The effects of alcoholism are quite far-reaching. Beside its mental health implications, alcoholism affects every body system, causing a wide range of health problems. The effects of alcoholism extend well beyond the individual and into the entire public sector, and effect the economy, welfare and health providers as well. Just in the United States, alcoholism costs the American taxpayers nearly $98 billion because of the healthcare involved in treating this dreadful disease, and there are around $40 billion that are lost every year related to workplaces costs associated with workers who are addicted to or abusing alcohol. The first effects of alcoholism are physical. These are the most important because these can cause your death. Although the medical effects of alcoholism have long been known, the study of how alcohol acts on the brain to produce intoxication, dependence, and tolerance is still new.
You may not immediately realize that someone you love has an alcohol problem. It may have started slowly, and your loved one might also have tried to hide the extent of the drinking from you. Alcoholism is a disease that is characterized by denial, so, while you may not be able to change the behavior of someone you love, you still need to get help for yourself because alcoholism becomes a family illness.
Chronic alcoholics may (depending on liver health) metabolize alcohol at a significantly higher rate than average. The body's ability to metabolize alcohol quickly tends to diminish with age. The liver can oxidize only a certain amount of alcohol each minute; the oxidation rate of alcohol in a person weighing 150 pounds, for example, is about 7 grams of alcohol per hour. This is equivalent to about 34 of an ounce of distilled spirits, 2 12 ounces of wine, or 7 34 to 8 ounces of beer per hour. Alcoholic hepatitis can lead to liver scarring and cirrhosis, and very frequently occurs in alcoholics who already have cirrhosis of the liver.
The most well recognized harmful effect of drinking is liver damage, leading in severe cases to liver cirrhosis. However, the effects of drinking can damage almost any body system. Cirrhosis of the liver is the most fatal side effect of alcoholism and is characterized by extensive scar tissue (fibrosis) that stiffens blood vessels and distorts the internal structure of the liver. Cirrhosis causes malfunction of other bodily organs such as the brain and kidneys. It is no secret that the liver is severely overworked when processing large amounts of alcohol and swelling of the liver could be a warning sign of cirrhosis.
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Knowing the facts is the first step to helping yourself yourself and your loved ones through the struggles of addiction
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