Long-Term Health Effects of Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction can trigger severe long-term health effects. It is easy for drinking to spiral out of control when you drink to handle stress. As your drinking gets worse, you are at risk of experiencing physical, mental, and emotional consequences. Being educated on the risks of long-term health effects of alcohol use will allow you to take control back in your life. At West Coast Recovery Centers, we believe in educating our clients to understand the ways that their minds and bodies may be affected. 

Many different effects of alcohol will require further medical or therapeutic intervention to help. When you drink out of control, you put your body and health at risk. Long-term use of alcohol may cause damage to your organs and contribute to the development of different health conditions that will require medication or treatment. It can also bring about emotional challenges and exacerbate already existing mental health issues. Understanding the different effects of alcohol addiction can help encourage you on your sobriety journey. 

Long-Term Health Effects of Alcohol Use

Despite how drinking alcohol is normalized in America, it is very easy for alcohol use to spiral out of control. Understanding what can happen from using alcohol long-term will help you see the right path for you toward sobriety. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains the effects of alcohol use both short-term and long-term can be damaging to your mind and body. Abusing alcohol can have significant effects on all parts of a person, and it is important to be educated on the risks. 

Long-term alcohol use can cause serious issues for all areas of well-being. The effects of alcohol can be lifelong, and medically or emotionally difficult to handle. It is important to know what to expect from long-term alcohol addiction and be educated on the best ways to get treatment before things get to these life-threatening levels. If you do struggle with alcohol addiction, help is available and accessible to you, even if things seem difficult or impossible now. 

Mental Effects

Alcohol can cause a lot of issues with mental health. The actions and way that you feel when using alcohol can be negative, but alcohol use also can affect previously existing disorders. Using alcohol to numb out your problems will not solve them, and oftentimes it makes them worse. Alcohol can exacerbate issues of mental health, panic, and depression. Drinking can also cause issues in social situations, such as doing things that make others frustrated or that you wouldn't do normally. The long-term health effects of hangovers and the struggles with money from drinking can also cause mental distress and exacerbate external issues. 

Physical Effects

There are many ways that long-term usage of alcohol can affect your body. Alcohol is a toxin, which means that it can damage your organs and cause you to seek medical treatment. Some of the physical effects of long-term alcohol usage include:

• Higher risk of cancer
• High blood pressure
• Heart issues
• Liver disease
• Increased risk of stroke
• Digestive issues

All of these long-term health effects will require medical intervention to overcome. That could mean long-term medication management or getting treatment from different medical providers. The risk of these things can affect your body in the long run, even after drinking. Ceasing alcohol use before it gets bad is important to maintain your health and care for your mind and body. Yet, when you come off of alcohol, there is the risk of withdrawal. 

Alcohol withdrawal happens when someone who has been abusing alcohol stops drinking suddenly. The body is dependent on the effects of alcohol, which means that it is important to get help getting sober from alcohol. Physical effects of withdrawal include shaking, sweating, nausea, and confusion. If you are heavily addicted to alcohol, withdrawal can have severe risks that require getting treatment to keep you healthy such as seizures. At times, withdrawal can be fatal if not managed by medical providers. Medically managed detoxification is often integral for those who struggle with alcohol addiction to begin their treatment and recovery journey

Treatment for Alcohol Addiction

Acknowledging that you need help with alcohol is the first step in getting treatment. West Coast Recovery Centers offers comprehensive treatment for alcohol abuse. These programs allow you to work on your mental health and physical health, giving you control back over your alcohol use. Treatment for alcohol addiction may begin with detoxing. This allows clients to come off of alcohol while receiving medical treatment for withdrawal. Coming off of alcohol can be difficult, but after you are successfully sober, you can begin the therapeutic process.

Many people who struggle with alcohol addiction benefit from different forms of therapy. Individual treatment mixed with group therapy will give you the skills that you need to stay sober. The effects of alcohol may be difficult to handle, but with treatment from providers and therapists, you can take control back and stop using alcohol. 

Getting treatment for alcohol addiction can feel overwhelming. You may not feel like you can stop or feel you may not want to. Understanding the long-term effects of alcohol usage will allow you to be educated as you make your first steps toward recovery. Alcohol can cause significant issues with your mental and emotional health. Additionally, for your physical health, alcohol use puts you at a higher risk for different diseases that will require treatment. Long-term alcohol addiction can be dangerous and even fatal. It is important to get treatment for your alcohol addiction so that you can live a healthy life. To learn more about alcohol addiction treatment, call West Coast Recovery Centers at (760) 492-6509 today.