Alcoholism<\/a> is a common yet severe substance use disorder that affects millions of Americans<\/a>. Unfortunately, as with so many other substance use disorders, the effects of alcoholism influence a person\u2019s life in numerous ways. Alcohol abuse affects not only their mental and physical health but also their career and interpersonal relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcoholism is considered a long-term or chronic disease<\/a>, and it tends to progress in stages. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many people wonder, \u201cWhat effects<\/a> does alcoholism have on the body?\u201d What alcoholism does to the body can be quite devastating. While someone may start out simply enjoying the feelings they get from using alcohol, over time, the ways in which alcoholism affects the body will become more apparent and severe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Short-Term Effects<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcohol has effects on the body that are evident whenever it is used, whether by someone who struggles with alcoholism or not. These short-term effects of alcohol use include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n These short-term effects of alcohol use will typically wear off as the alcohol is metabolized by the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Long-Term Effects<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The more long-term effects of alcohol use are more dangerous<\/a>. Alcohol can cause a more permanent disruption of the brain\u2019s communication pathways and can lead to heart and liver damage. Alcohol also leads to an increased likelihood of many cancers<\/a>, including cancer of the mouth, esophagus, throat, liver, and breast. When a person drinks too much alcohol<\/a>, it can also weaken their immune system<\/a>, making them more susceptible to illnesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcohol can have serious impacts on brain health<\/a>, especially when it is used for a long time. Long-term alcohol use can lead to a slowdown in the activity of nerves and chemicals that are used by the brain to transmit nerve signals. It can also affect the production of new brain cells and may lead to long-term brain problems including seizures<\/a>, dementia<\/a>, and prolonged delirium<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over time, alcohol use also impacts the production of dopamine<\/a>, a feel-good chemical in the brain. Dopamine is an essential part of the brain\u2019s reward system and helps people feel pleasure. Over time, when a person has artificially increased dopamine from alcohol use, their brain<\/a> becomes unable to experience pleasure without alcohol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another key way in which long-term alcohol misuse damages the body is how it affects the liver<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The liver is responsible for metabolizing alcohol. When alcohol is consumed, the liver turns the alcohol into other chemicals, some of which are toxic. These toxic chemicals can lead to injury to the liver and may increase the risk of liver cancer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fatty Liver<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When people drink too much alcohol over a prolonged time, fat accumulates in the liver, which can clog the liver and disrupt its normal functions. Most people who are heavy drinkers will develop a fatty liver<\/a>. Unfortunately, fatty liver may not cause noticeable health problems until it becomes more severe, but it will eventually lead to other more serious liver diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcoholic Hepatitis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As fat begins to accumulate in the liver and the liver\u2019s normal function is disrupted, the liver will become inflamed. This condition is referred to as alcoholic hepatitis<\/a>. Unfortunately, alcoholic hepatitis will cause more severe effects on the body<\/a>, but this inflammation may get better when alcohol use is stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcoholic Cirrhosis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As the liver experiences prolonged inflammation, it starts to develop scar tissue. This scarring of the liver is called cirrhosis<\/a>. Cirrhosis is very serious and greatly increases the risk of death. Cirrhosis is not reversible. While someone who stops using alcohol may stop the progression of cirrhosis, the degree of scarring that has already occurred is permanent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When talking about the effects of alcohol on the heart<\/a>, many people like to recall that they have heard somewhere that a glass of wine a day helps the heart somehow. While a daily glass of red wine may have some heart health benefits, any benefits are mostly due to the characteristics of the grapes in the wine, not because of the alcohol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When used in excess, alcohol is almost always bad for the heart<\/a>. Heart problems are one of the main causes of death in the United States, and alcoholism increases the risk of heart health problems<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While there are several ways by which alcoholism affects the heart, the main potential problem is something called alcoholic cardiomyopathy<\/a>. With alcoholic cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle becomes stretched and enlarged, affecting its ability to pump blood throughout the body<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When someone drinks a lot of alcohol it will also raise the blood pressure and lipid levels, increasing the risk of several serious health problems, including stroke and heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcoholism can contribute to several types of psychological conditions<\/a>. Alcoholism greatly complicates existing or developing psychiatric issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcohol abuse can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Psychological conditions that are thought to be directly related to alcoholism include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people may have these conditions before using alcohol, and the effects of these disorders may become more apparent