For a number of years alcoholism research has demonstrated the fact that there is strong correlation between alcohol addiction and life-threatening health conditions.

For instance, in 2005, medical exploration and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics revealed that alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction cost the United States an estimated $220 billion per year. It may be noted that this huge alcohol-related expense was substantially more than the cost linked with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is appropriate to underline these facts, it is also noteworthy to emphasize the point that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health issues.

To be exact, chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism are also highly associated with obesity and with cancer.

To be sure, substance abuse research has demonstrated the fact that alcohol addiction can boost the risk for different kinds of cancer, especially cancer of the kidneys, rectum, colon, voice box (larynx), esophagus, throat, and the liver. Excessive and repetitive drinking can also lead to immune system difficulties and deformity to the fetus during pregnancy.

Abusive Drinking Weakens the Individual’s Organs and Systems

Additionally, if alcohol dependency continues over a period of years, the person’s body organs will likely be affected in an unsafe manner. For example, long-term, abusive drinking is especially hurtful to the liver since the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been consumed. Excessive amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and eradicates the ability of liver cells to regenerate. This condition results in a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver that can at the end of the day lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a serious and potentially lethal disease.Heavy, long-term drinking not only can lead to dangerous liver damage, but it can also lead to damage to the heart and to the brain. Physical damage this serious may be unalterable and may, in turn, result in severe disease or premature death.

The Relevance of Alcohol Treatment

It is essential, therefore, to know how to identify the different alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcohol dependent person can be given the opportunity to seek the quality alcohol therapy he or she needs.

Alcoholism and Sophisticated Brain Research

Fortuitously, scientific examination is persistently unearthing original and significant information. Recent alcoholism research offers a first-rate illustration. More correctly, for approximately the past ten years, complex brain-imaging scanning instruments have demonstrated that continuous and chronic hazardous drinking alters the functionality of the brain to a significant extent, thusly resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or perchance as long as the individual exists.

More accurately, medical investigation has shown that individuals who have been drinking abusively for a sizeable length of time increase their risk for developing lasting and substantial adaptations in the brain.

This type of damage may be directly related to severe liver disease, to the alcohol’s effects on the brain, or might be indirectly associated with the drinker’s poor overall health.

Mental Disorders, Malnutrition, and Excessive Drinking

As a final illustration of diverse medical problems that are largely correlated to alcohol addiction, consider that in accordance with scientific exploration, the hazardous and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a condition that reduces the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

This kind of organ malfunctioning is associated with malnutrition and to an array of severe mental and neurological problems including memory loss, sleep disturbances, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter medical condition is a long lasting incapacitating medical condition that is characterized by incessant memory and learning complications.

Summary

It is plain to see that continued, abusive drinking is directly or indirectly associated with many severe medical problems that can and do result in serious illness and premature death. Such information needs to be stressed and presented to everyone in our society so that a multitude of people will be able to refrain from abusive drinking while others who have a drinking problem will get the professional treatment they need.

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