What does long-term drinking mean?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Long term means continual repeated behavior that is sustained over days, weeks and years. Chronic, not acute effects result from long term abuse. Most typically, long term implies years of sustained alcoholic abuse behavior.

Re: serious effects. Addiction is the start as the body needs (physically) and wants (psychologically) alcohol to function. The long term physical effects begin (and this varies with the individual) when body functions and processes are compromised such as digestive problems, liver failures or heart stress, respiratory and renal failure.

Mental and psychological effects are another issue with alcohol abuse. Loss of rational thinking, black outs, relationship difficulties, promiscuity, occupational issues and dementia are all potential long term problematic issues.

Years of seeing good people self-destruct.