Moderate to high doses of alcohol cause marked impairments in higher mental functions, severely altering the person's ability to learn and remember information. Very high doses can cause respiratory depression and death. But if combined with other depressants of the central nervous system, it takes a much lower dose of alcohol to produce these effects. Repeated use of alcohol can lead to dependence. Sudden cessation of alcohol intake is likely to produce withdrawal symptoms, including severe anxiety, tremors, hallucinations, and convulsions.
Alcohol withdrawal can be life-threatening.
Long-term consumption of large quantities of alcohol, particularly when combined with poor nutrition, can also lead to permanent damage to vital organs such as the brain and liver. Women who drink alcohol during pregnancy may give birth to infants with fetal alcohol syndrome. These infants have irreversible physical abnormalities and mental retardation. Copyright 2000 by College of Southern Maryland.