How does alcohol affect the body?
Alcohol is one of the most commonly used substances around the world, right next to caffeine and tobacco. But what exactly happens to your body when you consume an alcoholic beverage and when does it become a problem? For 30% of American adults (21 and older), absolutely nothing, because they don’t drink. But on that same spectrum, the top 10% of drinkers in the United States consume 10 drinks per day. Someone putting back that many is almost certainly doing permanent damage to their bodies, and quitting that kind of addiction can be incredibly tough without professional help.
Brain
Some of the known side effects of alcohol when it comes to your brain include blackouts, hallucinations, slurred speech, behavioral changes and even a shrinking brain. Yes, studies have shown that alcohol can lead to a lower intelligence, and that’s obviously something that you want to avoid. Drinking too much alcohol can also lead to addiction, and alcohol withdrawal can be very dangerous not to mention painful.
Cancer
Chronic drinkers tend to develop esophagus, throat or mouth cancer at a higher rate when compared to non drinkers. Alcoholic women can also end up having higher chances of developing breast cancer too, a problem that’s more and more common to women nowadays. The type of alcohol (beer, wine, spirits) you drink doesn’t matter, simply the amount over your lifetime.
Fatigue
Drinking too much alcohol can lead to a constant sense of fatigue and brain fog. Alcohol can lead to immune deficiency which will also make you more susceptible to things like viruses, bacteria, and other health issues. If your bodies natural defense system is weakened, it simply cannot do it’s job and keep you protected. In time, alcoholic people can also deal with pneumonia or other lung issues at a much higher rate than non drinkers.
Organ damage
Most people are aware that excess alcohol use can lead to liver damage, it’s often joked about in college movies and TV shows, “my liver is going to hate me in the morning”. But if you drink too much, you can do damage to your heart, liver and pancreas, not to mention this will also cause stomach distress. Alcoholic persons also tend to have frequent diarrhea as well, which is never pleasant.
Reproductive system
Yes, drinking a lot of alcohol also has repercussions when it comes to the reproductive system. Women can give birth to children with various defects, and both men and women can deal with infertility too. Men are more susceptible to varying degrees of sexual dysfunction due to chronic alcohol abuse.
Although alcohol is socially acceptable in most circles, it does not mean you have to partake to fit in. If you feel like you are unable to say no to a free drink, or that you must drink to get to a “normal” functioning state, you may have a drinking problem. There is no better time to get control back in your life than right now, and we can help.
If you or a loved one has an addiction or abuse problem with alcohol, it’s important to seek help early. Contact the Arizona Addiction Recovery Center now by visiting https://arizonaaddictioncenter.org or calling 602.346.9130.
