Legacy Healing Center Blog
Long Term Effects and Warning Signs of Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that affects every organ in the body. When a person drinks alcohol, it is absorbed into their bloodstream via the stomach and small intestine and then circulated throughout the central nervous system. Alcohol abuse can cause serious long-term effects including severe, irreversible organ damage. Continue reading to learn about the long term effects of alcohol addiction, how to spot the warning signs of abuse, and how to get help.
Organs Damaged by Long-Term Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol abuse can lead to serious, sometimes irreversible damage to the limbic system, cerebellum, and cerebral cortex. Over time, damage to these communication centers within the brain may contribute to mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders and antisocial personality disorder.
Alcohol is metabolized by liver enzymes in order to be converted into a digestible product. The liver is only able to metabolize a small amount of alcohol at a time, which leaves the excess alcohol to circulate through the body. Excessive alcohol intake for prolonged periods of time can cause various liver inflammations, including:
- Fatty liver
- Alcoholic hepatitis
The heart is responsible for receiving blood from the liver and pumping it throughout the body. When the liver sends alcohol-contaminated blood to the heart, it can cause a number of different long-term health effects and heart disease, including:
- Cardiomyopathy (stretching of the heart muscle)
- Arrhythmia/irregular heartbeat
- Stroke and blood clots
- High blood pressure
- Heart attack
The pancreas is responsible for helping the body digest food by secreting two necessary hormones, insulin and glucagon. These hormones increase and decrease the level of sugar in the blood. Long-term alcohol abuse may cause Pancreatitis, a potentially deadly inflammation of the pancreas, and lead to severely impaired digestion. The symptoms of Pancreatitis are not always noticeable, so in many cases it goes untreated.
The kidneys are responsible for filtering harmful substances out of the blood. Heavy drinking is a known cause of high blood pressure, and liver damage. Both of which contribute to kidney disease.
The Stomach and Digestive system
Alcohol causes the stomach to produce more acid than normal, which can wear down the lining of the stomach and contribute to ulcers, acid reflux, nausea, vomiting inflammation and internal bleeding. Alcohol may also alter nutrient breakdown, absorption, transportation, storage, and excretion, leading to nutrient deficiencies and/or trouble fully using nutrients causing anemia. Alcohol can also impair blood sugar control.
The Central Nervous System
Vitamin B1 deficiency associated with alcohol abuse can lead to Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome. Symptoms may include confusion, impaired coordination, learning problems, and memory difficulties. Liver disease can also harm the brain, leading to sleep changes, mood swings and changes in one’s personality, depression, anxiety, impaired concentration, and incoordination. New brain cell growth is stunted by excessive alcohol intake.
The Reproductive System
Consuming too much alcohol can lead to reproductive problems, including:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Irregular menstruation
- Reduced fertility in both men and women
- Increased risk for miscarriage, stillbirth, and having a child born with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)
Consuming too much alcohol can also cause disruption in the production of vitamin D, which is needed for calcium absorption. The resulting lack of calcium increases the risk of developing osteoporosis, leading to an increased likelihood of bone fractures, causing serious pain and disability.
Signs And Symptoms Of Alcohol Abuse
Most people don’t recognize when their drinking has become a problem. Knowing the signs of an alcohol use disorder helps facilitate an individual in getting the required treatment and avoiding the long-term effects of alcohol abuse.
Signs and symptoms to be aware of include:
- Drinking more or for a longer period than intended
- Attempting to cut down or stop drinking without success
- Having a strong urge to drink
- Alcohol often interfering with family life, job or school
- Drinking that is causing trouble with family or friends
- Foregoing other activities to drink alcohol
- Being exposed to dangerous situations while intoxicated
- Increasing alcohol tolerance
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when alcohol is wearing off
Where to Get Help
If you recognize any of these warning signs either in yourself or someone you love, call us today. Legacy Healing Center can help you determine whether or not alcohol has become a problem. Our comprehensive team has the tools to help set you free from the harmful effects of alcohol and other toxic substances.
