Continuous heavy drinking can alter the operations of the digestive and nervous systems. If a pregnant woman drinks her unborn child may suffer from the debilitating Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. In America there are an estimated 10 million alcoholics. The 12-step recovery program Alcoholics Anonymous, established in 1935, has sought to curb abuse. The program has grown to 131 countries with 93,000 groups and 2 million members.
Alcohol is absorbed from the stomach into the bloodstream, and is then carried to the brain.
In the brain, the neurons which are exposed to alcohol do not work as efficiently, causing the depressant effects of the drug on the body. When a person's is high, the CNS is depressed which can result in coma and death. It's calculated by determining how many milligrams of alcohol are present in 100 milliliters of blood. A drink is considered to be one 1 oz shot of whiskey or other hard alcohol, one 5 oz glass of wine, or one 12 oz glass of beer. Knowing your blood alcohol level can help you gage when to seek medical help.