Temporary Child Custody

For more than a few years alcohol addiction exploration has demonstrated the fact that there is strong linkage between alcoholism and dangerous health conditions and mental health issues such as depression.

As an illustration, in 2005, medical research and alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics revealed that alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction cost the United States an estimated $220 billion annually. It can be emphasized that this substantial alcohol-related cash outlay was significantly more than the cost linked with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion). While it is relevant to emphasize these facts, it is also important to point out that an interrelationship exists between all three of these health problems.

More correctly, chronic alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency are also highly associated with obesity and with cancer.

Definitely, substance abuse investigation has revealed that alcohol dependency can augment the risk for different kinds of cancer, particularly cancer of the colon, voice box (larynx), liver, rectum, throat, kidneys, and the esophagus. Heavy and recurring drinking can also lead to immune system problems and damage to the fetus during pregnancy.

Excessive and Heavy Drinking Weakens the Problem Drinker’s Systems and Organs

Furthermore, if alcoholism continues over a period of years, the person’s body organs will more likely than not be affected in an unhealthy manner. For instance, long-term, hazardous drinking is especially dangerous to the liver due to the fact that the liver does most of the work of processing the alcohol that has been ingested. Unwarranted amounts of alcohol kills liver cells and destroys the ability of liver cells to regenerate. This medical condition results in a progressive inflammatory disease of the liver that can ultimately lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a dangerous and possibly terminal medical problem. Excessive, long-term drinking not only can result in 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, lead to severe illness or an untimely death.

The Importance of Alcohol Therapy

It is essential, therefore, to know how to recognize the various alcoholism symptoms and the “alcohol signs” so that the alcoholic can be given the opportunity to seek the quality alcohol counseling he or she needs.

Alcohol Dependency and Sophisticated Brain Exploration

Fortunately, scientific exploration is relentlessly uncovering original and important information. Recent alcoholism research offers a first-rate example. More exactly, for roughly the past ten years, complex brain-imaging scanning devices have verified that repetitive and recurring excessive drinking alters the configuration of the brain to a great extent, thereby resulting in brain disease that can last months, years, or perchance as long as the person lives.

More explicitly, medical research has demonstrated that individuals who have been drinking excessively for an extensive length of time increase their risk for developing long-term and severe changes in the brain.

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

Mental Disorders, Malnutrition, and Excessive Drinking

As a final illustration of assorted health problems that are substantially related to alcohol addiction, take into consideration the fact that in accordance with medical research, the abusive and repeated abuse of alcohol can lead to erosive gastritis, a condition that diminishes the absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

This type of organ malfunctioning is linked to malnutrition and to a number of critical neurological and mental problems including sleep disturbances, memory loss, and psychosis such as Wernicke’s Encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome. This latter medical condition is a long lasting debilitating condition that is epitomized by incessant learning and memory complications.

Abusive Drinking Also Leads to Relationship and Friendship Difficulties and Conflicts

In addition to critical medical problems, irresponsible drinking also leads to relationship and friendship issues. As an illustration, people who involve themselves in excessive drinking typically experience sexuality problems, marital problems, divorce, and affairs.

Conclusion: The Significance of Education

It is obvious that repetitive, abusive drinking is directly or indirectly correlated with numerous serious medical problems that can and do lead to dangerous illness and premature death. Such information needs to be stressed and presented to everyone in our society, especially to all students, so that most individuals will be able to refrain from irresponsible drinking while other people who have a drinking problem will get the professional rehab they require.

Let us look at this with a common sense perspective. Yes, alcohol treatment is important, but alcohol therapy is something that is typically done AFTER the fact. Education, then again, is something that is done BEFORE the problem manifests itself. Stated a different way, whereas alcohol rehab is “reactive,” education is “proactive.” It is affirmed that both approaches are required when discussing alcoholism and alcohol abuse.