Ugonjwa wa Mshuko wa Kileo: Madhara ya Muda Mrefu na Ishara za Onyo za Ugonjwa wa Ugonjwa wa Kileo - Kileo ni depressant ya mfumo wa neva ya kati ambayo huathiri kila kiungo katika mwili. Wakati mtu anapokunywa pombe, inasimamishwa katika mtiririko wa damu kupitia tumbo na matumbo madogo na kisha inazunguka katika mfumo wote wa neva. Matumizi mabaya ya kileo yanaweza kusababisha athari mbaya za muda mrefu ikiwa ni pamoja na uharibifu mkubwa, usioweza kurekebishwa wa viungo. Soma pia kuhusu athari za muda mrefu za ulevi, jinsi ya kutambua ishara za onyo la matumizi mabaya, na jinsi ya kupata msaada. Ugonjwa wa muda mrefu wa kulevya - Ugonjwa wa muda mrefu wa kulevya unaweza kusababisha madhara makubwa, wakati mwingine yasiyoweza kurekebishwa kwa mfumo wa limbic, cerebellum, na cortex ya ubongo. Baada ya muda, uharibifu wa vituo hivi vya mawasiliano ndani ya ubongo unaweza kuchangia matatizo ya akili kama vile unyogovu, wasiwasi, bipolar na matatizo ya utu wa kutoelewana. Kileo hutumiwa na enzymes za ini ili kugeuzwa kuwa bidhaa inayoweza kumeng'enywa. Ini inaweza tu kuchanganua kiasi kidogo cha pombe kwa wakati mmoja, na hivyo kuacha pombe kupita kiasi kuzunguka mwili. Kunywa pombe kwa muda mrefu kunaweza kusababisha uvimbe mbalimbali wa ini, ikiwa ni pamoja na: - ini mafuta - ugonjwa wa ini ya pombe Moyo ni wajibu wa kupokea damu kutoka ini na pampu yake katika mwili wote. Wakati ini linapopeleka damu iliyochafuliwa na pombe kwa moyo, inaweza kusababisha athari mbalimbali za muda mrefu za afya na magonjwa ya moyo, ikiwa ni pamoja na: - Cardiomyopathy (kuenea kwa misuli ya moyo) - Arrhythmia (kupiga kwa moyo) - Stroke na kuganda kwa damu - shinikizo la damu la juu - Mshtuko wa moyo - Pancreas ni wajibu wa kusaidia mwili kumeng'enya chakula kwa kutoa homoni mbili muhimu, insulin na glucagon. Homoni hizo huongeza na kupunguza kiwango cha sukari katika damu. Matumizi mabaya ya pombe kwa muda mrefu yanaweza kusababisha Pancreatitis, uvimbe wa kongosho unaoweza kusababisha kifo, na kusababisha matatizo makubwa ya kumeng'enya chakula. Dalili za Pancreatitis hazionekani sikuzote, kwa hiyo katika visa vingi hazitashughulikiwa. Figo zina jukumu la kuchuja vitu vyenye madhara kutoka kwenye damu. Kunywa pombe kupita kiasi ni kisababishi kinachojulikana cha shinikizo la damu la juu, na uharibifu wa ini. Yote mawili huchangia ugonjwa wa figo. Kwa sababu ya kileo, tumbo hutengeneza asidi nyingi kuliko kawaida, ambayo inaweza kuharibu utando wa tumbo na kuchangia vidonda, reflux ya asidi, kichefuchefu, kutapika, uvimbe na kutokwa na damu ndani. Kwa kuongezea, pombe inaweza kubadilisha uharibifu wa virutubisho, kunyonya, usafirishaji, uhifadhi, na kutengwa, na kusababisha upungufu wa virutubisho na shida ya kutumia virutubisho kikamilifu, na kusababisha upungufu wa damu. Pia, kileo chaweza kudhoofisha udhibiti wa sukari katika damu. Ukosefu wa vitamini B1 katika mfumo wa neva unaosababishwa na matumizi mabaya ya pombe unaweza kusababisha ugonjwa wa Wernicke-Korsakoff. Dalili zaweza kutia ndani kuchanganyikiwa, kupooza utaratibu, matatizo ya kujifunza, na matatizo ya kukumbuka. Ugonjwa wa ini pia unaweza kuharibu ubongo, na kusababisha mabadiliko ya usingizi, mabadiliko ya hisia na mabadiliko katika utu wa mtu, unyogovu, wasiwasi, kupungua kwa umakini, na kutounganisha. Ukuzi wa chembe mpya za ubongo hupunguzwa na kunywa kileo kupita kiasi. Matumizi ya pombe kupita kiasi yanaweza kusababisha matatizo ya uzazi, ikiwa ni pamoja na: - dysfunction erectile - menstruation irregular - kupunguzwa uzazi katika wanaume na wanawake - Ongezeko la hatari ya mimba, kuzaliwa wafu, na kuwa na mtoto kuzaliwa na fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) - Matumizi ya pombe kupita kiasi pia inaweza kusababisha usumbufu katika uzalishaji wa vitamini D, ambayo inahitajika kwa ajili ya kunyonya kalsiamu. Ukosefu wa kalsiamu unaosababishwa na ugonjwa huo huongeza hatari ya ugonjwa wa mifupa, na hivyo kuongeza uwezekano wa kuvunjika kwa mifupa, na kusababisha maumivu makali na ulemavu. Ishara na Dalili za Kutumia Kinywaji Kibaya cha Kileo Watu wengi hawatambui ni lini kunywa kwao kumekuwa tatizo. Kujua dalili za ugonjwa wa kutumia pombe husaidia mtu kupata matibabu ya lazima na kuepuka athari za muda mrefu za matumizi mabaya ya pombe. Madhara ya kunywa pombe kwa muda mrefu au zaidi kuliko ulivyopanga - Kujaribu kupunguza au kuacha kunywa bila mafanikio - Kuwa na hamu kubwa ya kunywa - Kunywa pombe mara nyingi huingilia maisha ya familia, kazi au shule - Kunywa pombe ambayo inasababisha shida na familia au marafiki - Kuepuka shughuli nyingine za kunywa pombe - Kufunuliwa kwa hali hatari wakati wa ulevi - Kuongezeka kwa uvumilivu wa pombe - Kupata dalili za kujiondoa wakati pombe inapoisha - Mahali pa Kupata Msaada Kituo cha Legacy Healing kinaweza kukusaidia kuamua kama pombe imekuwa tatizo au la. Timu yetu ya kina ina zana za kukusaidia kukupa uhuru kutoka kwa athari mbaya za pombe na vitu vingine vyenye sumu.