It's difficult to comprehend that a simple beverage has been responsible for innumerable cases of familial dysfunction, disease, motor vehicle accidents, suicide, senseless violence, job loss, economic hardship and death. Alcohol has accomplished all this and more, due to its knack for fogging brain function, destroying health and causing addiction. Those who suspect a loved one may be falling into patterns of alcoholism should educate themselves to the visible signs that can indicate the presence of the disease.
Signs of Intoxication
Frequent episodes of intoxication are an obvious warning sign of alcoholism. The alcoholic may try to hide the fact that she's been drinking, but such symptoms as loss of balance, staggering, slurred speech, red eyes and the smell of alcohol are often difficult to disguise. When intoxication appears at especially inappropriate times, such as early in the day, or during work hours, such occurrences strongly indicate the likelihood of a drinking problem. A person who is prone to inappropriate behavior while drinking, or whose drinking is causing difficulties in her career, home or social life, has a drinking problem, according to HelpGuide.org.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Alcoholics develop a tolerance to the drug, so that increased amounts of alcohol must be consumed to become intoxicated. When a long-term, chronic alcoholic is not drinking, he may experience withdrawal symptoms that are observable in their actions and appearance. Deborah Finn, Ph.D., of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, explains that alcohol withdrawal causes the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary nerve responses that regulate organ function, to become hyperactive. This can result in anxiety, insomnia and tremors that are relieved by consuming alcohol. Up to 10 percent of patients being treated for alcohol withdrawal experience severe convulsions.
Premature Aging
Alcoholism causes premature aging effects that are visible in the person's appearance, according to Radford University's Alcohol Education Program. It only takes three drinks a week for alcohol to begin making an impact on a person's rate of aging. After eight to 10 years of drinking, the dry hair, cracked lips, glassy eyes and puffy skin that are characteristic of alcohol abusers can begin to permanently age the facial appearance, as well as the overall health of the individual. Alcohol affects all the body's organ systems, according to NetWellness, and contributes to such appearance-altering illnesses as liver disease and cardiovascular disorders.
