The consequences of alcoholism They can be physical, psychological and social, and are more serious the more frequent the consumption, both in adolescents, as well as in young people and adults.
Drinking too much at one time or frequently can have serious detrimental effects on your health. It is currently especially worrying in young people, who have increased alcohol consumption in recent years.
Alcohol addiction, or alcoholism, is medically diagnosed as a disease that manifests itself with frequent use of alcohol, despite the negative repercussions and risks it has on people's lives.
The short-term effects of drinking too much differ depending on the person's weight, other physical conditions, and whether or not they consume while fasting. Although at first the effects are pleasant, after a while the lack of coordination, memory and vision loss arrive ... On the other hand, these short-term effects can be even worse if alcohol is consumed together with other psychoactive substances.
Long-term binge drinking causes brain cell death, which can lead to mental disorders, as well as a decreased level of mental or physical function.
Liver damage caused by alcohol can result in cirrhosis, a severe medical condition that may require a liver transplant. In addition, you can develop pancreatitis, a severe inflammation of the pancreas..
Next we will see the physical, psychological, social and personal / relational consequences.
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Alcohol is a water-soluble substance and circulates freely throughout the body, affecting cells and tissues, begins a process of metabolic changes, which in its first stage gives rise to acetaldehyde, which is more toxic than alcohol..
The oxidation of alcohol in the tissues (mainly in the liver) determines an important use of substances that exist in a limited way and are essential for the proper metabolism of fats..
When alcohol consumption is excessive, the waste of these substances causes serious alterations in the metabolism of fats, which results in fatty liver or hepatic steatosis, which if not controlled with the suppression of alcohol consumption would later lead to the liver cirrhosis, one of the most serious and frequent complications of alcoholics.
Some of the physical consequences are:
Drinking a lot can cause the amount of oxygen carried in red blood cells to decrease..
This condition, known as anemia, can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, breathing problems, or headaches..
Drinking frequently (several times a week) or drinking too much at one time can lead to heart problems such as:
In 2005, researchers from Harvard University found that the risk of death in people who had suffered a heart attack was double if they drank.
Drinking alcohol frequently can cause serious damage to the liver:
Although alcohol is not a determinant of cancer by direct action on tissues, it is a very effective solvent for carcinogenic substances and allows the free circulation of these throughout the body, which increases the risk of cancer of the tongue, mouth, pharynx , larynx, esophagus, and liver, as well as colon, rectal, breast, and lung cancer.
Alcohol can increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer:
Scientists believe the risk comes when the body converts alcohol into acetaldehyde, a potent carcinogen..
Cancer risk is even higher in drinkers who also smoke.
The final result of alcohol is arterial hypertension due to the exaggerated ingestion of lipids and the effect on the adrenal glands that produce cortisone.
Alcohol can modify the functioning of the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the constriction and dilation of blood vessels in response to stress, temperature, or exertion..
High blood pressure can lead to many other health problems: heart disease, kidney disease, or stroke.
Chronic alcohol intake can cause the decline of important cellular functions in the lungs.
Chronic and excessive use of alcohol is associated with a wide range of skin disorders: hives, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis and rosacea.
Long-term alcohol use can cause damage to the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system, resulting in a loss of sexual desire and impotence in men. This is produced by the reduction of testosterone due to atrophy of the testicles.
Alcoholic beverages are depressants of sexual function. In normal people who occasionally drink excessively, the temporary depressant effect on the nervous system, on the brain and spinal cord, acts as a blocker of the reflexes that largely determine erection and ejaculation..
Drinking too much can weaken your immune system, making it easier for the body to contract diseases.
Chronic drinkers are more likely to get diseases like pneumonia or tuberculosis than people who don't drink alcohol.
On the other hand, drinking a lot at one time can lower your body's ability to fight infection, even 24 hours after getting drunk..
Visit this article to learn how to raise your defenses.
Alcohol causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances that can lead to inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), which in turn prevents proper digestion.
It is a painful condition that is formed by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints..
Although it is often hereditary, alcohol and other foods also influence its development.
Premature births and intrauterine death can occur because the child is not prepared to neutralize the action of alcohol and metabolize it.
Births of children with liver damage have been observed due to the fragility of this gland.
Alcohol can also cause mental retardation in 30 to 40% of births, as well as abnormal behavior, personality disorders and antisocial behaviors.
Peptic ulcers are caused by excessive alcohol consumption. If this vice is coupled with being a smoker or taking drugs such as acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), naproxen or ibuprofen on a regular basis, the chances increase considerably..
An alcohol poisoning is caused by excessive alcohol intake in a short period of time. Previous symptoms are dizziness, heaviness, loss of consciousness, paleness, seizures, low body temperature, and eventually fainting until unconsciousness.
As for the psychological consequences, there are several: it affects decision-making, loss of self-control, loss of self-awareness, loss of appetite, depression, anxiety and violence in relationships. The most important ones are:
Alcohol interferes with the way brain neurons communicate and affects how the brain works.
This can cause changes in mood and behavior and make it difficult to think clearly or move in coordination..
As you age, your brain shrinks 1.9% on average every decade. However, alcoholism increases that speed in certain regions of the brain, resulting in memory loss and other symptoms such as dementia..
Depression, anxiety, and panic attacks are disorders commonly reported by alcohol-dependent people..
It has been known for years that depression often occurs in conjunction with alcoholism, although there has been a debate as to which of these comes first - drinking or depression..
A long study in New Zealand showed that it is frequent drinking that leads to depression.
Psychosis is secondary to other conditions caused by alcohol. Alcohol use has been shown to cause an 800% increase in psychotic disorders in men and 300% in women who have not had other mental illnesses.
The effects of a psychosis caused by alcohol intake include an increased risk of depression and suicide, as well as psychosocial disorders.
Chronic alcohol use can lead to insomnia, as well as disturbances during dreams.
Social skills decrease in people who suffer from alcoholism due to the neurotoxic effects of alcohol on the brain, especially in the prefrontal cortex.
Affected social skills include: perceiving facial emotions, facial expressions, or the ability to understand humor.
On the other hand, there are studies that have shown that alcohol dependence is directly related to irritability.
This syndrome is caused by a lack of vitamin B1 (thiamine), a very common deficiency in people who consume alcohol frequently. The consequences of suffering from it are states of confusion and prolonged amnesia.
Alcohol and a depression derived from the problems caused by the former are one of the main causes of suicide in the world. In fact, there are studies that affirm that people who suffer from alcoholism have a 9.8 times greater risk of taking their own life compared to an individual who does not consume it.
The social consequences and damages according to the WHO are clear: 3.3 million people die in the world each year due to the harmful consumption of alcohol, which represents 5.9% of all deaths.
In the United States and Canada alone, alcohol abuse causes more than 100,000 deaths a year. It is the leading cause of death in adolescents due to road accidents.
Other social costs are:
A person would be an alcoholic if they met the following patterns:
Most adults will not experience harmful effects with small amounts of alcohol per day. For example, a small glass of wine or a can of beer. This level of consumption can even lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia.
Depending on the country you live in, one amount or another is recommended as a maximum.
For most the maximum for men is 140g-210g per week. For women the range is 84g-140g per week.
Of course, it is necessary to have total abstinence during pregnancy or lactation.
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