The Long Term Effects of Alcohol Abuse

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Excessive drinking frequently results in physical damage, commonly increases the risk of getting various illnesses and diseases, and in many instances makes other diseases worse.

As a consequence, if you want to avoid the long term effects of alcohol abuse such as unnecessary alcohol-related health problems later in life, drink in moderation or not at all.

Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Some problems, such as negative interactions with medications, driving impairment, and interpersonal relationship problems can manifest themselves after drinking over a relatively short period of time.

image: woman crying from pain of abusive and alcoholic husband Other problems, however, can develop more gradually over time and may become noticeable only after excessive drinking for an extended period of time. These are the problems that represent the long term effects of alcohol abuse.

It is also important to point out that women may develop alcohol-related health problems after ingesting less alcohol than men over a shorter time period.

Due to the fact that alcohol affects many organs in the body, long-term excessive drinking puts a person at risk for developing critical health problems.

So what is the bottom line about excessive drinking? In a word, the long term effects of alcohol abuse can lead to a gradual breakdown of different organs and systems in the body that can result in serious, if not fatal, health issues.

Alcohol-Related Liver Disease

More than 2 million American people suffer from alcohol-related liver disease. Some drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis (i.e., inflammation of the liver) as a result of long-term excessive drinking.

The symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis include the following: abdominal pain, jaundice (abnormal yellowing of the urine, skin, and the eyeballs) and fever. If the person continues drinking, alcoholic hepatitis can be fatal. If the person stops drinking, on the other hand, alcoholic hepatitis is often reversible.

Approximately 10 to 20 percent of heavy drinkers develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., scarring of the liver). Alcoholic cirrhosis can be fatal if the person continues to drink. Even though cirrhosis is irreversible, if the affected person stops drinking, his or her chances of survival can improve greatly.

Although some individuals eventually need a liver transplant as a last resort, many people with cirrhosis who quit drinking alcoholic beverages may receive treatment and may never require liver transplantation.

In many instances, people abuse drugs or alcohol in order to have "fun" or to get a "buzz." Many people, in fact, report that having a few drinks makes them feel more comfortable in social situations. The danger, however, is this: repeated alcohol or drug abuse can result in addiction.

Alcohol-Related Heart Disease

Drinking in moderation can actually have beneficial effects on the heart, especially with people who are at the greatest risk for heart attacks, such as women after menopause and men over the age of 45.

Long-term excessive drinking, however, increases the risk for some kinds of stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

In the United States, the correlation between the battering of women and alcohol abuse is the highest for men who believe that male control and power over women are acceptable in
various situations.

Alcohol-Related Cancer

Heavy, chronic drinking increases the risk of developing certain types of cancer, especially cancer of the voice box, mouth, throat, and the esophagus. Women who drink two or more drinks per day slightly increase their risk for developing breast cancer. Excessive drinking may also increase the risk for developing cancer of the rectum and the colon.

In Canada, an estimated 4% of the population over the age of 15 is dependent on alcohol and there are twice as many male alcoholics as female alcoholics. The highest rate of alcoholism in Canadians occurs between the ages of 20 and 24. In Canadian surveys, about 20% of the current and former drinkers stated that their alcoholic drinking negatively affected them, usually affecting their finances
or their jobs.

Alcohol-Related Pancreatitis

The pancreas helps regulate the body's blood sugar levels by producing insulin. In addition, the pancreas is instrumental in digesting the food people eat. Long-term excessive drinking can lead to pancreatitis (i.e.. inflammation of the pancreas).

Pancreatitis is associated with excessive weight loss and extreme abdominal pain and can lead to death.

Alcoholism researchers claim that chronic alcoholics who cannot maintain their sobriety should receive prescribed medications to treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms. By using prescribed drugs, alcoholics are less likely to experience possible seizures or brain damage.

Based on the above, it can be determined that excessive drinking can often result in physical damage, can increase the risk of getting some diseases, and can make other diseases worse. The moral of the story: if you want to avoid unnecessary health problems later in life, drink in moderation or not at all.

The Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) recovery approach may not be for everyone. As a result, other recovery approaches are available, including Christian, Jewish, and more secular programs. It is interesting to point out that people who have gained benefits from AA frequently find other programs that, in combination with AA, work best for them. Some of these programs include individual and group counseling and/or medical care.

Other Long Term Effects of Alcohol Abuse

In addition to the diseases outlined above, excessive drinking over time is also associated with the following:

loss of brain cells
epilepsy
nerve damage
irritated stomach lining and bleeding from stomach ulcers

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that there were 17,000 alcohol-related traffic fatalities in each of the last three years.

Excessive drinking has also been linked to the following:

infertility
skin problems
obesity
muscle disease
vitamin deficiency
sexual problems

The Long Term Effects of Alcohol Abuse: Conclusion

Based on the above discussion, it can be concluded that heavy chronic drinking often results in physical damage, frequently increases the risk of getting various diseases and illnesses, and commonly makes other diseases worse.

The bottom line is this: if you want to avoid the long term effects of alcohol abuse such as unnecessary alcohol-related health problems later in life, drink in moderation or not at all.

If you would like to listen to an informative and professionally done "talking eBook" entitled The Truth About Alcohol, please click on this link.

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Psychological addiction occurs when the cravings for a drug are emotional or psychological. Individuals who are psychologically addicted usually feel overcome by the desire to have the drug in question. These feelings are so powerful that in many instances psychologically (and physically) addicted individuals will do almost anything for their next "fix" including stealing, lying, and in some instances, killing.

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