Alcoholism can have major effects on the people who must interact with the alcoholic. The alcoholic has a dependency that adversely affects behavior and social functioning. It also negatively effects the body, increasing the risk of having a lifetime of serious health problems. Heavy, long-term drinking can dramatically change both the mind and the body.
Brain Damage
Alcohol's effects on the brain are evident in people who become intoxicated. They may have blurred vision, slurred speech or impaired coordination. These effects are only temporary for people who don't develop a drinking problem. But the brain can be damaged extensively from heavy and long-term drinking, leading to debilitating conditions. Many long-term alcoholics neglect good nutritional practices and may suffer from serious thiamine deficiencies. Thiamine, or vitamin B1, is an essential nutrient for the brain. Some alcoholics with these deficiencies develop serious brain disorders that cause mental confusion, difficulty in muscle coordination and paralysis of nerves that move the eyes, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. They may also develop a form of psychosis that causes severe learning and memory disorders.
Blackouts
Memory impairment from heavy drinking can cause people to forget episodes of intoxication. There might be certain details or entire conversations forgotten. After a drinking binge, a person might lose memory of entire days or nights. The alcoholic doesn't have to be noticeably drunk to be intoxicated. She may not remember commitments or promises made, causing further disruptions among friends, families and co-workers who did not realize they were communicating with an intoxicated person.
Liver Disease
Alcoholic cirrhosis is scarring of the liver caused by long-term drinking. It is often fatal, especially if the alcoholic continues to drink. The damage to the liver is not reversible, but the alcoholic can increase longevity if the drinking stops.
Alcoholic hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, can cause fever, jaundice and abdominal pain, and be fatal if the person continues to drink. Unlike cirrhosis, this condition is reversible if the drinking stops. Alcoholism may also contribute to heart disease and cancers.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Many alcoholics face the severe anxiety, tremors and nausea created by alcohol withdrawal syndrome when they decide to stop drinking. Long-term alcoholism can cause such symptoms as hallucinations and convulsions, Partnership for a Drug-Free America notes. Many alcoholics must undergo the withdrawal process under medical supervision.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Heavy drinking during pregnancy can have devastating effects for a woman's baby. Babies exposed to alcohol in utero may develop the physical, learning and behavioral difficulties of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). A child with FAS may have less brain volume or fewer brain cells. The infant might also be smaller than average. Children with FAS may have unusual facial features such as a small head circumference, small nose, small eye openings and thin upper lip.
Effects on Others
Alcoholism can wreak havoc on families. Constant arguments can lead to violent results, including spousal abuse. Children's lives are damaged tremendously because of fear, embarrassment and psychological problems, which may require therapeutic treatment. Alcoholics can also cause problems for coworkers and businesses by being late for work and being absent frequently. Alcoholics become a problem to themselves because of disruption to their lives and livelihood. If they drink and drive, these problems can be harmful or fatal to others as well.
