Stop Drinking Tips - Alcohol is a Killer
Author: DavidPeters Total views: 22 Word Count: 860
With today's competitive world and the endless pressures that come along with the breakneck pace at which we live, resorting to a soothing drink to tide you through the tough times isn't an uncommon phenomenon. In fact, with every day that passes, larger numbers of people are falling prey to the devastating disease called alcoholism. The problem lies not only in the fact that they are trying to drink their worries away, but also that they are in the dark about the fact that alcohol is in itself a depressant. And hence, they continue to drink, in order to relieve the depression which they have brought on to themselves by consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. And while they delve deeper into the recesses alcohol plunges them into, their bodies also suffer severe and often irrevocable damage, which if not treated in time, can also result in death.
Alcohol begins its journey through your body from the esophagus, from where it passes to your stomach, from where it is assimilated into your bloodstream. This blood is then directed to your liver, where it is broken down into several other chemicals, which in turn are converted into carbon dioxide and water which your system can excrete. This is a long and complicated process which takes your liver a certain amount of time to complete, and if you try to rush it by drinking more alcohol than your liver is capable of converting, the levels of alcohol in your bloodstream can rise to dangerous levels.
The liver is the first to face the wrath which alcohol lashes out on your body. Alcohol makes your liver store excessive amounts of fat, which, if disregarded, can culminate in Alcohol Hepatitis. Although this condition can be averted by simply cutting down on your intake of alcohol at the early stages, it is relatively difficult to do so as Hepatitis does not boast of any typical traits which can be accorded to it. However, if you allow the inflammation of your liver to become chronic, your liver will begin to produce surplus amounts of bilirubin which results in jaundice and ultimately liver failure. Your alcohol abuse can also lead to the formation of scar tissue in your liver, which damages the healthy cells and prevents new ones from taking their place. Thus, your liver grows weaker and finally gives up on you, a condition which is known as Cirrhosis. This disease many take years to progress to its advanced stages and usually does not display any major symptoms before the disease is at its most crucial phases.
Alcohol is also a primary villain in the development of heart disease. Heavy drinking, over a period of time, damages the heart and leads to high blood pressure and even stroke. Further, alcoholism is also known to cause Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy, where your heart becomes weakened and enlarged on account of your prolonged alcohol abuse. Excessive intake of alcohol also increases the triglyceride levels, making you more vulnerable to heart disease.
Long-term alcohol abuse may lead to a condition called 'Alcohol Dementia' where your learning skills, memory and other cognitive abilities are severely disrupted. The reason for this disease lies in the damage alcohol causes to the brain, the spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system. Over time, this condition develops to memory lapses and the alcoholic finds basic problem solving and performing tasks which require learning skills very difficult to accomplish. This condition may further develop into paranoia or Korsakoff psychosis, where the individual makes up intricate stories to make up for the lapses in his memory.
Prolonged abuse of alcohol also affects the pancreas, causing a severe inflammation which is called Pancreatitis, a condition which may also lead to him contracting Diabetes. Also, the high calorific content of most alcoholic drinks makes the victim susceptible to obesity and high blood pressure. A victim of alcoholism may also be undernourished as alcohol wears out the inner lining of the stomach and thus interferes in the absorption of many essential nutrients, while also impairing the individual's appetite. Alcohol is also directly responsible for the growth of cancerous tissue in the mouth, liver, colon and gullet while also causing erectile dysfunction in males and putting female alcoholics at an acute risk of developing complications during pregnancy.
Although moderate quantities of alcohol can be absorbed by your body and even aid it in the prevention of heart disease, drinking more than three times a day will drastically turn the tables. Hence, as the adage goes, "If you haven't begun to drink, don't start." Indeed, there are several other ways by which you can lower your risk of heart disease like regular exercise and a moderate diet. Remember, one of the most deceptive of all the symptoms of alcoholism, is the victim's inability to recognize his own addiction. And many of the physical manifestations lie latent until only severe measures have to be called for The next time you raise a toast, pause a minute to contemplate over the tremendous damage you are causing your body with every excessive drink that you take and think about whether those nights of drunken stupor are indeed worth risking your life for
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Discover how to Stop Drinking Alcohol by Ed Philips and Quit Alcohol Today.
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