Alcohol abuse and addiction can and do kill. Alcoholism not only leads to premature death, but chronic heavy drinking can also significantly diminish your quality of life. Even occasional episodes of binge drinking can lead to health issues and death.
How Dangerous is Alcohol Addiction?
Those with alcohol use disorders run the risk of developing several medical conditions. Drinking heavily over a period of time can cause physical and mental health disorders, some of which can be reversed, while others are more permanent. There is a potential for alcohol to damage every organ in your body, including your brain. You also run the risk of developing several mental health disorders including anxiety disorder and depressive disorders. Excessive drinking is also a threat to your health because it will lower your inhibitions, causing you to engage in risky behavior.
If you or a loved one is suffering from any form of addiction or abuse, please call Sylvan Detox at (818) 308-3099.
Here are some of the dangers of excessive drinking:
Drunk Driving Accidents
Drinking alcohol impairs your decision-making, reaction time, and coordination. It can cause you to drive while under the influence. Drunk driving is more likely to lead to a car accident which can kill you and others. Every day, 29 people die in car accidents because of impaired drivers.
Alcohol Poisoning and Overdose
Even one episode of binge drinking can lead to death. Binge drinking can cause alcohol poisoning which can have potentially deadly consequences. Alcohol is a depressant and when you overdose (drink more than your body can process) it can lead to respiratory failure, seizures, coma, or death.
Alcohol-Related Liver Disease
Alcohol-Related Liver Disease (ALRD) is one of the more common ways chronic heavy drinking can kill you. The liver does most of the work when it comes to metabolizing alcohol and excessive drinking can damage it over time. The most common types of liver disease related to alcohol abuse and addiction include fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis.
Cancer
Constant, heavy alcohol consumption can increase your risk of developing several cancers, including rectum, mouth, throat, liver, colon, rectum, esophagus, voicebox, and breast. You do not have to be a heavy drinker to increase your risk of developing these cancers, high functioning alcoholics are also at risk.
Heart Disease
Heavy or excessive drinking can also cause heart disease. Drinking alcohol has been linked to high blood pressure and obesity, both of which contribute to heart conditions. It can also increase triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood, which can cause heart disease and heart failure.
End-Stages Alcoholism
There are several stages of alcoholism and end-stage alcoholics will begin to severely deteriorate. Cells in the body cannot regenerate or heal themselves, the liver cannot filter the blood, and there may be central nervous system complications. End Stage alcoholics are also more susceptible to severe illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia which can be life-threatening.
Help for Alcohol Abuse and Addiction at Sylvan Detox
Many health effects of alcohol addiction can be reversed when a person stops drinking alcohol. A recovery center can offer the type of addiction treatment needed to successfully stop drinking alcohol long-term.
Sylvan Detox in Los Angeles is part of a network of treatment centers that offer comprehensive alcohol addiction treatment plans. Our medical detox program is critical for those with long-term or severe alcohol addiction to be able to safely stop drinking. Alcohol withdrawal can be deadly if not managed properly. Medical detox programs like ours offer around-the-clock medical care to monitor your vitals and medication-assisted treatment to ease severe withdrawal symptoms and cravings. After alcohol detox, you can easily transition into our inpatient rehab which will help you address and heal the psychological and behavioral effects of alcohol and drug addiction. We use a combination of evidence-based treatments like behavioral therapy, medication-assisted treatment, and group therapy with holistic treatments like massage and breathwork therapy to help our clients in alcohol rehab effectively overcome their substance abuse disorder.