Any alcoholic beverage contains ethanol. Ethanol is a toxic psychoactive chemical with addiction-producing properties.
Many cultures have been using alcoholic drinks for ages. However, alcohol use, addiction, and dependency can have severe effects on one’s health, relationships, and general social well-being. The drinking problem is pretty widespread, yet most people are unaware of its severity or the far-reaching consequences.
The abuse of alcohol that can lead to alcohol use disorder is understood to be more than excessive consumption. It includes any sort of consumption that threatens your health or safety or creates problems in your life.
One example of such abuse is binge drinking. This term means a male drinks five or more drinks in two hours. For females, it means four drinks in two hours. That kind of drinking does not only affect your mental capacity; it causes severe health and safety dangers.
If your alcohol use begins to interfere with your daily activities, you may have an alcohol use problem. For example, if drinking causes depression or makes it hard to do your daily tasks, this could be an early sign of the disorder.
Many people tend to underestimate the seriousness of alcohol use disorder (AUD). For example, a survey report found that about 28.1 million adults have AUD. This is about 11 percent of Americans aged eighteen and older. This number includes those who had AUD in the last twelve months.
But it’s not only the adults who suffer. About 757,000 teenagers aged 12 to 17, or about 3% of this group, struggle with alcohol use disorder.
“Alcohol Use Disorder,” or AUD, means a strong need to drink. This behavior continues even when it causes problems. These problems can affect family, work, and health.
Many terms refer to the same idea, like “alcoholism,” “alcohol abuse,” and “alcohol dependency.” Some people also call it “problematic drinking.”
When drinking becomes a regular activity instead of an occasional one, it changes how the brain works. This can lead to drinking even more. It often results in a self-perpetuating cycle that is extremely difficult to break.
But here’s the deal: there’s always light at the end of the tunnel, regardless of how paranoid it may sound. There are many treatment options to help you reclaim your life.
Addiction to alcohol in its early stages can be difficult to detect since most individuals hide it. Some will flatly deny having a problem with their drinking in the first place.
If you have a problem with alcohol, you will show certain signs and behaviors. These can be seen as symptoms of the issue. The common ones include you:
Many factors can contribute to alcohol use disorder (AUD). Understanding these factors can help you see how different parts of your life may be involved. Some important factors include the following:
Alcohol dependence takes a heavy toll on both your brain and your body. Over time, it messes with your mind, changing the way you think, feel, and act.
If you drink heavily for years, the effects get even worse. Your brain actually starts to shrink. It’s not just about losing your memory or struggling to focus—it goes deeper.
It can be tough when you find it difficult to think clearly, learn new things, or remember even the simplest details. The longer you drink, the harder it is to stay clear-minded. This can trap you in a tough cycle.
In the short term, alcohol interferes with your body and mind in many ways.
All of this can happen fast, and while it might feel good in the moment, the aftermath is always brutal.
Alcohol can affect your thoughts and feelings, changing how you behave in ways you might not notice. Right now, it may seem like everything is fine. However, drinking a lot can make simple tasks harder. Tasks like talking or moving can become much more complicated over time.
And the long-term effects? They can be severe, causing lasting harm to essential parts of your body—things you definitely don’t want to damage. It’s not just about the temporary feeling; it’s about what happens in the future.
Memory and Focus: Alcohol can harm your short-term memory. This makes it hard to remember even recent events. It also makes it harder to concentrate or stay focused for extended periods.
Eye Problems: Heavy drinking weakens the muscles in your eyes, making it harder to focus and see clearly.
Liver Damage: The more you drink, the more you are making it difficult for your liver to function properly. It will increase the chances of getting permanent conditions like hepatitis and cirrhosis. Liver cirrhosis is a late stage of chronic liver disease. In this stage, the liver has a lot of scarring and changes in its structure.
Stomach and Digestive Problems: When you drink excessively, it pushes your stomach and pancreas into overdrive. This disrupts your digestion and the way your body absorbs nutrients from food.
Hypertension and Other Heart Problems: Regular alcohol use can raise your blood pressure. It puts extra strain on your heart and increasing the risk of heart problems like high blood pressure over time. It can also increase your risk for some severe medical conditions, including heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and even stroke.
