Alcoholism doesn't just affect a person socially and occupationally. It can also have long-lasting affects on health. People who drink heavily and regularly can damage their brain, liver, pancreas and heart. If someone you know drinks often and seems sick more than normal, he might be experiencing effects from drinking.
Tolerance
Someone who drinks regularly builds a tolerance for alcohol. The person has to drink more and more to feel a buzz or get drunk. You might notice this person at a party because she's had four shots of liquor and doesn't seem fazed. If someone you love seems to need to drink more and more, she probably has a drinking problem.
Withdrawal
Someone with a drinking problem experiences withdrawal symptoms if she doesn't drink in a day or two. Alcohol withdrawal can be serious and sometimes fatal. If you or someone you know who's an alcoholic wants to quit drinking, she should do it under the supervision of a medical professional. Detoxification programs are available for people to manage withdrawal symptoms while becoming sober. Withdrawal symptoms that you or someone you know may experience include anxiety, irritability, feelings of sadness, trembling, stomach issues, sleep issues, excessive sweating and headaches.
Brain
Drinking regularly and heavily hurts the brain. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a person's brain is affected in the short term after one or two drinks and over the long term of drinking regularly. Short-term health symptoms include impaired memory, slowed reaction, trouble walking and slurred speech. Long-term affects include brain shrinkage and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, characterized by confusion, issues with muscle coordination, learning and memory problems. This disease usually develops due to a thiamine deficiency. Also, cirrhosis of the liver can lead to a fatal brain disease called hepatic encephalopathy.
Other Long-Term Health Symptoms
Liver problems, including cirrhosis of the liver and liver disease, affect more than two million Americans, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Moderate drinking--no more than one drink a day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men--can be healthy for someone's heart. However, alcohol abuse can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and strokes. It can also cause certain types of cancer, including mouth and throat cancer, and lead to pancreatitis.
