When a person is mildly intoxicated, they will feel excited and see an increase in movement. Both gait and speech will be impaired in moderate intoxication. In severe intoxication, senses will be blocked and one's consciousness will decrease. Coma or even death may be caused. All these are the reactions of alcohol intoxication/poisoning. Even more detrimental is the dependence which develops with long-term and excessive alcohol consumption.

Dependence symptoms are physiological and psychological. As one's tolerance to alcohol increases, markedly increased amounts of alcohol is consumed more frequently to achieve intoxication and desired effects.

It results in harm to the body and mind: nutrition deficiency, anaemia, inflammation and ulcers of the stomach, cirrhosis, depression, personality deterioration, alcoholic delusion of jealously, alcoholic hallucinosis, delirium tremems, Korsakov's psychosis and even dementia.

In addition, pregnant women with alcohol dependency may give birth to children with fetal alcoholic syndrome, characterised with low body weight, cognitive deficit, and developmental delay.

Although these harmful effects have been widely proved, some people still continue to abuse alcohol, misunderstanding its effects. From next issue, we will look into the common myths of alcohol.

(This is a translation of excerpts from the Sensible Drinking Handbook. To obtain copies (in Chinese only), please contact Ms Yu of the Psychological Services Group at 2866-6206.)

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