The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism estimates that 17.6 million adults in the United States are alcoholics or have a problem with chronic alcohol abuse. Strong cravings for alcohol, difficulty stopping after one or two drinks, blackouts and withdrawal symptoms are all features of the disease of alcoholism. You may have a problem with drinking if others complain about your drinking habits, if you have had a DUI arrest, or if you sometimes feel as if you should "cut down" on the amount that you drink. The tendency to develop addiction to alcohol has a genetic component and runs in families. It is dangerous to deny problem drinking, because alcoholism has a number of long-term risks to your health.
Psychological Damage
Mental and social health are adversely affected by alcoholism. Problem drinking can lead to a chaotic home life, often associated with unstable employment, marital conflict, diminished parenting skills and even violence. The long-term psychosocial effects of alcoholism impact everyone in the family, and adult children of alcoholics often struggle with lifelong aftereffects of the damaged parent-child relationship. Alcoholism also leads to social isolation, depression and anxiety. It also can exacerbate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Traumatic Injury
We don't often consider traumatic injury to be a long-term effect of alcoholism, but the abuse of alcohol is a contributing factor in homicide, suicide, and vehicular traumatic injury and death. Over one-third of traffic related deaths are related to alcohol use, according to the National Institutes of Health. The total number killed annually is around 17,000. This number of deaths is similar in scope to five September, 11, 2001, tragedies per year.
Cirrhosis of the Liver
Liver failure due to alcoholic cirrhosis is usually a result of many years of drinking. It is not necessary to be visibly "drunk" to begin to develop liver toxicity; however, heavier drinking is more likely to cause long-term damage. Frequent use of acetaminophen and prior history of hepatitis are factors that increase the likelihood of developing alcohol-related liver disease. If liver disease is severe, a liver transplant may be required.
Drug Use
Abuse of alcohol is associated with an 18-fold increase in the likelihood of prescription drug abuse, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. This is especially true for younger alcoholics. Abuse of multiple substances increases the health and social risks for alcoholic individuals and for society.
Neurologic Disorders
Chronic alcoholism can result in a number of neurological problems. Neuropathy symptoms include numbness, tingling, weakness and impotence. Mental problems can include Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, with amnesia, confusion, disorientation and difficulty creating new memories. The threat of delerium tremens (DTs) during alcohol withdrawal is also real. Seizures and even death can result from DTs during periods when alcohol is not immediately available.
Women and Alcohol
Women are more likely to suffer ill effects from alcohol. The body composition of women differs from that of men, so that a similar amount of alcohol consumed will result in higher blood alcohol concentrations. All adverse effects related to alcohol are more likely to occur in female drinkers than in male drinkers. In addition, women alcoholics are at risk for bearing children with fetal alcohol syndrome, a birth defect that can result in learning disability and facial deformities. Finally, women may be at higher risk for breast cancer even from moderate alcohol intake.
