Alcoholism can lead to heart, liver, digestive and memory problems, among other things.
Alcoholism or alcohol dependence has long been associated with a number of classic symptoms, such as alcohol withdrawal or continued alcohol consumption even after physical or mental health problems.
Along with alcohol abuse, alcoholism is now viewed as part of a broader medical condition known as Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), as defined by the American Psychiatric Association.
Over time, alcoholism (and AUD) can cause a number of complications, but this chronic disease is treatable.
Effects of alcohol
Alcohol affects every organ in the body.
In many organs, the effects of alcohol build up over time, and the damage only becomes apparent after years of abuse.
But the brain experiences the effects of alcohol instantly, which leads to changes in mood, behavior, judgment, and coordination.
In the short term, alcohol consumption can cause:
- Difficulty walking
- Blurred vision
- Reduced inhibitions
- confusion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty breathing
- Slurred speech
- Slow response time
- Memory loss
- Power outages
- coma
- Male cat
Drinking alcohol can also increase your risk of:
- Injuries caused by accidents (e.g. accident with a motor vehicle, fall, or burn)
- Aggressive or violent behavior, including suicide, murder, and sexual assault
- Alcohol poisoning and death
- Risky behaviors (such as unprotected sex, sex with multiple partners, or driving with a disability)
- Miscarriage, stillbirth, or disorders of the fetal alcohol spectrum (if you drink during pregnancy)
Alcoholism complications
Over time, alcohol can permanently affect the brain, for example through dementia and the severe brain disease Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), about 80 percent of alcoholics are deficient in thiamine, which causes Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
Aside from brain problems, alcoholism – and sometimes just drinking too much on a single occasion – can cause:
- Cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease), arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat), stroke or high blood pressure
- Steatosis (fatty liver), alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis (thickening of liver tissue), or cirrhosis (scarring and permanent damage to the liver)
- Gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers, varices (swollen veins in the esophagus), and esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus)
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- Cancer of the mouth, esophagus, throat, liver, or breast
- An increased risk of infection, especially pneumonia and tuberculosis
Alcoholism can also cause mental health problems (depression and anxiety), as well as problems with relationships and work.
Treatment of alcoholism
There are several treatment options for AUD, but there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Twelve-step programs – specifically Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) – and 28-day inpatient rehabilitation are the most popular treatments for alcohol problems, according to the NIAAA.
AA is a mutual support group and teaches you to adopt 12 spirituality-based principles to help you overcome your compulsions to consume alcohol.
Other support groups include SMART Recovery, LifeRing Secular Recovery, Women for Sobriety, and Facilitation Management.
Rehab, on the other hand, is usually a month-long treatment program in a facility that completely relieves you of the situations and circumstances that perpetuate substance abuse.
Some treatment options for AUD are led by mental health professionals.
For example, alcohol counseling can help you identify and change behaviors that lead to alcohol consumption, build a stronger support system, develop achievable goals, and manage triggers that lead to relapse.
Treatment may also include standard therapies used to treat other mental illnesses, including cognitive behavioral therapy, which is widely used to treat depression, among other things.
In addition to counseling and self-help groups, there are several medications available to help you curb your alcohol consumption.
Alcoholism drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include:
- Antabuse (disulfiram), which helps you avoid alcohol by causing nausea, reddening of the skin, and other unpleasant symptoms when you drink alcohol by blocking the metabolism of alcohol in your body
- Campral (acamprosate calcium), which may help you keep drinking without drinking, and is said to work by restoring the chemical imbalance in the brain caused by heavy alcohol consumption
- Revia or Vivitrol (naltrexone), which helps reduce heavy drinking by blocking the euphoric effects and feeling of intoxication
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