol all the time. Your video clip you incorporated made it very easy to understand how it works and i too have attached a brief video clip on the effects of being drunk to your brain.
click me
The balance of chemicals in the brain are also linked to alcoholism. It is more common for someone to become addicted to alcohol if they are depressed or they have low self esteem. Alcohol effects chemicals in the brain such as dopamine. This causes our body to crave alcohol to avoid the negative thoughts.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/alcoholism2.htm