Dying From Alcoholism
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Accidental Deaths
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According to drugwarfacts.org, alcohol is the second most lethal drug, trumped only by tobacco. Alcohol inhibits motor skills and judgment, and excessive drinking contributes to thousands of accidental deaths each year. Not only does alcohol contribute to 45 percent of all automobile-related deaths, but it is also involved in deaths by accidental falls, fires and drownings. Alcohol is also a factor in 30 percent of suicides and 60 percent of homicides every year.
Alcohol Poisoning
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Alcohol can kill quickly or slowly. Even for an alcoholic, binge drinking can sometimes be lethal. Alcohol slows down breathing and the heart rate and impairs the gap reflex. If the heart and breathing rate are too slow, the drinker may not get enough oxygen, causing permanent brain damage, coma and even death. Alcohol poisoning can also asphyxiate drinkers by causing them to vomit uncontrollably and accidentally choke on their vomit.
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Long Term Deaths
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Alcohol is a poison; it can damage the liver through alcoholic hepatitis, or chronic inflammation of the liver, or through cirrhosis or scarring of the liver. If the alcoholic keeps drinking, the liver damage can get worse. Since the liver can no longer filter waste out of the blood, enough liver damage can lead to death. Excessive, chronic drinking can also lead to heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke as it damages the circulatory system. Alcoholism also increases the risks of some forms of cancer, which can be potentially fatal. Finally, alcoholism can inflame the pancreas. The pancreas secretes digestive enzymes for the stomach, but in the case of pancreatitis, these enzymes actually digest the pancreas itself. This can lead to deaths from infection, bleeding or a combination of causes.
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