once alcohol use is started. Others may use alcohol as an attempt to treat the effects of these psychological conditions. Regular alcohol use may also create these psychological conditions in those who were already at risk for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The psychological conditions that are related to alcoholism can lead to disruption of a person\u2019s social life and may increase their risk of suicidal thoughts or attempting suicide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcoholism can have a devastating effect on interpersonal relationships. Small to moderate amounts of alcohol use is associated with social activity<\/a>, such as meeting people in bars or drinking over a business lunch. Heavy alcohol use, however, can harm relationships and worsen a person\u2019s loneliness and isolation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the World Health Organization, over half<\/a> of all victims of domestic violence<\/a> in America believe alcohol use precipitated the attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using alcohol greatly increases the risk that someone will not be able to control their actions or thought processes and could end up hurting a significant other, either verbally or physically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to the increased potential for injury, a significant other is likely to experience more financial stress from a partner\u2019s alcohol abuse.<\/a> Purchasing alcohol is an expense, and using excessive amounts of alcohol decreases the ability to work and create an income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regular alcohol use also leads to increased medical expenses, increasing the cost of alcoholism even more. This increased financial stress can make it necessary for a significant other to work more and decreases the amount of time spent with the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can be difficult for spouses and significant others to know how to cope with their partner\u2019s alcohol abuse and when to draw the line<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcohol abuse can harm children beginning in the womb. Prenatal alcohol use<\/a> can contribute to the development of fetal alcohol<\/a> spectrum disorders, birth defects, and other consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Growing up in a home with alcoholism<\/a> can have numerous harmful effects on children. If a parent struggles with alcoholism, their children may be more prone to developing alcohol addiction<\/a>, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, alcoholism in parents can increase the risk that children will be physically abused or neglected<\/a>. As one parent increases their use of alcohol, the increased expenses and decreased income may cause the other parent to have to work more. The children may have to spend more time with the parent who is suffering from the intoxicating effects of alcohol and are less likely to be well cared for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcohol abuse can have long-term effects on children, and many children of alcoholics attend support groups<\/a> and therapy sessions well into their adult years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While alcoholism may affect someone\u2019s significant other and their children, it can also affect their extended family<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The increased financial stress that accompanies alcoholism may cause the person struggling with alcohol to borrow money from family. It may also create stress on the family as they may have to take a more active role in helping to raise the children and assist in financially supporting the person suffering from alcoholism<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As these effects of alcoholism are extended over time, the decreased contributions of the person with alcoholism may cause a breakdown of the relationships between them and their families<\/a>. These effects can lead to resentment, decreased communication and eventually to isolation from some or all family members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Friends and family members<\/a> may band together and hold interventions<\/a> with their loved one about their problematic alcohol use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcoholism can lead to decreased time spent on building and maintaining friendships<\/a>. The negative social stigma associated with alcoholism can also greatly affect friendships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As friendships are affected by alcohol use, the development of new friendships will likely be centered around alcohol use and people who drink together. These new friendships will reinforce alcohol use and make it harder for someone with alcoholism to stop using alcohol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Concerned friends can speak with the person privately<\/a> in efforts to help them stop drinking and get professional help for alcohol abuse<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regular alcohol use will likely lead to decreased productivity at work<\/a>. As alcoholism disrupts coordination, thinking and motor function, any task will become more difficult and may even become dangerous, depending upon what types of tasks are done.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPhysical Effects of Alcoholism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Alcoholism Does to the Brain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How Alcoholism Affects the Liver<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How Alcoholism Affects the Heart<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Psychological Effects of Alcoholism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Alcoholism\u2019s Effect on Relationships<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Alcoholism\u2019s Effect on Significant Others, Partners, and Spouses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Alcoholism\u2019s Effect on Children<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Alcoholism\u2019s Effect on Family<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Alcoholism\u2019s Effect on Friendships<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Alcoholism\u2019s Effect on Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n