What constitutes overuse of alcohol varies from person to person, based on factors such as sex, tolerance and size. Each individual person needs to understand what his own tolerance for alcohol is and try not to overuse it. Overuse of alcohol can result in many direct and indirect health issues.
Mental and Physical Impairment
The most direct risk of alcoholism is impairment in the ability to make decisions and function in daily activities. The effects of alcohol on the road are very real. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, approximately 11,773 people died in 2008 as a result of people driving with an illegally high blood alcohol content level. Alcoholism can not only impair performance in various activities but also judgment. An alcoholic may be more open to suggestion than if she wasn't under the influence of alcohol. This can lead to bad decisions that may cause regret the next day. While under the influence of alcohol, a person may cause more physical harm to himself due to the effects of the alcohol. Falling over and tripping can result in something as minimal as a scraped knee or as major as falling into oncoming traffic or down a hill.
Heart Disease
While a few drinks a day can be beneficial to heart health, notes the Women's Heart Foundation, overusing alcohol on a daily basis causes toxic effects to the heart. Excessive drinking results in more fats in the bloodstream. The greater amount of fats can lead to stroke, high blood pressure and congestive heart failure.
Liver Disease
Alcohol is processed by the liver, and alcoholics with a liver that is constantly processing toxic alcohol are at greater risk for liver disease. The Cleveland Clinic describes a pathway of alcohol metabolism through which the alcoholic liver begins to produce more reactive oxygen species like superoxide and ozone. The good news about liver damage from alcoholism is that it is reversible. If an individual with certain types of liver damage has stopped abusing or cuts alcohol consumption back, the liver can generally rejuvenate itself. Cirrhosis is a result of extremely heavy usage over very long periods of time and is generally considered to have irreversibly damaging effects on the liver.
Cancer
While the process through which cancer occurs as a result of alcoholism are not known, the American Cancer Society states that people who consume alcohol regularly are at greater risk for cancer, especially oral cancers, than those who don't drink. The way the alcohol is metabolized and changes in hormones due to alcoholism have been implicated as potential factors in cancerous growths.
