Alcohol use disorder is a common type of addiction that typically impacts the health and wellbeing of many people. Most often, people think about alcoholism as a drug that causes liver disease and keeps a person from engaging in society. Yet, that’s not always the case. In fact, there are many more common struggles that come from consistent use of alcohol that can be even more difficult to manage and overcome.
If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol use disorder, recognize this as a true disease, one that requires treatment and support. With the help of a professional treatment center, it may be possible to overcome the disease and start working on healing. America’s Rehab Campuses can help you to achieve that goal.
What Happens When You Are Addicted to Alcohol?
Take a step back and look at what alcohol use disorder can do to a person. Every situation is a bit different, but many people with this condition struggle with these types of results, and often, they don’t realize what’s happening until they are hard to overcome.
Physical changes
A person with alcohol use disorder is likely to experience a number of physical changes. That includes changes in their ability to function and make decisions. Some people may experience:
- Unstable moods with some individuals being aggressive or violent
- Impaired attention and memory, especially as cognitive function decline, occurs
- Inappropriate and reckless behavior
- Impaired judgment, including engaging in sexual or high-risk activities
- Changes to speech and ability to communicate well
These are not just risks that happen when a person is intoxicated, but they can occur at any time. A person may struggle to regain their health from these types of limitations.
In addition to these factors, those who have alcoholism are at higher risk for certain types of cancer, digestive problems, heart-related disorders, and changes to brain structure and function.
Relationship changes
Alcohol makes it very hard for a person to manage their overall health and responsibilities. That often means that relationships become very unstable. There may be lying involved or instances of forgotten promises. Sometimes, for a loved one, relationships change because a person with addiction isn’t doing anything to fix the problem. In this situation, it’s important to remember that a person with addiction isn’t able to stop using on their own.
Nearly all people with alcohol addiction are unable to maintain healthy relationships. That includes relationships with family and friends as well as relationships at work.
Financial difficulties
It is not uncommon for a person with addiction to find themselves unable to maintain their employment. That often leads to financial difficulties. They may have trouble paying the rent or purchasing more alcohol. In some situations, a person may be unable to afford to meet family obligations as well. They may ask for money and, in some situations, may resort to stealing to get it.
Onset of mental health disorders
Alcohol use can cause mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disease to occur or to become more evident. That often means a person may be facing instability in the way they make decisions or process information. They may be at risk of harming themselves or others, especially if their use goes on for a long period of time.
Early death
Alcohol impacts many organs of the body, creating a higher risk of diseases occurring. In other cases, a person may pass away suddenly due to reckless behavior, such as getting behind the wheel of a car. In still other situations, they may face overdose risks if their body cannot remove all of the alcohol from their system and toxins build up.
What Can You Do to Prevent This?
In some situations, the damage that occurs as a result of mental, physical, and environmental factors may improve when a person stops using. It may be possible for a person to be able to overcome their health limitations with proper care. However, if a person continues to use, these risks increase, and they may not be able to reverse.
America’s Rehab Campuses offers a wide range of tools to help support your recovery. With the help of our team, we can help you with medical detox for alcoholism and inpatient treatment centers for care.
