Many people struggle with alcohol abuse. Alcoholism has become one of the most prevalent forms of addiction. Alcohol is easy to obtain and legal for adults as long as they aren’t disorderly or harming themselves or others. Alcohol is a very dangerous substance, especially when it is overused. It can have severe negative effects on your brain, heart, liver, and pancreas. It also has carcinogenic qualities, and dampens your immune system so that you are more prone to developing cancers and contagious diseases.
Consequences of Alcohol Abuse and Solutions to Remediate Them
Consequence: Alcohol Permanently Damages Your Organ Functions
- Excessive consumption of alcohol results in serious long-term damage to your organ systems. Alcohol weakens your heart muscles and causes pulmonary dysfunction. Alcoholism also often causes permanent damage to your stomach, pancreas, liver, and kidneys.
- Solutions: Don’t participate in binge drinking. Choose to drink in moderation or quit drinking entirely. The long-term effects of alcohol poisoning are grave and debilitating. It’s just not worth it.
Consequence: Prenatal Effects of Alcohol Abuse
- Alcohol abuse during pregnancy can cause severe birth defects. Drinking during pregnancy can cause permanent effects on your unborn child. Symptoms of alcohol exposure in utero include physical, emotional, and mental impairments, speech and growth delays, as well as damage to your fetus’ nervous system.
- Solutions: There is no known amount of alcohol that is safe to consume while pregnant. Avoid drinking alcohol if you are pregnant or might be pregnant. Your baby doesn’t have a choice, but you do.
Consequence: The Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal Can Kill
- Alcohol has particularly addictive qualities that make your body dependent. If you drink alcohol heavily for a prolonged period of time, you may be unable to stop suddenly without risking worse damage to your body. Alcohol withdrawal can be severely life-threatening. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include headaches, nausea, shakes and tremors, delirium, and seizures. The effects of withdrawal can lead to permanent damage to your body.
- Solutions: If you’ve refrained from drinking for awhile and you begin to experience withdrawal symptoms, seek medical help. If you don’t have a primary care physician, go to an emergency room and consult medical professionals about your condition. Weaning yourself from severe alcohol withdrawal must be medically monitored and is usually assisted with medications to alleviate the pain and protect your brain and body from damage. If you are not yet experiencing alcohol withdrawal, try to cut back or stop before you develop dependency. There are many avenues for support to help if you feel better and get treatment and community support.
Consequence: Alcohol Abuse Causes You To Lose Inhibitions and Memory
- Alcohol makes you do things you wouldn’t normally do. Alcohol lowers your inhibitions and creates greater chances that you might do things impulsively and make decisions that can have permanent consequences for a lifetime. Alcohol often causes hypersexual behavior as well.
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Are You Quitting Alcohol? – Finding Support
If you think you are suffering from alcoholism, reach out in your community for support. There are lots of supportive organizations that can help you. There are also amazing and innovative treatments and care centers that can help you to heal and transition from this phase in your life. Remember, if you are drinking too much, see a doctor before stopping so that you can stay as healthy as possible through your recovery process.