Do you drink?
Drinking can lead to a lot of problems too.
Alcohol has intoxicating properties and some types of alcohol are stronger than others. There are many types of alcohol like wines, beers, spirits, and other such drinks. There are many types of different alcohol options available and most adults tend to have a drink or two at social occasions.
However, alcohol is addictive and if people start becoming dependent on alcohol, it can lead to them getting addicted to it which can have many adverse health issues. There are many signs that you can look to know if the person is addicted to alcohol or not. The following are some of the adverse health issues that can be attributed to excessive use of alcohol:
10 Health Issues Attributed to Alcohol
- Alcohol affects the liver in an adverse way. Fatty liver, long-term inflammation, alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis are some of the liver diseases caused by excessive alcohol. If the liver is damaged because of excessive intake of alcohol it can also result in multiple organ failure which can cause death.
Liver damage is one of the most widely known fallouts of alcohol addiction which is very common among alcohol addicts.
- Alcohol negatively impacts many different organs of the body besides the liver, including the pancreas. Pancreatitis which is inflammation of the pancreas is also a direct health risk of increased intake of alcohol. This disease is acute and causes many additional problems to a person’s health.
- The immune system protects the body against many diseases. Alcohol weakens the immune system in the long run. This means that the overall health weakens and the white blood cell count drops as alcohol suppresses production of these white blood cells.
If the immune system is weak the risk of diseases increases tremendously. Some major diseases that the alcoholic becomes vulnerable to include tuberculosis, HIV infections, Pneumonia, and other such diseases. Viral diseases are always present in the atmosphere and alcoholics are more susceptible to these diseases than other people.
- The brain is very negatively impacted by alcoholism in a variety of ways. Memory loss, increased risk of dementia, difficulty in processing and understanding, reduced ability to solve problems and a tendency to become more violent and erratic are all problems attributed to alcoholism. It stunts the development of the brain and reduces motor functions. People who are drunk do not have proper coordination and balance in their movement that can cause a stumble or even a very bad fall. Seizures are another major brain problem that is caused by heavy alcoholism.
Brain shrinkage, alcohol dementia, and other such problems are also attributed to the excessive intake of alcohol. There is an increased risk of strokes which is a health issue caused by alcohol. Blackout is another health issue that is caused by heavy drinking. The central nervous system is negatively impacted by this in a variety of ways. - Cancer is a very bad disease which in many cases can be fatal. There are many types of cancers that can be attributed as a health issue because of drinking alcohol in an excessive way.
There are many types of alcohol-related cancers including mouth, larynx, stomach, liver, colon, rectum, breast and many other types of cancers. - Digestion is an important aspect of a person’s health. A steady and healthy digestive system is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle. There are various problems caused by alcohol that negatively impact the digestive system. Some of the problems include ulcers, heartburns, acid reflux, inflammation of the stomach and other such issues.
There can be damage to the pancreas; the gastrointestinal tract and cirrhosis are all diseases that can be caused by alcoholism. - Usually, pregnant women are advised not to drink any alcohol during their pregnancy. This is because there are many health issues caused to the pregnant women and to her baby if the woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy. Some of the major health risks include miscarriage, premature births and also many types of birth defects that are caused by drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
These defects include physical, behavioral and learning problems that last a lifetime for the children whose mothers drink during the pregnancy. - Health issues of alcoholism also include behavioral problems which are caused because of excessive intake of alcohol. Depression and alcoholism go hand in hand with each other. Heavy drinkers are also many times likely to be susceptible to depression and instead of curing depression, alcoholism helps depression grow.
Reduced cognitive skills and reduced social skills are the fallout of alcohol addiction. Impulsive actions, violent and abusive behavior are common among alcoholics as they get intoxicated by alcohol and do not have any control over their actions.
Alcoholism is even a danger for people around the alcoholic as these alcoholics can get abusive and violent many times when they are intoxicated. - Malnutrition is another major health issue that is caused by heavy drinking. Alcoholism causes many types of deficiencies including deficiencies like vitamin deficiencies which cause many diseases. Vitamin D and Calcium deficiencies cause diseases like osteoporosis, weakening of the bone structures, and an overall weakening of the health of the body.
Anemia is another side effect of alcohol addiction as malnutrition caused by alcohol also includes a deficiency of iron in the body. - Many cardiovascular diseases are also health issues related to alcohol. Sometimes alcohol in small amounts helps heart health but most often than not it exaggerates most diseases related to the heart. Alcoholism increases risks of heart failure, irregularity of heartbeat, cardiomyopathy, strokes, and high blood pressure.
Other diseases exaggerated by alcoholism include diabetes and other major diseases.
Alcohol is as mentioned above a fermented drink that can cause intoxication. Many types of alcohols are available all over the world. There are many health issues related to excessive intake of alcohol. But in general, alcohol should not be looked at as a very bad problem in society. Too much addiction towards anything can cause problems. There are billions of adults all over the world that drink alcohol. In cold countries, drinking alcohol to warm up is a way of life.
Alcohol is used to toast special occasions in people’s lives. It is not alcohol that is a social problem; it is the tendency that some people have to become addicted to alcohol that is a problem.
Alcohol is part of most cultures and having a drink or two at social occasions especially by people who do not have health problems where they should avoid alcohol is a good idea. But heavy drinking every day and getting addicted to alcohol results in the above-mentioned health issues. Addicts need more and more alcohol as time passes and these results in a variety of health issues.
RD Neha Kava
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