03/08/2025
Below is a concise overview of the main dangers linked to alcohol abuse—covering what happens right away, what builds up over the years, and how drinking harms not only the person who drinks but everyone around them.
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1. Immediate (short-term) dangers
What can go wrong Why it happens
Injuries & deaths from crashes, falls, burns and drownings Alcohol dulls reaction time, balance and vision. Up to 13 % of deaths among 20- to 39-year-olds are alcohol-related.
Violence, assault & risky s*xual behaviour Lowered inhibitions make people more aggressive and more likely to have unprotected s*x, raising HIV and STI risk.
Alcohol poisoning A high blood-alcohol level can slow breathing, trigger seizures and coma, and be fatal if untreated.
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2. Long-term health effects
Liver disease – fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Heart and circulation problems – high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, stroke and arrhythmias.
Cancer – at least seven sites (mouth, throat, oesophagus, liver, bowel/rectum and female breast); alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen, the highest risk category.
Brain and nervous-system damage – learning and memory problems, dementia, depression, anxiety, peripheral neuropathy and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
Pancreatitis, gastritis and weakened immunity – leaving you more prone to TB, pneumonia and other infections.
Alcohol-use disorder (AUD) – dependence that reshapes brain reward pathways and is strongly linked to su***de.
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3. Pregnancy & child development
Even small amounts of alcohol in pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), leading to lifelong physical, cognitive and behavioural disabilities in the child.
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4. Social, economic & family harms
Impact on others Examples
Road-traffic injuries Drunk drivers kill or injure passengers, pedestrians and cyclists.
Family violence & neglect Intimate-partner violence and child abuse rise sharply with heavy drinking.
Lost productivity & poverty Absenteeism, workplace accidents, job loss and medical costs strain households and national economies.
Globally, alcohol caused about 2.6 million deaths in 2019—4.7 % of all deaths. Men bear around three-quarters of this toll.
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5. Key take-aways
No level of alcohol is completely safe. Any drinking raises cancer risk and many other hazards.
Harms grow with both how much and how often you drink, but binge-drinking (six or more drinks on one occasion) is especially dangerous.
Alcohol doesn’t just hurt the drinker; it ripples through families, communities and health systems.
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6. Getting help
1. Screening & brief advice – A quick check by a nurse, doctor or counsellor can flag risky use early.
2. Counselling – Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing or 12-step programmes such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
3. Medicines – Naltrexone, acamprosate or disulfiram, prescribed by a clinician to reduce cravings or deter drinking.
4. Support services in Zambia – You can start at any primary health-care facility, ask for the Mental Health or Substance-Use Clinic, or call us on 978121112
If you—or someone you care about—is struggling, consider talking with a health professional today. Early action dramatically improves the odds of full recovery and protects the people around you.
Your Mental Health Therapist..Tita
