The Effects of Alcohol

Just the Facts: Alcohol Alcohol is the most widely used and abused drug in America. Alcoholism is one of the most preventable illnesses; yet 7 out of 10 adults drink alcohol. Of these, one out of seven is an alcoholic.

What is Alcoholism?

Alcoholism is a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by continuous or periodic impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking, most notably denial.

Alcoholism is a progressive illness that can be treated. Each alcoholic has a different drinking pattern, but the one thing all alcoholics have in common is an uncontrollable drinking habit.

Alcoholism has three distinct stages:

* Early Stage. A person in the early stage of alcoholism uses alcohol as a coping device to relieve tension or escape from problems. The alcoholic must drink more and more to achieve the same effect and has trouble stopping after one drink. The alcoholic makes promises to quit drinking but never follows through.

* Middle Stage. An alcoholic in the middle stage of alcoholism cannot get through the day without alcohol and may need a drink in the morning to overcome the "shakes." The middle-stage alcoholic will begin to manipulate others, lie about drinking, and may drink in secret or hide alcohol. It is harder and harder to get the same effects as tolerance increases. Irregular heart beat, hypertension, loss of appetite, irritability and insomnia are physical and psychological problems at this stage. The alcoholic denies that drinking is a problem.

* Late Stage. The alcoholic now lives to drink and avoids and distrusts others. All ambition is lost and the drinker is unable to cope with responsibility and is often absent from work. A late-stage alcoholic may suffer from reverse tolerance: the brain and liver can no longer tolerate a high level of alcohol, so the drinker becomes impaired after even small amounts of alcohol. Malnutrition, nerve dysfunction, loss of memory, mental confusion, impaired vision, hypertension, heart disease and cirrhosis of the liver can occur during this stage. If drinking stops, there severe withdrawal reactions. Late-stage psychological problems include shame, guilt, severe depression, violent behavior, low self-esteem, loss of control of emotions, loss of concentration and learning ability. At this point, the alcoholic "hits bottom." The alcoholic may continue to drink despite pain or disability. The only viable alternative is to seek treatment. Seeking treatment at an early stage of alcoholism will prevent a loss of many things that are constituted with a bottom.

Long-Term Effects of Alcohol

Frequent and prolonged use of alcohol has many detrimental effects on the body. Heavy drinkers develop a tolerance for alcohol, which means that larger amounts of alcohol are needed to get the desired effect. A drinker is physically dependent if withdrawal symptoms are experienced when alcohol use is discontinued abruptly. Symptoms vary but include delirium tremors (the "DTs"), cramps, vomiting, elevated blood pressure, sweating, dilated pupils, sleep problems, irritability and seizures. Most of these symptoms will subside in two to three days, though irritability and insomnia may last two to three weeks or longer. Psychological dependence occurs when the drinker becomes so preoccupied with alcohol that it is difficult to do without it. Short-term memory loss and blackouts are common among heavy drinkers. A blackout, which is an amnesia-like period often confused with passing out or losing consciousness, results when the drinker appears normal and may function normally; however, the person has no memory of what has taken place. Research indicates that blackouts are associated with alcoholism, and there is a correlation between the extent and duration of alcohol consumption during any given drinking episode and the occurrence of blackouts.

Medical Complications of Heavy Alcohol Use GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM

Alcohol acts as an irritant and increases the amount of hydrochloric acid (a digestive juice) that is secreted from the stomach lining. Intoxicating amounts of alcohol cause the digestive process to stop, robbing the body of vital vitamins and minerals. Alcohol in combination with other stomach irritants such as aspirin can cause gastritis, ulcers and severe bleeding.

Liver Disorders

The liver maintains the blood sugar level in the body. This sugar (glucose) is the only source of energy that brain cells can use. When alcohol is consumed, the liver's attention is diverted from maintaining the sugar level to ridding the body of the alcohol, thus denying the brain the energy it needs to function properly.

Liver disorders associated with heavy alcohol use are:

* Fatty liver, which gets its name from the deposits of fat that build up in normal liver cells. It is caused by the decreased breakdown of fatty acids by the liver and occurs when 30 to 50 percent or more of the drinker's dietary calories consist of alcohol. Acute fatty liver is reversible it alcohol use is stopped.

* Alcoholic hepatitis, which often follows a severe or prolonged bout of heavy drinking. The liver becomes inflamed, damaging many liver cells, and metabolism is seriously disturbed. Symptoms include jaundice (yellowish color of the skin and whites of the eyes), weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, low-grade fever, dark urine, and mild weight loss. Alcoholic hepatitis is usually reversible with abstinence from alcohol. In some drinkers, it can be fatal or can become chronic. Alcoholic hepatitis precedes alcoholic cirrhosis in some cases.

* Cirrhosis of the liver, a condition in which there is major destruction of liver cells and

build-up of scar tissue. One in 10 long-term heavy drinkers eventually develops cirrhosis of the liver. Because of the irreversible damage caused, a person with cirrhosis will most likely die within five years.

Heart Disease

Moderate drinking causes a significant rise in blood pressure. Heavy alcohol use is an important factor in causing high blood pressure and an enlarged heart, which increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. As few as two drinks a day can lead to impaired muscle functioning of the heart.

Reproduction and Pregnancy

Effects of heavy alcohol use include missed menstrual periods in women and diminished libido (sexual desire) and possible sterility in men. A woman who drinks alcohol during pregnancy risks the health of her unborn child. Alcohol passes freely through the placenta, creating a level in the fetus almost identical to that in the mother. Babies whose mothers drink frequently or heavily during pregnancy may be born with serious birth defects. These defects are termed Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), or Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE), which include babies affected by alcohol but without the full set of FAS characteristics. These characteristics are low birth weight, physical deformities, heart defects, joint and limb deformities, heart defects, and mental retardation. FAE complications include spontaneous abortion, stillbirth delivery, low birth weight, neurobehavioral abnormalities, mental retardation, cerebral palsy and learning disorders.

Treating Alcoholism

The sooner alcoholism is detected, the better the chances of recovery. There are several effective treatment methods for alcoholism, and what works for one person may not work for another. Many options should be explored when seeking help. Local or state health organizations or insurance companies can be contacted to find out what treatment alternatives exist in each community.

The important part of seeking treatment is the motivation and determination of the alcoholic to recover. It is also important for the family of the alcoholic to participate in treatment in order to understand the alcoholic's problems and how family members also have been affected by alcohol.