Diabetes: If you drink a lot, you have a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes. If you already have it, drinking alcohol can make your condition worse.
Menstrual Problems for Women: Alcohol can disrupt your menstrual cycle, causing irregularities or even making your period stop altogether.
Erectile Dysfunction (ED) in Men: It impacts a man’s ability to get (and/or) keep an erection.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: If you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, drinking alcohol can cause serious birth defects. It can range from developmental delays to heart and brain problems in your baby.
Weakened Bones: It affects how bones can heal and makes them weaker. This increases the risk of fractures.
Nerve Damage: Long-term alcohol use can lead to painful peripheral neuropathy. This condition has very few effective treatment options. It is commonly associated with burning pain at rest, hyperalgesia, and allodynia.
Cancer Risks: According to studies, drinking three or more alcoholic beverages each day raises the chance of developing stomach and pancreatic cancer cancers. It also raises the possibility of prostate cancer. Wine, beer, and spirits all increase the risk of cancer. Every year, roughly 20,000 Americans die as a result of alcohol-related cancers.
Mental Health: Alcohol affects your body and can worsen mental health problems. It can increase issues like depression and anxiety. It may also cause new problems you have never faced before.
Alcoholism rehab is not a one-size-fits-all kind of treatment, as some people think. Many factors have to fit into the treatment – physical, psychological, and emotional, among others. The approach may change based on how severe the addiction is and the patient’s needs, among other factors.
The first and most important step is to admit you have AUD. This is an issue that needs to be addressed.
This realization often comes from within. You start to see how deeply it affects your life. But sometimes, it doesn’t come from you. It might come from the people around you.
Your family, friends, coworkers, and school staff can help you see the truth. In rare cases, your employers or the courts may also help. The next step is to get help from a professional.
This starts with removing alcohol from your system. This depends on how addicted you are. Next, you’ll need to enroll in behavioral treatment programs to assist you in maintaining your recovery.
If you or someone you care about is showing signs of AUD, you do not have to continue suffering in silence. Addiction experts have designed several treatment programs that you may need to explore. It’s best to work with a drug rehab expert to find out which program suits you best since they have the knowledge to guide you. The options include:
Detoxification and Medication-Assisted Treatment
The goal of detox and mat is to remove alcohol from your body. It helps you manage withdrawal symptoms. This process stabilizes your system.
Then, you can focus on other important stages of recovery. MAT medications include disulfiram, acamprosate, and naltrexone. Detox is done with the help of professionals. They are available all day and night to keep you safe and support you during the process.
Inpatient Treatment Programs (IPs)
Inpatient treatment programs need you to stay at a rehab center or hospital. Here, you will get more support and monitoring. Such environments are conducive to recovery because they remove you from the stressors and triggers of home. However, at this time, they do not allow you to use what you have learned in practice.
Outpatient Treatment Programs (OPs)
Outpatient treatment for alcohol addiction is now a leading and effective way to help people with this issue. It allows you to get the help you need without disrupting your daily routine. This includes work, school, or family matters.
It lets you stay at home in the evenings. You can attend therapy sessions for a few hours each week. Most people find this very convenient.
Behavioral Therapy
After detoxification, one still has a long way to go towards recovery. Detox is just the first step.
You will likely need counseling or therapy to move forward. In these cases, the next step will probably be joining an inpatient rehab center. After that, there will be outpatient treatment. Both of these modalities, (IPs or Ops) of treatment usually incorporate some form of psychotherapeutic interventions.
Among the many psychotherapies available for mental health disorders such as addiction, CBT is perhaps the most popular one. CBT teaches you to recognize and confront the unhealthy thinking patterns that underlie alcoholism. Other possible therapeutic options may contain the following:
There are holistic therapies in alcohol treatment programs. These therapies aim to balance the body and mind.
Yoga is another holistic therapy option that enhances mental awareness while instilling a refreshing calmness. Nutritional therapy aims to restore balance in the body that alcohol may disrupt. It also helps improve overall health.
