When Excessive and Hazardous Drinking Results in Serious Health Problems

For more than a few years alcoholism research has demonstrated the fact that there is strong linkage between alcoholism and serious health conditions.

For example, in 2005, scientific exploration and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics showed that alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency cost the United States an estimated $220 billion annually. Interestingly, this massive alcohol-related expense was significantly more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is pertinent to underline these facts, it is also noteworthy to point out that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health problems.

That is to say, chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency are also highly associated with obesity and with cancer.

Undeniably, substance abuse exploration has shown that alcohol addiction can increase the risk for various kinds of cancer, particularly cancer of the esophagus, kidneys, throat, rectum, liver, voice box (larynx), and the colon. Abusive and recurring drinking can also result in immune system issues and abnormality to the fetus during pregnancy.

Irresponsible and Abusive Drinking Breaks Down the Drinker’s Organs and Systems

Furthermore, if alcoholism continues over a period of years, the person’s body organs will probably be affected in a harmful manner. As an illustration, chronic, abusive drinking is particularly hurtful to the liver since the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been consumed. Unwarranted amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and eradicates the ability of liver cells to redevelop. This medical circumstance leads to a progressive inflammatory injury to the liver that can ultimately lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a grave and potentially lethal disease.Abusive, long-term drinking not only can lead to critical liver damage, but it can also lead to damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this dangerous may be unalterable and may, in turn, result in serious ill health or premature death.

The Significance of Alcohol Treatment

It is important, then, to know how to identify the various alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcohol dependent person can be given the opportunity to get the quality alcohol rehabilitation he or she requires.

Alcohol Dependency and Sophisticated Brain Exploration

Fortunately, medical research is continuously unearthing original and important information. Recent alcoholism research offers a good example. Stated differently, for approximately the last ten years, sophisticated brain-imaging scanning instruments have verified that continuous and long lasting irresponsible drinking transforms the constitution of the brain to a substantial extent, therefore resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or perhaps as long as the individual lives.

More correctly, medical investigation has revealed that people who have been drinking abusively for a substantial length of time increase their risk for developing long lasting and significant alterations in the brain.

This type of damage may be indirectly associated with the drinker’s poor overall health or directly related to the alcohol’s effects on the brain or to severe liver disease.

Abusive Drinking, Malnutrition, and Mental Disorders

As a final illustration of various medical conditions that are considerably correlated to alcohol dependency, take into account the fact that in accordance with medical research, the hazardous and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a condition that decreases the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

This type of organ malfunctioning is linked to malnutrition and to an array of serious mental and neurological problems including sleep disturbances, memory loss, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter medical problem is a long lasting debilitating health problem that is epitomized by persistent memory and learning problems.

Conclusion

It is apparent that repetitive, abusive drinking is directly or indirectly linked to a number of acute medical conditions that can and do result in serious illness and premature death. Such information needs to be highlighted and presented to everyone in our society so that a large number of people will be able to abstain from irresponsible drinking while others who have a drinking problem will get the quality rehab they need.


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