Pregnancy is one of the times in your life where alcohol can have a devastating effect. Most doctors will advise you to seek immediate treatment if you are pregnant and can't stop drinking, simply because the effects of alcohol on your developing fetus can be fatal.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome can also affect your developing fetus for the life of the child. Your child can be born with deformities, learning disabilities and even be mentally challenged.
Effects of Alcohol Addiction on Personal Relationships
If you have friends and family who have suggested that you seek treatment for your addiction, then you probably have good reason to listen to their advice. Often, becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol takes place gradually, so that you may not even realize that you have a problem. Your friends and family know you better than anyone else, and are your first clue that you need help.
Often, not taking their advice and seeking help leads to strained relationships. After dealing with addiction for an extended time, you may wake up one morning to find that you have no friends and family who are willing to spend time with you, until you receive treatment for your addiction.
Health Effects of Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol addiction can have serious, even fatal, consequences. Drinking alcohol on a regular basis often leads to poor nutrition, and also reduces the body's ability to properly absorb and regulate digestion.
After a while, you will experience severe shortages of vital minerals and vitamins in your body due to alcohol addiction. These shortages can lead to brain damage, which is typically the result of a thiamine deficiency. A thiamine deficiency can also cause encephalopathy, which can be fatal.
Liver Damage
Long term, heavy use of alcohol can also lead to liver damage. Cirrhosis of the liver is common in those who suffer from long term alcohol addiction, and is also a life threatening condition. While some people can receive treatment for the condition, it is one that will remain with you for the rest of your life.
Binge drinking can also cause alcoholic hepatitis, which results in liver damage. This type of liver damage is also very dangerous, and calls for immediate treatment by a medical professional.
Dangers of Alcohol
As you can see, alcohol addiction can severely impair your quality of life. Seeking treatment for alcohol addiction can help you repair your personal relationships, and help you work toward regaining your physical health.
Some of the conditions caused by alcohol addiction are long term health problems that can only be helped and prevented by eliminating alcohol use. These chronic conditions can cause serious illness, and if left untreated, can lead to death. It is important that you seek help, both for the medical conditions and for your addiction, as soon as possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment