Playsafe in Glasgow

Short term

Short term down-sides of excessive alcohol consumption are vulnerability to accidents or harm, involvement in crime, risky behaviour, risks of pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Infections, weight-gain, dehydration and poor sleep.

• If you have had too much to drink, you are at much greater risk of having an accident, or coming to harm because you are vulnerable and especially if you are alone.
• With too much to drink, you or your friends may become involved in alcohol-related crime and violence as the perpetrator or the victim. 1 in 10 Accident & Emergency admissions in Scotland can be attributed to alcohol.
• Alcohol affects your thoughts and feelings in ways that can make you less considered about what you say and you may end up doing things you later regret. It has depressant qualities and many people who attempt or complete suicide drink before doing so.
• There can be immediate health effects such as unplanned pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Infections.
• Weight–gain can be considerable – drinks are calorific and, just like foods, especially if you consume large amounts. See the Weight For It Leaflet.
• Alcohol dehydrates the body generally, including the skin, causing it to looks grey, pale and tired. All that and tired eyes – not attractive
• It can disrupt your sleep, wakefulness in the wee small hours, causing you to be and again, to look tired.

Long term

In the longer term, drinking too much alcohol can harm your physical and mental health, also. As well as affecting your weight, looks and sleep, heavy drinking can lead to a wide range of serious conditions including high blood pressure, liver disease, strokes, cancers and brain damage.

• Liver disorders can result. The liver is essential in processing what we eat and drink and excess alcohol can damage its capacity to function permanently.
• Drinking alcohol can raise your blood pressure, weaken your heart, leading to heart failure, contribute to high levels of fats in your blood - which are linked to heart disease, cause irregular heart rhythms, contribute to weight gain. Sustained weight gain puts additional pressure on your heart making you more prone to a heart attack, also to the risk of the onset of diabetes.
• If you smoke and drink, your risks of many major health conditions, such as cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke, are multiplied.
• Your chances of parenthood can be reduced as alcohol lowers sperm count in men and fertility in women.
• 1 in 5 patients discharged from psychiatric units have an alcohol-related diagnosis, heavy drinkers can also suffer brain damage. This is permanent.