But drinking any amount of alcohol can potentially lead to unwanted health consequences. As the body adapts to the presence of the drug, dependency and addiction can result. If consumption stops suddenly, the person may experience withdrawal symptoms. Research shows that women who drink more alcohol than is recommended on a regular basis tend to develop liver disease, cardiomyopathy and nerve damage after fewer years than men Sobriety who do the same. The body absorbs alcohol relatively quickly, but it takes longer to get the alcohol out of the body.
Liver
- Whether you’re a first-time drinker or have been drinking daily for years, alcohol affects the body.
- Excessive alcohol consumption triggers a dangerous surge of dopamine release, fundamentally altering the brain’s natural reward pathways.
- Heavy alcohol use raises the risk for myopathies and fractures, whereas even low levels of alcohol intake increase the odds for recurrent gout attacks.
- This can affect how much insulin you make, putting you at higher risk for diabetes.
Sadly, many people use alcohol use to cope with mental health struggles, especially depression and anxiety. Alcohol may make you feel better in the moment, but many alcohol users end up with worsened mental health over time. Alcohol can affect behaviors that increase the likelihood of acquiring or transmitting HIV to others. Alcohol may also speed HIV progression in people living with the disease, influence their engagement and retention in HIV treatment, and increase their susceptibility to organ damage and coinfections.
Pancreas
Getting treatment for alcohol addiction is the best way to avoid the dangerous health effects of alcohol abuse. Through the ages, alcoholism has been undisputedly maintaining its position in the list of risk factors for preventable diseases in the world. According ethanol abuse to a WHO report, 5.3% of all deaths that occurred worldwide in the year 2016 were because of harmful alcohol use 1. It is the main culprit behind the advancing nature of many chronic diseases. It drastically increases the severity of diseases and also makes the treatments less effective.
How Family Systems Play a Role in Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol consumption worsens mental health by disrupting sleep patterns and increasing the likelihood of risky behavior or overemotional reactions. In some cases, alcohol use can even worsen thoughts of self-harm and suicide. Alcohol-induced nutrition deficiencies and alcohol-induced seizures can also contribute to the risk of brain damage.
- Excessive drinking puts you at risk of various potentially deadly consequences while you’re intoxicated.
- Over time alcohol changes brain chemistry and limits its ability to function properly.
- Binge drinking, defined as consuming 5 or more drinks in a single occasion for men and 4 or more for women, also significantly increases the risk of long-term health consequences.
- As the body adapts to the presence of the drug, dependency and addiction can result.