Effects of Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a disease in which an individual's body is dependent on alcohol. Alcoholics have a compulsion to consume alcohol, suffer from the inability in many cases to stop drinking once they begin, and acquire a physical dependence on alcohol which causes withdrawal symptoms once they attempt to stop drinking. Alcoholism creates a tolerance for alcohol which forces individuals to consume more and more to attain the feeling they crave from drinking. There are many physical, mental and social effects that are the result of alcoholism.
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Mental Effects
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Alcoholism brings with it a wide array of mental effects. Someone suffering from this condition may not remember speaking to someone or forget appointments. He may lose any interest in activities that previously were very enjoyable. An alcoholic can become annoyed and irritable when her drinking habits are questioned and become increasingly angry when the drinking routine is interrupted. Alcoholism is closely associated with such mental conditions as depression, low self-esteem, bipolar disorder, sleeping problems and anxiety-related troubles. Brain cells can be killed by the effects of alcohol, with a condition called "wet brain" the end product of alcoholism for some people. Severe memory loss and the gradual decline of mental processes can lead to serious impairment from this particular effect of alcoholism.
Social Effects
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The ramifications of alcoholism on the social scale are enormous. Alcoholism contributes to as many as half of all traffic-related deaths in the United States according to the Mayo Clinic. Loss of life, loss of freedom, or at the very least loss of driving privileges stem from alcoholism related driving accidents and arrests. These legal problems are bad enough, but alcoholism can cause a person to lose a job, making him dependent on others which results in fractured relationships. Alcoholism can precipitate abuse in relationships, with this violence leading to separation from a significant other. Suicide is also a by-product of alcoholism in many instances.
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Effects on the Liver
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Heavy drinking is a major cause of serious liver ailments. Alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis are both conditions which cause the liver to lose its ability to function properly. Symptoms, such as loss of appetite, pain in the abdominal region, nausea, vomiting, jaundice, fever and loss of mental capacities, can occur. Alcoholic hepatitis inflames the liver and can lead to cirrhosis, a disease in which the liver becomes so scarred that there is not enough healthy tissue left in the organ to allow it to work properly. Both are potentially fatal illnesses.
Effects on Major Organs
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When an individual is an alcoholic he is vulnerable to gastrointestinal ailments. Alcohol can inflame the stomach lining and make it difficult to absorb certain vitamins. The pancreas can be extensively damaged by alcoholism, resulting in a major problem since it produces hormones that are vital to digestion and metabolism. Diabetics with a drinking problem face the risk of low blood sugar because alcohol affects the release of glucose from the liver. Drinking in excess can bring about high blood pressure and injure the cardiovascular system, precipitating strokes or heart failure.
Other Physical Effects
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Alcoholism in men has been shown to result in erectile dysfunction. In women it can interfere with the menstrual cycle. Pregnant women that drink put their unborn child in harm's way from a condition called fetal alcohol syndrome which causes birth defects and developmental problems. Thinning bones which make bone fractures more likely to occur have been linked to alcoholism. Neurological ailments, such as dementia and tingling sensations in the feet and hands, are brought about by alcoholism in some individuals. The risk of certain types of cancer is heightened by alcoholism, with cancer of the mouth, liver and the colon among those that may be the result of the disease.
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