When Excessive And Irresponsible Drinking Results In Serious Health Problems And The Necessity For Alcohol Detoxification
For a number of years alcoholism research has revealed the fact that there is strong association between alcoholism and serious health conditions and mental health issues such as depression.
For example, in 2005, medical research and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics revealed that alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction cost the United States an estimated $220 billion on an annual basis. It can be stressed that this massive alcohol-related expense was significantly more than the cost linked with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is pertinent to call attention to these facts, it is also noteworthy to point to the fact that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health issues.
Stated another way, chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism are also highly associated with obesity and with cancer.
Definitely, substance abuse exploration has shown that alcohol dependency can augment the risk for various types of cancer, particularly cancer of the esophagus, kidneys, throat, rectum, liver, voice box (larynx), and the colon. Heavy and repetitive drinking can also result in immune system problems and abnormality to the fetus during pregnancy.
Heavy and Irresponsible Drinking Destabilizes the Drinker’s Systems and Organs
Furthermore, if alcohol dependency continues over a period of years, the person’s body organs will more likely than not be affected in a harmful manner. For instance, chronic, abusive drinking is particularly detrimental to the liver since the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been ingested. Excessive amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and eradicates the ability of liver cells to redevelop. This medical condition leads to a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver that can in the long run lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a grave and possibly fatal disease. Abusive, long-term drinking not only can lead to severe liver damage, but it can also result in damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this critical may be unalterable and may, in turn, result in severe disease or an early death.
The Importance of Alcohol Rehabilitation and Alcohol Detox
It is imperative, consequently, to know how to recognize the different alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcohol addicted individual can be given the opportunity to seek the quality alcohol treatment and the alcohol detoxification he or she needs.
Alcoholism and Technologically Advanced Brain Exploration
Fortunately, scientific examination is continuously unearthing novel and important information. Recent alcoholism research supplies a good example. More to the point, for approximately the last ten years, complex brain-imaging scanning instruments have confirmed that continuous and recurring abusive drinking changes the configuration of the brain to a significant extent, thusly resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or maybe as long as the person exists.
Stated another way, medical examination has shown that individuals who have been drinking in an irresponsible manner for a substantial length of time increase their risk for developing lasting and substantial changes in the brain.
This type of damage may be indirectly associated with the drinker’s poor overall health or directly related to the alcohol’s effects on the brain or to severe liver disease.
Malnutrition, Hazardous Drinking, and Mental Disorders
As a final illustration of various health problems that are significantly correlated to alcohol dependency, consider that according to scientific research, the excessive and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a medical condition that decreases the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
This kind of organ malfunctioning is related to malnutrition and to an array of critical neurological and mental disorders including sleep disturbances, memory loss, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter medical condition is a lasting debilitating medical condition that is typified by repetitive learning and memory problems.
Excessive and Irresponsible Drinking Also Leads to Relationship and Friendship Issues and Conflicts
In addition to major medical problems, irresponsible and excessive drinking also results in friendship and relationship problems. As an illustration, people who engage in excessive drinking often experience sexuality problems, divorce, marital problems, and affairs.
Summary: The Importance of Education
It is evident that continued, excessive drinking is directly or indirectly correlated with numerous acute medical problems that can and do result in serious illness and premature death. Such information needs to be highlighted and presented to everyone in our society, especially to all students, so that most people will be able to refrain from irresponsible drinking while others who have a drinking problem will get the professional therapy they require.
Let us look at this with a common sense perspective. Yes, alcohol rehabilitation is significant, but alcohol therapy is something that is routinely done AFTER the fact. Education, to the contrary, is something that is done BEFORE the problem emerges. Stated differently, whereas alcohol counseling is “reactive,” education is “proactive.” It is stated that both approaches are needed when discussing alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse.
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Tags: alcoholism, detoxification, relationships, self improvement