Alcohol is far and away the most abused drug on the planet. Indeed, nearly 13% of Americans are expected by experts to develop a dependence to alcohol during their lives, at some point. Of current American adults, nearly 1 in 10 of them have struggled with alcoholism at some point in their lives. If another type of disease affected 9% of the population and had the same impact on lives that alcoholism has, there would be panic in the streets and an uproar to solve the issue! However, due to the fact that addiction is a behavioral disease, the viewpoint of alcoholism is as a decision, rather than a medical issue.
Short term effects of alcohol abuse
One doesn’t need a dependence to alcohol to be abusing it. Indeed, today’s culture of binge drinking, especially amongst young people, demonstrates how alcohol abuse can be incredibly destructive to the body in the short term.
The short term effects of alcohol abuse depend on the individual tolerance and size, but can lead to a host of harmful outcomes, such as the impairment of one’s judgement and senses, stomach issues like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, and even brain damage. Intense binge drinking can also lead to alcohol poisoning, which can be fatal.
Long term effects of alcoholism
When one abuses alcohol in the short term, it is frequently referred to as binge drinking. However, alcohol can be it’s most dangerous when a person develops a dependence to it. This is referred to as alcoholism. Alcoholism has major long term effects on the body, and can lead to severe brain damage, due to the loss of brain cells, and lasting damage to the liver and kidney, which can cause failure in those vital organs.
Help in California
Turning Point of Arnold specializes in helping individuals in and around Arnold to be able to overcome their addictions. We create a unique experience in the mountains of California to help those struggling with alcohol addiction. Contact Turning Point of Arnold to learn more about our program and how we can help you, or a loved one.