As a result, in addition to breaking the law, these teens are particularly vulnerable to the various problems that alcohol can cause. Alcohol goes directly into the bloodstream, which is why it has effects on every system in the body. Heavy drinking can cause cirrhosis and cancer of the liver. Children in families with alcoholic members are at a higher risk for alcoholism. Excessive drinking can decrease the amount of testosterone in a man's body and cause impotence.
Alcohol abuse can lead to both homicides and suicides.
Long-term effects of heavy alcohol use include loss of appetite, vitamin deficiencies, stomach ailments, sexual impotence, liver damage, heart and central nervous system damage, and memory loss. Chances are if you're even asking the question, you have a drinking problem. Talk to a school counselor, a friend, or a parent, and check the back of this pamphlet for some valuable resource information. Alcohol blocks the messages going to your brain and alters your perceptions and emotions, vision, hearing, and coordination. Some people who are shy in social situations who use alcohol to loosen up, frequently end up making fools of themselves and doing things that they later regret.