For several years alcohol dependency exploration has demonstrated the fact that there is strong linkage between alcohol addiction and dangerous health conditions.
As an illustration, in 2005, scientific examination revealed that alcohol abuse and alcoholism cost the United States an estimated $220 billion on an annual basis. Interestingly, this immense alcohol-related expense was substantially more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is relevant to emphasize these facts, it is also important to point out that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health problems.
To be more precise, chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction are also highly associated with obesity and with cancer.
Definitely, substance abuse examination has shown that alcohol addiction can augment the risk for different types of cancer, especially cancer of the voice box (larynx), esophagus, liver, rectum, colon, kidneys, and throat. Excessive and recurring drinking can also lead to immune system problems and harm to the fetus during pregnancy.
Irresponsible and Heavy Drinking Deteriorates the Problem Drinker’s Organs and Systems
What is more, if alcoholism continues over a period of years, the individual’s body organs will likely be affected in an unhealthy manner. As an illustration, long-term, abusive drinking is especially hurtful to the liver due to the fact that the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been consumed. Unwarranted amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and obliterates the ability of liver cells to reproduce. This condition leads to a progressive inflammatory malfunction of the liver that can ultimately lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a grave and possibly terminal disease.
Abusive, long-term drinking not only can lead to acute liver damage, but it can also result in damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this severe may be unalterable and may, in turn, lead to severe ill health or an early death.
The Critical Nature of Alcohol Treatment
It is vital, consequently, to know how to identify the various alcohol addiction symptoms and signs so that the alcohol addicted individual can be given the opportunity to seek the professional alcohol counseling he or she requires.
Alcohol Addiction and Sophisticated Brain Research
Fortunately, medical examination is constantly generating new and important information. Recent alcoholism exploration offers an excellent example. Stated another way, for approximately the past ten years, technologically advanced brain-imaging scanning instruments have demonstrated that repetitive and long-term abusive drinking modifies the structure of the brain to a substantial extent, as a consequence resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or perchance as long as the individual lives.
Stated differently, medical investigation has demonstrated that people who have been drinking excessively for a considerable length of time increase their risk for developing long lasting and severe adaptations in the brain.
This type of damage may be indirectly associated with the drinker’s poor overall health or directly related to severe liver disease or to the alcohol’s effects on the brain.
Excessive Drinking, Malnutrition, and Mental Disorders
As a final illustration of diverse health problems that are substantially correlated to alcohol addiction, take into consideration the fact that according to scientific research, the hazardous and repeated abuse of alcohol can result in erosive gastritis, a condition that diminishes the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
This type of organ malfunctioning is associated with malnutrition and to a variety of acute mental and neurological problems including sleep disturbances, memory loss, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter health problem is a long-term debilitating health problem that is characterized by incessant learning and memory complications.
Summary
It is evident that continued, hazardous drinking is directly or indirectly related to a variety of serious medical conditions that can and do lead to dangerous ailments and premature death. Such information needs to be underlined 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 professional treatment they need.