Affects of Alcoholism

You might be thinking that it isn't a serious problem, but alcoholism effects quite a few things in your life. Some of them are physical and only effects you while others will affect the world around you. Alcoholism is a disease that is capable of encompassing your whole life if left unchecked and untreated. It can control everything about you and bring your life and the lives of those you love the most to ruin.


Physical


Alcoholism makes you susceptible to various forms of cancer, especially involving the digestive system. Cancer can be found anywhere from the lips all the way down to the rectum. You can have it in the mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, colon, and other places. Women have to be concerned even more about breast cancer because of alcohol abuse.


The heart is also something that can be negatively effected. While a little bit of alcohol can have positive effects, too much can do you harm. It can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, and possible stroke. Risks of heart disease that you might already have are accentuated by heavy drinking.


The liver can be affected with alcoholic hepatitis that brings about jaundice, fever, and abdominal pain. Alcoholic hepatitis is reversible, but alcoholic cirrhosis, another threat to your health brought about by alcoholism, is not reversible. You can live longer by stopping drinking, but overall once the damage is done there is very little else that can be done short of a transplant. Problems with the liver can also effect the brain. Sleep patterns may be disturbed, moods and personalities might go through changes, one might suffer from anxiety, depression, short attention span, and in some cases, coma.


Pregnancy is one thing that can cause harm to both your and your child. The problems may be learning or behavioral problems for life, but it could also be fetal alcohol syndrome in which they can have serious mental, physical, behavioral, and developmental issues.


The brain is also effected. Not only is there the issue of blackouts and memory lapses to worry about, but there are also short and long-term problems that can come and affect your ability to learn and remember things. It can make you constantly confused and disoriented and unable to function properly.


Social


Alcoholism is a leading factor in divorces. Much damage can be done to a relationship because of alcoholism. Things that you would never ordinarily say or do sober come out when drunk. The stress that comes from the disease will cause unnatural strain on the marriage.


Domestic violence is not uncommon when there is an alcoholic involved. They may either take the role of the abused or the abuser.


Unemployment often comes as the employee cannot be trusted to fulfill his job's obligations. They will show up late for work if they either show up at all and work is compromised when they do show up.


Once the world starts falling apart and alcohol takes control over their life, poverty many times will follow. Many times individuals and families will find themselves homeless and on the streets because treatment wasn't sought.


This is something that can be stopped. Something is going to be in control and you have to decide if that something is going to be you or the alcohol. Seeing all the ways that alcohol effects your life and the lives of those around you, it's hard to imagine why anyone would allow themselves to be controlled by the bottle.


This article is to be used for information purposes only. It is not a diagnosis, treatment or cure for alcoholism or any other physical, emotional or mental disorder. You should always consult a health professional for proper diagnosis, treatment or cure for any physical, emotional or mental disorder.

Symptoms of Alcoholism

When looking at alcoholism symptoms, it can be difficult to see yourself in them. The sad truth is, you may very well be an alcoholic. You may not want this for yourself, but denial won't help you out. It's time to get started looking at this honestly. Are you an alcoholic? Here are ten things you can look to. If you answer yes to any number of these, then you probably need to be seeking help.

Have you given up other activities because of alcohol?

Sometimes making sacrifices can be a good thing, but it depends on whether what you are making sacrifices for is truly more valuable than what you are giving up. Is your drinking really worth giving those other things up for?

Are you having legal problems that show up because of your alcoholism?

If this is a recurring theme, then you have to deal with this. They aren't just picking on you. You are really putting yourself and others in danger.

Are you having a problem sticking to just one or two drinks?

If you go into a situation hoping to limit yourself to just a couple of drinks, but are never able to keep yourself to that then it might be time to correct that.

Do you feel guilty or ashamed that you might have a problem or by what you are doing?

You need to get beyond this if you want to get your pride back. You need to be able to own your problem and face it head on. You don't need to be proud of your drinking problem, but you have to take pride in yourself and try to overcome it.

Do you continue to drink even though it is hurting other parts of your life?

You make choices every day based on what is more valuable to you. When you continue a destructive behavior in spite of the problems that behavior brings about, you are admitting that the behavior is far more important that what is hurt by it. If your family or job is negatively impacted by your drinking, but you continue to drink, then you are saying that drinking is more important.

Have you built up a tolerance for alcohol?

Think back to how much it used to take for you to get a buzz when you just started drinking? Compare that with how much it takes for you to have the same effect. If your body is getting more and more used to the intoxicating effects then you will be feeling more of the negative effects of drinking too much alcohol. It doesn't just get you drunk. Too much in your body will cause a multitude of other problems socially, physically, and mentally.

Have you hurt someone because of your drinking?

This could be mentally or physically. While both can have pretty negative consequences, the physical side of that can bring some serious long-term problems for you. Alcohol is many times thought of as liquid courage, but it could also be considered liquid stupid. You could find yourself in physical altercations with someone who might deserve a beating, but it could easily be that you could hurt someone who doesn't and worse, someone you care about.

Don't lie to yourself. Look closely in the mirror and see if you have a problem. Once you get to where you can see yourself, go get help.

This article is to be used for information purposes only. It is not a diagnosis, treatment or cure for alcoholism or any other physical, emotional or mental disorder. You should always consult a health professional for proper diagnosis, treatment or cure for any physical, emotional or mental disorder.