Alcohol use disorder is a pattern of using alcohol that involves being preoccupied with alcohol and controlling your alcohol problem. Too much intake of alcohol puts your health and safety at risk.
Here, we shall focus on the symptoms and signs of alcoholism.
Symptoms and signs of alcoholism
The signs and symptoms of alcohol cannot be exhausted.
Alcohol use disorders are usually severe, moderate, or mild based on your experiencing symptoms. These signs and symptoms are;
- Taking a lot of time recovering from alcohol use, getting alcohol, and drinking.
- Feeling a strong urge to drink alcohol.
- Reducing hobbies and social work activities.
- Use of alcohol in circumstances that are not safe such as swimming and driving.
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, shaking, and nausea.
The impact of alcohol on your health
Taking too much alcohol over time or on a single occasion can cause health issues. They include;
- Heavy heart problems
Excess alcohol increases the risks of an enlarged heart, high blood pressure., stroke, or heart failure. A single binge causes atrial fibrillation.
- Eye problems
Heavy alcohol intake causes involuntary rapid eye movement. It causes paralysis and weakness of your eye muscle. Irreversible dementia is prompted if not treated.
- Bone damage
The production of new bone is interfered with by alcoholism. Bone loss increases the risks of fractures and thinning of bones.
Alcohol damages the bone marrow which produces the blood cells. It may also result in bleeding and bruising caused by low platelet count.
- Neurological complications
Your nervous system is affected by excessive drinking. It causes pain in your hands and feet, numbness, short-term memory loss, disordered thinking, and dementia.
- Weakened immune system
Excessive alcohol increases the risk of various illnesses and making it difficult for your body to resist diseases.
- Alcohol interactions and medication
Medication can increase or decrease effectiveness if you take them while drinking. Medicines that interact with alcohol can increase its toxic effects.
- Congenital disabilities
It causes fetal alcohol syndrome. It can also lead to miscarriages during pregnancy. You are likely to give birth to a child with developmental and physical problems.
- Increases risk of cancer
Moderate drinking exceeds the risk of breast cancer. Excessive alcohol use has a high risk of causing cancers like colon, liver, throat, esophagus, and mouth.
- Menstruation issues and sexual function
In men, excessive drinking causes erectile dysfunction, while in women, it interrupts the menstruation cycle.
- Diabetes complications
Excessive alcohol increases the risk of low blood sugar. Alcohol also interferes with the release of glucose from the liver. It is very risky if you have diabetes and take insulin to lower the blood sugar level.
Final comments
If you know of a person who has the above signs and symptoms, refer them to a specialist. They will be able to go through intense counseling and get help. After going through the counseling sessions, they will be able to resume their everyday lives
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