The Long Term Effects of Alcohol Abuse

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Excessive drinking frequently results in physical damage, commonly increases the risk of getting various illnesses and diseases, and in many instances makes other diseases worse.

As a consequence, if you want to avoid the long term effects of alcohol abuse such as unnecessary alcohol-related health problems later in life, drink in moderation or not at all.

Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Some problems, such as negative interactions with medications, driving impairment, and interpersonal relationship problems can manifest themselves after drinking over a relatively short period of time.

Other problems, however, can develop more gradually over time and may become noticeable only after excessive drinking for an extended period of time.  These are the problems that represent the long term effects of alcohol abuse.

It is also important to point out that women may develop alcohol-related health problems after ingesting less alcohol than men over a shorter time period.

Due to the fact that alcohol affects many organs in the body, long-term excessive drinking puts a person at risk for developing critical health problems.

So what is the bottom line about excessive drinking?  In a word, the long term effects of alcohol abuse can lead to a gradual breakdown of different organs and systems in the body that can result in serious, if not fatal, health issues.

Alcohol-Related Liver Disease

One of the long term effects of alcohol abuse and alcoholism is alcohol related liver disease.  In fact, more than 2 million American people suffer from alcohol-related liver disease.  Some drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis (i.e., inflammation of the liver) as a result of long-term excessive drinking.

The symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis include the following:  abdominal pain, jaundice (abnormal yellowing of the urine, skin, and the eyeballs) and fever.  If the person continues drinking, alcoholic hepatitis can be fatal.  If the person stops drinking, on the other hand, alcoholic hepatitis is often reversible.

Approximately 10 to 20 percent of heavy drinkers develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., scarring of the liver).  Alcoholic cirrhosis can be fatal if the person continues to drink.  Even though cirrhosis is irreversible, if the affected person stops drinking, his or her chances of survival can improve greatly.

Although some individuals eventually need a liver transplant as a last resort, many people with cirrhosis who quit drinking alcoholic beverages may receive treatment and may never require liver transplantation.

Alcohol-Related Heart Disease

Drinking in moderation can actually have beneficial effects on the heart, especially with people who are at the greatest risk for heart attacks, such as women after menopause and men over the age of 45.

Long-term excessive drinking, however, increases the risk for some kinds of stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure. In short, alcohol related heart disease is another one of the long term effects of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

Alcohol-Related Cancer

Yet another one of the long term effects of alcohol abuse and alcoholism is alcohol related cancer.  Indeed, heavy, chronic drinking increases the risk of developing certain types of cancer, especially cancer of the voice box, mouth, throat, and the esophagus.  Women who drink two or more drinks per day slightly increase their risk for developing breast cancer.  Excessive drinking may also increase the risk for developing cancer of the rectum and the colon.

Alcohol-Related Pancreatitis

The pancreas helps regulate the body's blood sugar levels by producing insulin. In addition, the pancreas is instrumental in digesting the food people eat. Long-term excessive drinking can lead to pancreatitis (i.e.. inflammation of the pancreas).

Pancreatitis is associated with excessive weight loss and extreme abdominal pain and can lead to death.

Based on the above, it can be determined that excessive drinking can often result in physical damage, can increase the risk of getting some diseases, and can make other diseases worse.  The moral of the story:  if you want to avoid unnecessary health problems later in life, drink in moderation or not at all.

Other Long Term Effects of Alcohol Abuse

In addition to the diseases outlined above, excessive drinking over time is also associated with the following long term effects of alcohol abuse and alcoholism:

• loss of brain cells
• epilepsy
• nerve damage
• irritated stomach lining and bleeding from stomach ulcers

Excessive drinking has also been linked to the following:

• infertility
• skin problems
• obesity
• muscle disease
• vitamin deficiency
• sexual problems  

The Long Term Effects of Alcohol Abuse:  Conclusion

Based on the above discussion, it can be concluded that heavy chronic drinking often results in physical damage, frequently increases the risk of getting various diseases and illnesses, and commonly makes other diseases worse.

The bottom line is this:  if you want to avoid the long term effects of alcohol abuse such as unnecessary alcohol-related health problems later in life, drink in moderation or not at all.

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