What are the Short-Term and Long-Term Risks?

Remember: alcohol is never an excuse for your behavior. You are still held accountable for what you do under the influence. Here you can find information outlining both long and short term effects of alcohol usage. 

Short-Term Health Effects, or "Co-Risks"

• Mood swings
• Accidents and injuries
• Hangovers
• Diminished academic performance
• Legal trouble
• Stong correlation between alcohol misuse and mental health diagnoses - there is a bi-directional relationship between substance use and mental health. Use of substances shifts brain chemistry temporarily and over time can permanently shift one’s baseline. Conversely, sometimes people use substances in an attempt to self medicate and feel better, even if only for a temporary period of time.

Long-Term Health Effects

Frequent binge drinking can result in dependency and/or chronic health problems such as cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, damage to heart, liver and brain, impairments in cognitive functioning, stomach/esophagus/mouth ulcers, and various cancers. Recent research on brain development indicates that binge drinking can damage brain tissues and over time impair typical emotional and social development.