Every now and then, we hear people talk about the latest alcohol and the best one for a party or dinner – or just in general. While alcohol is a significant part of our lives, it is obviously a bit hard to give up on certain traditions without grape (or potato) juice. Still, there are certain drawbacks to consuming alcohol. The guidelines for Dietary American icons recommend that men can have 2 drinks in a day without significant consequences, and women can have a single one. When you exceed this limit, there are consequences for your body. These problems can be related to your personality as well as physical and mental health. Here are some major side-effects of being addicted to alcohol:
Inflammatory Damage
Your liver is responsible for breaking down and removing harmful things from the body. Alcohol is one of them. However, when your alcohol consumption increases, the entire process is disturbed. Regular alcohol intake in large quantities increases liver inflammation leading to liver diseases such as cirrhosis. As your liver continues to get damaged, it will become much harder to remove toxic elements from your body. This will lead to other blood-related diseases as well. Liver illness is potentially fatal since it causes poisons and waste accumulation in your body. Women are more likely than men to acquire alcoholic liver disease because their bodies absorb more alcohol and require a longer time to digest it.
High Sugar
The pancreas regulates your body’s insulin usage and glucose response. When your pancreas and liver aren’t working correctly, you face the danger of having low blood sugar, often known as hypoglycemia. In addition, a malfunctioning pancreas may hinder the body from generating enough insulin to use sugar. This can result in hyperglycemia or an excess of sugar in the blood.
If your body cannot control and regulate your blood sugar levels, you may have more problems and side effects from diabetes. It is critical for persons with diabetes or hypoglycemia to avoid excessive alcohol consumption.
Memory Loss
Consuming large quantities of alcohol daily will not only cause complications such as memory loss, but it will also result in a decline in your mind to body coordination. Other than that, most people can have permanent memory issues which are irreversible. Basically, prolonged use of alcohol can hamper the functionality of your brain as well as its structure. For instance, the cerebellum section of your brain handles all the motor skills. If alcohol damages this part of the brain, you will experience changes in your overall body balance, ability to deliver a prompt response, and difficulty understanding many things.
Most people do not recognize these changes immediately, but over the years, it does get prominent. Lack of brain function due to alcoholism results in physical damage to your brain structure which ultimately results in loss of relationships and loved ones. You need to seek the services of a professional neurologist immediately.
Central Nervous System
One of the most essential things in your body is the Central Nervous System. One of the major signs of damaged CNS is slurred speech. Your body and mind will reduce communication between mind and body. A reduced coordinated system will actually make everything difficult for you to maintain a balance. This is why they recommend that you shouldn’t drive after drinking. Alcoholism will make it difficult for you to remember a lot of things resulting in permanent brain damage. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Other than this, a damaged Central Nervous System will result in organ damage and functionality.
Mental Health Issues
Some heavy drinkers may acquire a physical and emotional dependence on alcohol. Withdrawal from alcohol may be painful and even deadly. To overcome an alcohol addiction, you may require the assistance of a specialist. As a result, many people seek medical detoxification in order to get sober. It is the most secure method for breaking physical addiction. Detoxification can be handled on an outpatient or inpatient basis, depending on the risk of withdrawal symptoms. Stress, anxiety, depression, and emotional personality disorders are quite common and may need mental health therapy.
Cardiovascular Issues
The heart is highly sensitive to the harmful effects of alcohol. Heavy drinking can weaken the heart over time, affecting how nutrients and oxygen are supplied to other critical organs in the body. Intoxication can raise triglyceride levels, which are a kind of fat found in the blood. Triglyceride levels that are too high increase the chance of developing severe health problems such as heart diseases such as diabetes.
Some of the initial cardiovascular consequences, such as elevated blood pressure and irregular pulse, might lead to a slew of complications later on. Alcohol consumption can lead to cardiomyopathy, stroke, and sudden cardiac death in the long run. Delaware rehab centers is the most important place.
Sexual Activities and Reproduction
You may believe that drinking alcohol would decrease your barriers and allow you to have more fun in bed. The truth, however, is considerably different. Men who drink excessively are more prone to suffer from erectile dysfunction. Heavy drinking can also inhibit the production of sex hormones and reduce your libido.
Women who drink excessively may stop menstruation. As a result, they are at a higher risk of infertility. Women who drink extensively during pregnancy are more likely to have a preterm birth, miscarriage, or stillbirth. Women who drink during pregnancy have more chances of delivering a child with unproduced organs and body parts. So altogether, avoid the use of alcohol and other intoxicants in case of pregnancy or if you are trying to conceive.
Musculoskeletal System
Having strong bones and a strengthened skeletal system is compulsory for your physical motions. Alcoholism and addiction to intoxicants need to prevent your body from keeping solid bones. It can lead to hollow bones and thinning, which can literally increase your chances of getting a fracture. Even after getting proper treatment from an orthopedic specialist, these fractures can heal really slowly. You will also experience extreme fatigue, tiredness, muscle weakness, intense cramps leading to complicated skeletal issues.
Pancreas Damage
The pancreas is a digestive organ that regulates blood sugar levels in the body. Drinking alcohol for a long time can have a detrimental influence on your pancreas and produce long-term health issues. The early stages of several pancreatic diseases are frequently unnoticed and hence neglected. Long-term alcohol consumption can cause the blood vessels around the pancreas to enlarge, resulting in pancreatitis. This significantly raises your chances of having pancreatic cancer, a kind of cancer that spreads quickly and is extremely deadly. Abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, nausea, a rapid heart rate, and fever are all symptoms of an acute pancreatic attack. While medicines and other treatment approaches can help control the symptoms of pancreatitis, reversing the illness is extremely difficult.
Conclusion
Alcoholism is one of the worst problems that can lead to a lot of health complications. These health issues can become fatal for you – especially if you don’t go for proper treatment. From mental health to internal and external physical difficulties, there are plenty of problems caused by alcohol. If you feel that you have an issue with alcohol, we recommend that you seek immediate treatment. There are plenty of rehab centers available in the country.