The Dangers and Effects of Heavy Drinking
When someone suffers from addiction, they often don’t think about the long-term consequences of substance abuse. The addiction takes over their brain, leading them to believe that alcohol and drugs are essential for survival. This belief leads to a lack of concern about the physical, psychological, relational, and financial impact of substance abuse. However, heavy drinking can have severe long-term effects that are dangerous and sometimes even deadly.
It is not necessary to fit the stereotypical image of an “alcoholic” to suffer the consequences of heavy drinking. Some of the long-term effects of alcohol abuse include changes to the brain that affect focus, mood, behavior, and coordination, heart problems, liver issues, inflammation and swelling in the pancreas, a higher risk for various types of cancer, and a weakened immune system.
Alcohol abuse changes the brain and impacts central nervous system functioning. Alcohol affects the pathways responsible for serotoninergic, γ-amino butyric acid (GABA), dopaminergic, and glutamate functions. These pathways are involved in hangovers, alcohol withdrawal, and mental health symptoms resulting from alcohol abuse. Long-term alcohol effects on the brain that are tied directly to alcohol or indirectly through poor health from drinking include Wernicke–Korsakoff Syndrome, memory loss, dementia, learning problems, mental health disorders, and spatial recognition issues.
Heavy drinking increases fat levels in the blood, which can build up in artery walls, causing higher cholesterol levels that put people at risk for cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. Additionally, alcohol disrupts food digestion, causing the circulatory system to become less effective in transporting nutrients throughout the body. Regular alcohol consumption may also cause weight gain, putting pressure on the heart and leading to various cardiovascular conditions.
The liver is the main site for alcohol metabolism and breaks down toxins in the blood. The primary enzymes involved in this process are alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Heavy drinking can cause toxins in the blood, leading to various issues, such as fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis. Over time, excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to pancreatitis, inflaming, damaging, and eating away parts of the pancreas.
The immune system can also be impacted by alcohol consumption. Large amounts of alcohol suppress the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to illnesses such as pneumonia, colds, flu, and tuberculosis. A recent study also found that people with alcohol use disorders are at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 and are more likely to experience hospitalization and death from the virus. Regularly consuming large amounts of alcohol puts individuals at increased risk for cancers such as liver cancer, upper respiratory tract cancer, head and neck cancer, throat cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer.
In conclusion, heavy drinking can lead to various severe long-term effects that are dangerous and sometimes even deadly. It’s important to seek help and support for substance abuse, no matter what stage of addiction you are in. Remember, it’s never too late to take control of your life and make positive changes.
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