Alcohol Addiction Health Risk Factors

Many people enjoy an alcoholic beverage every so often. But if you engage in excessive alcohol consumption, an addiction may form.

What is a Standard Drink?

Alcohol addiction comes with its share of alcohol health risks. In the United States, a standard drink is a drink that contains fourteen grams of pure alcohol. Here is a breakdown of what constitutes a standard drink based on what you are drinking:

  • 12 oz. of regular beer at 5% alcohol
  • 5 oz. of wine at 12% alcohol
  • 1.5 oz. of distilled spirits at 40% alcohol

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What Is Moderate Drinking?

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, moderate drinking is two or fewer drinks per day for men and one or fewer drinks per day for women.1

What is Excessive Drinking?

Excessive drinking that may cause alcohol health risks is drinking that is beyond moderate. It includes binge drinking, heavy drinking, and any alcohol consumed by someone who is under twenty-one or pregnant.

Health Risks of Chronic Heavy Drinking

If you drink heavily, you are prone to alcohol health risks that include both long-term effects of alcohol and short-term effects of alcohol. Alcohol side effects are as follows.

Short-Term Effects of Alcohol

  • Alcohol Poisoning: Alcohol poisoning is a risk that can occur if you drink a significant amount of alcohol in a short period. It can negatively affect your breathing, temperature, and heart rate, and it can potentially lead to coma or death.
  • Fetal Alcohol Spectral Disorder: Dangers of alcohol include fetal alcohol spectral disorder that occurs in someone who was exposed to alcohol before birth. It can lead to learning disabilities and behavioral problems.
  • Risky Sexual Behaviors: People with chronic alcoholism are likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors that can expose them to STDs and other health risks.
  • Violence: Violence is one of the negative effects of alcohol. Drinking makes people violent causing them to hurt others and themselves.
  • Motor Vehicle Crashes: When a person who is intoxicated gets behind the wheel, they face significant risk. They can crash into other cars and people and potentially cause a fatal accident.

Long-Term Effects of Alcohol

  • Liver Damage: Chronic alcoholism can destroy the cells in the liver leading to liver damage.
  • Pancreatitis: Heavy alcohol consumption causes enzymes normally released into the digestive tract to begin digesting the pancreas.
  • Cancer: Alcohol health risks have been linked to pancreatic and prostate cancer as well as melanoma.
  • Immune System Dysfunction: Alcohol damages the liver which can lead to immune system dysfunction.
  • Brain Damage: Chronic alcoholism changes brain chemistry and can eventually cause brain damage, similar to the effects of dementia.
  • Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is one of the health effects of alcohol. There is evidence that excessive drinking can weaken bones and increase the risk of osteoporosis.
  • Heart Disease and Cardiovascular Health: Alcohol risk includes an increase in blood pressure that can lead to heart disease.
  • Alcohol Use Disorders: Alcohol use disorders involve an addiction to alcohol and the physical symptoms that come with it.
  • Anemia: Alcohol can cause the body to produce fewer red blood cells which eventually leads to anemia.
  • Gout: Chronic alcoholism results in an increase of uric acid in the blood causing severe gout attacks.

What Happens if You Drink Alcohol Every Day?

Alcohol health risks

Drinking alcohol every day may not do any damage, but it ultimately depends on how much you drink. So, how much is too much? The CDC states that women should not drink more than four drinks and men should not drink more than five drinks during a single occasion.2 Moreover, the health benefits of having one drink a day greatly outweigh the negative effects of alcohol.3

Is it Possible for an Alcoholic to Cut Back?

Those struggling with alcohol addiction can cut back on drinking to decrease alcohol health risks. However, it is not easy for them to do. They often need the help of a rehab facility.

How Alcoholism Affects Life Expectancy

It is said that the life expectancy of someone struggling with severe alcoholism is twenty-four to twenty-eight years shorter as compared to others due to alcohol risks. Men who drink excessively typically live to be between forty-seven and fifty-two and women typically live to be between fifty and fifty-eight.

Treatment for Alcohol

We are all familiar with the dangers of alcohol, but fortunately, treatment is available. It typically takes place in three stages that include the following.

  • Detox: Detox involves eliminating toxins from the body. During this phase, patients will experience withdrawal symptoms as their body gets used to not having the drug in its system. A facility will typically provide medical staff to keep patients as comfortable as possible and ensure they do not relapse.4
  • Therapies: Therapies are used to address the underlying cause of alcoholism and find a solution for long-term recovery. Therapy can take place in an inpatient or outpatient setting. In an inpatient setting, the patient will be tended to around the clock so updates in treatment can be made and their needs can be met at all hours.
  • Outpatient Treatment: Outpatient treatment can be the primary form of treatment, or it can be a follow-up. It involves ongoing care for the patient to ensure they make a healthy transition to sobriety.

How Concise Recovery Can Help

Many rehab centers offer alcohol recovery to help you fight the damaging effects, but Concise Recovery takes an approach that sets us apart.
Concise Recovery offers three unique locations in Southern California. We use evidence-based programs that are proven to help you get past any dependency issues. We provide a community of like-minded professionals who will support you on every step of your journey.

The dangers of alcohol are reason enough to seek out help. Concise Recovery will give you the support you need. Reach out today to reduce your alcohol health risks and get started with a higher quality of life.

Resources

  1. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/resources/2020-2025-dietary-guidelines-online-materials
  2. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm#:~:text=What%20is%20excessive%20drinking%3F,people%20younger%20than%20age%2021.&text=For%20women%2C%204%20or%20more,drinks%20during%20a%20single%20occasion
  3. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm#:~:text=What%20is%20excessive%20drinking%3F,people%20younger%20than%20age%2021.&text=For%20women%2C%204%20or%20more,drinks%20during%20a%20single%20occasion
  4. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/alcohol-withdrawal-symptoms-treatments#1