When Heavy Drinking Results in Serious Health Problems
For more than a few years alcoholism research has demonstrated the fact that there is strong linkage between alcohol dependency and critical health conditions.
For example, in 2005, scientific research demonstrated the fact that alcohol abuse and alcoholism cost the United States an estimated $220 billion on an annual basis. Interestingly, this enormous alcohol-related cash outlay was substantially more than the cost linked with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is relevant to put emphasis on these facts, it is also important to highlight the fact that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health problems.
More explicitly, chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction are also highly correlated with obesity and with cancer.
Indeed, substance abuse examination has demonstrated the fact that alcoholism can augment the risk for different forms of cancer, especially cancer of the voice box (larynx), esophagus, liver, rectum, colon, kidneys, and throat. Hazardous and repetitive drinking can also lead to immune system difficulties and impairment to the fetus during pregnancy.
Abusive Drinking Wears Down Your Body
Additionally, if alcohol addiction continues over a period of years, the individual’s body organs will more likely than not be affected in a negative manner. As an illustration, repeated, excessive drinking is especially harmful to the liver since the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been ingested. Excessive amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and eradicates the ability of liver cells to reproduce. This medical condition results in a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver that can in due course lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a precarious and potentially fatal medical problem.
Abusive, long-term drinking not only can lead to serious liver damage, but it can also lead to damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this serious may be irreversible and may, in turn, lead to severe ill health or an early death.
The Importance of Alcohol Treatment
It is imperative, therefore, to know how to recognize the various alcoholism signs and symptoms so that the alcohol addicted individual can be given the opportunity to seek the professional alcohol counseling he or she needs.
Alcohol Addiction and Sophisticated Brain Research
Fortunately, medical investigation is persistently unearthing original and significant information. Recent alcoholism research offers a high-quality example. Stated another way, for roughly the past ten years, sophisticated brain-imaging scanning devices have shown that repetitive and long-term hazardous drinking changes the functionality of the brain to a substantial extent, thereby resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or perhaps as long as the person exists.
More exactly, medical investigation has shown that individuals who have been drinking in an excessive manner for a considerable length of time increase their risk for developing lasting and serious modifications in the brain.
This type of damage may be directly related to severe liver disease, to the alcohol s effects on the brain, or might be indirectly associated with the drinker s poor overall health.
Mental Disorders, Malnutrition, and Excessive Drinking
As a final example of diverse medical problems that are to a large extent related to alcohol addiction, consider that in accordance with medical examination, the hazardous and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a medical problem that reduces the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
This kind of organ malfunctioning is associated with malnutrition and to a variety of acute neurological and mental syndromes including sleep disturbances, memory loss, and psychosis such as Wernicke s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff s syndrome. This latter health problem is an enduring incapacitating health problem that is typified by repetitive memory and learning complications.
Conclusion
It is evident that repetitive, excessive drinking is directly or indirectly correlated with a number of serious medical conditions that can and do result in dangerous ailments and premature death. Such information needs to be emphasized and presented to everyone in our society so that a massive amount of people will be able to refrain from irresponsible drinking while others who have a drinking problem will get the professional rehab they need.
Published by Rehab Help Online
Other Relevant Posts:
Pot vs. Booze: A Former Police Chief’s Take
Alcohol abuse contributes to a multitude of long-term negative health consequences, notably cirrhosis of the liver and a variety of cancers. While a small quantity, taken daily, is being touted for its salutary health effects, …
How Does Alcohol Affect Your Health
If you drink over the recommmended daily levels often you are putting your health at risk. Alcohol abuse in large quantities increases blood pressure. Aclohol misuse is frequently related with mental health problems.
Fitness and Muscles: How to Nix Poor Health Habits
Smoking tobacco is known to cause cancer and complicates heart conditions, pregnancy, and a host of other illnesses. Alcohol also has serious effects on your health and can lead to liver disease, heart disease, and substance abuse.
Alcohol and Its Effects On Health
Alcohol and its effects on health. It is known that excessive consumption of alcohol is dangerous to the general health of human body. Abuse of alcohol can cause alcoholism, cardiovascular and liver diseases, and cancer.
Alcohol Abuse: A Serious Problem
The numerous health problems caused by the overuse of alcohol can include liver, stomach and brain damage, among others. Effects may not be seen until later in life. Alcohol can also be blamed for accidental injury or death.
Related Substance Abuse Websites
- Horse Health | House and Home
- Liver Cancer –Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
- Risky Drinkers Less Likely to Seek Medical Care
Mail this post
Tags: alcohol ad, Alcohol addiction, alcohol's effects on brain, chronic alcohol abuse, immune system difficulties, liver disease, long-term hazardous drinking, malnutrition, mental disorders, rehab, substance abuse
April 29th, 2009 at 12:54 am
[...] When Heavy Drinking Results in Serious Health Problems [...]