Drinking a steady diet of alcohol might make you think your troubles are gone, but in reality they have just begun. Alcohol abuse is just the beginning of a long list of alcohol health effects that are beginning to take place within you. And although you may not realize it now, eventually you will have to deal with all the extra problems that alcoholics face. You should get help now to begin recovery from alcoholism before your health is permanently impacted.

Alcohol Health Effects

Research has shown that chronic heavy drinking is linked to more than sixty different diseases. Some affects of alcohol may start off slow and barely visible. You probably won’t be aware of them if you are constantly inebriated, but they are busy at work behind the scenes. Besides the social and financial problems that alcohol may bring, the brain and body are being heavily impacted by alcohol. Hangovers and blackouts are just the beginning of a long line of progressive problems.

Below are some of the adverse effects that alcohol abuse has on your health:

1. Malnutrition and anemia are the beginning of the deterioration of the body. Anemia causes an abnormally low red blood cell count resulting in low oxygen levels in the body, shortness of breath, light-headedness, and fatigue. If you, or a loved one, are experiencing these symptoms you should receive medical attention and plan to start a recovery program immediately.

2. Cardiovascular disease is another problem that chronic heavy drinking can cause, and along with binge drinking also runs the risk of heart attack, strokes and blood clots. Cardiomyopathy causes the heart muscle to weaken and possibly fail. Other problems include atrial fibrillation and ventricular fibrillation, which can lead to death if immediate medical attention is not given.

3. Dementia can occur from heavy drinking because alcohol shrinks the brain, causing memory loss. The executive functions of the brain become impaired affecting one’s ability to make sound judgments and solve problems.

4. Liver disease is another problem that alcohol creates because it is toxic to liver cells. Cirrhosis of the liver can occur among people who abuse alcohol, and women seem to be more vulnerable to this disease than men.

5. Depression and drinking alcohol are closely linked to each other. People who are depressed may drink alcohol as a way to self-medicate, and others may become depressed by alcohol because it is a depressant.

6. Infectious diseases may become a health problem because alcohol suppresses the immune system, making it easier for infections to take hold in the body. Some diseases associated with alcohol abuse are: sexually transmitted diseases from unsafe sex, pneumonia, and tuberculosis.

7. Pancreatitis is another health concern that can be caused by chronic drinking. It is estimated that alcoholism causes up to sixty percent of all pancreatitis cases.

8. Nerve damage can also be caused by heavy alcohol consumption and is known as alcoholic neuropathy. Compromised nerve function may result in muscle weakness, incontinence, pins and needles sensation, numbness in the extremities, erectile dysfunction and constipation.

9. High blood pressure is another problem that may be caused by alcohol. Alcohol is known to disrupt the sympathetic nervous system which manages the constriction and dilation of blood vessels. Health problems that high blood pressure can cause are kidney disease, stroke and heart attack.

Alcohol abuse affects the health of the body in many more ways than what is mentioned above. Toxicity caused by alcohol can affect every area of the body, bringing irreparable damage and sometimes death. If you or a loved one has an alcohol abuse problem, the time is now to receive medical help to recover from this disorder. Let Drug Detox Centers Mesa be your ultimate recovery guide. Just give us a call today at (480) 750-2472 for information.