Though it’s illegal, it’s not uncommon for kids to start drinking in high school or early in college. When they enter adult life, most cut back on the alcohol. Those who don’t come face-to-face with the long term effects of alcohol abuse, especially binge drinking.
People have been drinking alcohol for thousands of years. However, not much precise information is available about the ways that alcohol affects your body. Alcohol causes changes in the brain and other organs which will affect how you feel and behave. This includes when you drink heavily over a period of time.
It is very important for people to be aware of the different aspects of heavy drinking so they can manage their drinking and make sure they do not harm their health. The following are some of the long-term effects of alcohol:
Unhealthy Liver
Long-term drinking can damage the liver in several ways. It can cause fat cells to form in the liver. That in and of itself will make it harder for other injuries and illnesses sustained by the liver to heal.
Other potential long term effects of alcohol include alcoholic hepatitis. This can lead to an inflamed liver. Going to alcohol treatment programs and committing to abstinence from alcohol may help relieve some of these symptoms.
Probably the most deadly liver disease is cirrhosis of the liver. It occurs when the liver develops hard, plaque-like scars. The only treatment for this is an organ transplant.
In order for you to get a transplant, you’ll need to attend drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs. You’ll also need to develop a maintenance plan so you can commit to a life of sobriety. Often, you’ll need to prove that you’ve been sober for a certain amount of time before you can get approval for a transplant.
Brain Effects
When you drink too much and too long, chemical changes begin to take place. If you were young when you started drinking, by middle age, your brain cells begin dying more quickly than they would have otherwise. You may start to experience mild symptoms of dementia.
Over time, heavy drinking causes changes in the brain structures responsible for memory and learning. When people stop drinking, they may not be able to remember important information easily.
Heart Disease
Alcohol affects blood pressure and heart rate. People who drink alcohol tend to have higher blood pressure, but heavy drinking can cause the heart to beat irregularly. This is harmful for your cardiovascular system.
These effects are even more dangerous when high blood pressure or other diseases are already present. Drinking may make existing conditions worse and increase the risk of stroke or damage to any part of the body served by the heart.
In fact, a series of changes to the heart is one of the long-term effects of alcohol. You may start to develop blood clots which, left untreated, can lead to heart attack and stroke. Other conditions affecting the heart include ventricular fibrillation which can cause sudden death and cardiomyopathy.
Reproduction
A male who drinks too much and for too long may find that he is producing a smaller amount of sperm. This can make it difficult for him to reproduce.
A woman who drinks heavily can still conceive, but risks giving birth to a child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. A FAS child typically has a lower than average IQ and trouble picking up on social cues.
Cancer
Heavy drinking can put you at a higher risk of cancer. Some of the types of cancer you risk include
- Mouth
- Throat
- Voice box
- Liver
- Esophagus
- Breast
Fight the Long Term Effects of Alcohol Use
Because of the dangers of long term effects of alcohol abuse, it’s important to go to an alcohol rehab center in Portland. As you go through the program and start recovery. your body and mind will feel much better. Call Crestview Recovery at 866.262.0531 today to begin recovery.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
