When Abusive and Heavy Drinking Leads to Serious Health Problems
For more than a few years alcoholism exploration has revealed the fact that there is strong correlation between alcohol dependency and dangerous health conditions.
As an illustration, in 2005, scientific research and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics demonstrated the fact that that alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency cost the United States an estimated $220 billion annually. Interestingly, this considerable alcohol-related expenditure was substantially more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is important to accentuate these facts, it is also important to point out that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health issues.
More specifically, chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency are also highly interrelated with obesity and with cancer.
Undeniably, substance abuse investigation has demonstrated the fact that alcohol dependency can augment the risk for different forms of cancer, particularly cancer of the voice box (larynx), esophagus, liver, rectum, colon, kidneys, and throat. Abusive and repetitive drinking can also result in immune system issues and abnormality to the fetus during pregnancy.
Abusive and Irresponsible Drinking Deteriorates the Drinker’s Organs and Systems
Additionally, if alcohol addiction continues over a period of years, the person’s body organs will more likely than not be affected in a negative manner. For example, long-term, hazardous drinking is especially dangerous to the liver since the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been consumed. Extreme amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and obliterates the ability of liver cells to reproduce. This condition results in a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver that can sooner or later lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a serious and potentially terminal medical problem.Abusive, long-term drinking not only can result in serious liver damage, but it can also result in damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this dangerous may be irreparable and may, in turn, lead to severe illness or premature death.
The Relevance of Alcohol Rehabilitation
It is vital, then, to know how to recognize the various alcoholism symptoms and the "alcohol signs" so that the alcoholic can be given the opportunity to get the professional alcohol rehabilitation he or she requires.
Alcohol Addiction and Sophisticated Brain Research
Fortunately, scientific investigation is persistently discovering new and significant information. Recent alcoholism exploration supplies a first-rate illustration. More to the point, for roughly the last ten years, technologically advanced brain-imaging scanning devices have shown that continuous and long lasting abusive drinking transforms the functionality of the brain to a substantial extent, thereby resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or perchance as long as the person exists.
More explicitly, medical exploration has demonstrated that individuals who have been drinking excessively for a considerable length of time increase their risk for developing permanent and significant changes in the brain.
This type of damage may be directly related to severe liver disease, to the alcohol’s effects on the brain, or might be indirectly associated with the drinker’s poor overall health.
Excessive Drinking, Malnutrition, and Mental Disorders
As a final example of different health problems that are to a large extent correlated to alcohol addiction, take into account the fact that according to medical exploration, the abusive and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a medical problem that decreases the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
This kind of organ breakdown is related to malnutrition and to an array of acute mental and neurological syndromes including memory loss, sleep disturbances, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter medical condition is a long-term incapacitating condition that is typified by incessant memory and learning difficulties.
Conclusion
It is apparent that continued, excessive drinking is directly or indirectly correlated with numerous dangerous medical problems that can and do result in serious ailments and premature death. Such information needs to be emphasized and presented to everyone in our society so that most people will be able to refrain from irresponsible drinking while other people who have a drinking problem will get the quality treatment they require.
Tags: Health, Alcohol Addiction, Alcoholism, alcohol dependency, alcohol treatment, abusive drinking, Alcohol Abuse