When someone consumes more alcohol than their body can digest, the extra alcohol builds up in the bloodstream. The heart then circulates the blood alcohol throughout the body, causing chemical and physiological functions to shift. Even a single binge-drinking event can cause serious bodily harm, incapacity, or death. Alcoholism is a slippery slope.
How much alcohol a person drinks as well as their hereditary characteristics, gender, body mass, and overall health all influence how their body responds to the alcohol. However, studies regularly reveal that excessive alcohol intake is harmful to one’s health and a primary preventable cause of death. Excessive alcohol use can also lead to the development of a variety of chronic diseases and other major health issues over time.
If you suspect a loved one has been abusing alcohol, it’s your responsibility to step in. Here are some health-related signs of alcohol abuse and the most common health consequences of alcoholism.
Liver Disease
Because the liver processes alcohol, it’s particularly vulnerable to harm. Chronic, excessive drinking increases the risk of fatty liver disease, a reversible early complication of heavy alcohol consumption. This condition results from changes in the liver’s fat metabolism, which causes excess fat to build up in the organ.
Long-term inflammation of the liver, known as alcoholic hepatitis, is another result of alcoholism. Scar tissue may form as a result of this. Furthermore, persistent liver disease can cause internal bleeding from larger veins in the esophagus, which can be deadly.
Pancreatitis
Excessive alcohol intake can cause pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas that often necessitates hospitalization. Alcohol can disrupt chemical processes in the pancreas, which can then cause inflammation.
Ulcers and Gastrointestinal Problems
Stomach ulcers, acid reflux, heartburn, and gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) are common health consequences of alcoholism. Alcohol begins to exert its harmful effects as soon as it gets into the gastrointestinal tract by inhibiting gastric acid secretion, which can delay stomach-emptying as well as impair muscular bowel motions.
It’s not the most fun topic to think about, but knowing the common health consequences of alcoholism can go a long way in preventing loved ones from falling to addiction. Be sure you know how to approach this problem to give yourself the best chance of having your outreach accepted.
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