Guided imagery helps you picture your recovery goals. This keeps you focused on what you want to achieve. Biofeedback helps you master how to cope with certain automatic functions of the body, such as cravings or tension.
Meditation is a useful tool. It quiets the constant chatter in your mind.
This helps you focus on breathing in and out without worries. Tai Chi involves slow movements combined with deep breathing. This practice helps improve balance, mental clarity, and overall health. The acupuncture technique, effective in decreasing alcohol cravings, works by inserting needles in various parts of the body.
Family, friends, and coworkers, among other loved ones, play a critical role in supporting individuals recovering from alcohol addiction. This can include:
We know that cost is a major factor for most people when seeking treatment for drug & alcohol abuse in Virginia. Novara Recovery Center works with most major insurance plans to help cover up to 100% of the costs associated with treatment at our program. To find out your personal options for treatment, get a free verification of insurance benefits right now by clicking the button below.
Taking alcohol addiction excessively can affect a person’s body, mind, or social life severely. The more you ignore and delay treatment, the harder it becomes for the patient to come back to normal.
We have already looked at the short-term and long-term effects of alcohol use. Long-term alcohol addiction can lead to many health issues.
These may include liver disease, heart problems, and brain damage. In severe cases, it can even result in death. There are also higher risks of accidents and injuries. These can include car crashes, falls, or even a fatal overdose, especially when binge drinking.
Grappling with AUD can take a heavy toll on your mental and emotional well-being. It often brings feelings of low self-esteem, worry, and even other mental health struggles. It’s exhausting to carry that weight day in and day out.
Your relationships are likely to suffer, which can result in alienation, job loss, and conflict with family members. Alcoholism can lead to poor judgment and bad decision-making. This may result in unusual behaviors or legal issues.
Addressing the issue of alcohol addiction in our society needs a balanced plan that looks at everything involved. This can mean telling people about the dangers of alcohol.
It also involves making strong plans to get people involved. Additionally, we need to set up helpful government programs to support people in avoiding alcohol. It’s about coming together as a community to address this challenge on multiple levels.
Prevention efforts for teens and young adults should focus on the importance of learning. They need to develop healthy ways to cope with challenges. Preventing alcohol misuse, creating strong peer support networks, and finding healthier options to drinking can make a big difference.
Parents, school leaders, teachers, and caregivers all play an important role. They should be good examples of responsible drinking. It is also important for them to have clear and open discussions about the dangers of alcohol.
Relapse is a typical barrier to drug recovery, but it may be avoided with proper support and mental strategy. Staying on track requires:
Raising awareness about alcohol misuse is important. We need to understand what can cause a relapse after treatment. Fostering positive behaviors is also key.
All these steps help reduce the chances of relapse. When individuals are educated and supported in developing healthy habits, they are better equipped to maintain long-term sobriety.
Alcoholism is a treatable mental disease, and recovery is possible for everyone who takes the proper steps toward healing. This message is for individuals facing alcohol addiction and their loved ones who understand the seriousness of this struggle.
Alcohol use disorder has clear effects. It is important to learn how to manage it and seek help. This way, you can regain control of your life.
At Navara Recovery Center in Virginia, we provide expert support throughout every stage of recovery. By using prevention, early help, and rehabilitation, we can reduce the impact of alcohol addiction. This can help us start our journey back to health and live a life beyond alcohol. Contact us today and take that critical step toward lasting healing.
Written By:
Mental Health Writer
Geoffrey Andaria is a seasoned writer and editor specializing in mental health content. With a B.A. in English and Journalism, he possesses a solid foundation in crafting freelance articles and conducting research. Geoffrey has also completed courses in social work. He dedicates himself to providing valuable and informative content for individuals impacted by mental health challenges and addiction.
Medically Reviewed By:
Expert Contributor
Dr. Williams is currently a board member for two non-profit service organizations. He holds a Master’s degree in Human Services from Lincoln University, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He possesses a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Union Institute and University, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. He holds a license to offer addiction counseling in both New Jersey and Connecticut. Additionally, he has submitted an application to become a licensed psychologist in New Jersey.
