Effects of Alcoholism
To many people, the consumption of
alcohol is many things, but overall the effects of alcoholism
are not considered; the effects of alcoholism are not
the fun, good times that most think of when they think
about drinking. Actually, the effects of alcoholism
are serious and can be damaging to not only the person
who abuses alcohol. The effects of alcoholism trickle
down through the people around them, to the entire population
by the costs it incurs. The costs of the effects of
alcoholism are not always equated in monetary standards;
could there ever be a price tag placed on human life?
The effects of alcoholism range from physiological and
psychological effects on the person who is drinking,
to the thousands of people killed by drunk drivers every
year.
Short-term effects of alcoholism
may include slurred speech, delayed reaction time, increased
aptitude for anger and violence, lack of judgment or
inhibitions, and loss of coordination. Some people who
drink alcohol in large quantities may experience a "black
out" or period of time where an individual is conscious,
but later cannot account for the time. Others simply
pass out, falling into a deep sleep.
The physical effects of alcoholism
long term include major illnesses, such as cirrhosis
of the liver, and also is a contributing factor in the
top three major causes of death, heart disease, cancer,
and stroke.
The effects of alcoholism on society
are as apparent as the physical effects it has on a
person who struggles with alcoholism. Studies have shown
a direct correlation between drinking and increased
violence. One quarter of all emergency room admissions,
one third of all suicides, and greater than half of
all homicides and domestic violence injuries are alcohol
abuse effects. In a recent study involving sexual assaults,
over two thirds of sexual aggressors and half of their
victims were under the influence of alcohol at the time
of the incident.
Possibly one of the worst effects
of alcoholism, driving while under the influence, accounts
for half of all traffic fatalities. And pregnant women
who consume alcohol do incredible damage to their unborn
child; fetal alcohol syndrome is the number one cause
of mental retardation in the United States. This is
quite possibly one of the most tragic effects of alcoholism,
as innocent children's lives are horribly altered by
their mother's consumption of alcohol.
Recognizing the negative effects
of alcoholism either in your life or in the life of
someone you love is never easy. Treatment Referral understands
this and is here to make the recovery process less difficult.
Many people that suffer from alcoholism find success
only in a long-term, committed recovery program that
focuses individual, around the clock treatment, which
Treatment Referral provides.
If you are someone you love is displaying
the effects of alcoholism, call Treatment Referral today
for more information on available treatment options
and programs. 800.886.4986
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