Besides an increased potential for addiction and dependency, alcohol abuse, which is defined as an "unhealthy and dangerous" habit of drinking alcohol, can lead to a number of physical effects on the body. Most of which can be quite dangerous to your health. As time goes by, and the alcohol abuse continues, many of these issues can worsen, to the point of irreversible effects. If you think you're currently abusing alcohol, you should get help immediately, as the most effective way to improve your health is catching the problem early.
Effect on the Heart
As a person abuses alcohol in excess, he will generally cause his blood pressure to rise. This increase in blood pressure can eventually begin to damage the heart, both in structure and function. Since there is such an increase in the rate in which blood is coursing through the veins, the heart needs to compensate, essentially working overtime, which will put a strain on the organ. This strain will damage the heart and could lead to heart failure, heart attack or a stroke.
Effect on the Liver
The most obvious physical effect of alcohol abuse involves the liver. When someone abuses alcohol the liver essentially becomes inflamed. This inflammation can manifest other physical problems, including persistent nausea and vomiting, a loss of appetite, stomach pain and cramping, jaundice-like qualities to the skin and eyes, an elevated body temperature and an altered mental state, usually appearing as confusion. As time goes by, this inflammation of the liver can develop into cirrhosis, which is essentially a scarring of the organ.
Digestive Effects
Not surprisingly, the perpetual presence of alcohol in the stomach can begin to irritate and inflame its lining. This will ultimately hinder the way in which nutrients are absorbed, creating the potential for vitamin deficiencies and malnutrition. It may also begin to lead to an ulceration in the lining of the stomach, which could cause pain, discomfort and an inability to eat certain foods.
Neurological Effects
When a person drinks, she experiences a change in the way her brain essentially functions, hindering nerve impulses and the way in which neurotransmitters relay information. Alcohol abuse places the brain in this state continuously which can damage the brain. This will affect the ways someone thinks, speaks and acts.
Effects on the Bones
As with many forms of substance abuse, excessive use of alcohol can begin to affect your bones. Mostly, this has to do with the density of your bones. With habitual abuse, your bones can begin to thin, since there will generally be a lack of nutrition due to other alcohol-related health problems. When the bones begin to thin, there is a greater chance for breaks and fractures.
Other Problems
While a number of the effects from alcohol abuse can result in health risks, there are other issues that can spring up. Alcohol can actually affect the way in which a man can perform sexually, revealing itself as impotence. Women may also begin to experience a change in menstruation. This is more a result of other complications than a true side effect of abuse, but it is still a problem.
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