Excessive drinking can take a serious toll on your health and cause your body to show physical symptoms of alcoholism. Anyone who has ever drunk alcohol to excess, knows that alcoholism physical symptoms are the first to appear (as opposed to the social and mental effects of alcoholism) and the hardest to control.
Alcohol influences every part of the body, causing a wide range of health problems. When talking about physical symptoms it's important to keep in mind that the severity of the symptoms are very much dependent on the stage of alcoholism the person is at.
Do you gulp your first drinks just to feel the "buzz" faster?
Do you have sleeping disorders?
Are you being easily annoyed?
Do you suffer from chronic hangovers?
Have you tried to stop drinking and failed?
Do you need a drink to steady the shakes in the morning?
Do you suffer from nausea and vomiting?
How about anxiety, depression, fatigue, loss of appetite and headache?
Disregarding necessities such as food
Aggressive behavior
High blood pressure
A feeling that you have to start your day with a drink to function normally.
Increased shaking, especially in the morning.
A decrease in alcohol tolerance
Muscle weakness (including the heart) and weakened bones
Enlarged veins just under the skin around the navel
Heart disease
Sexual dysfunction
Clotting disorders
Complete loss of tolerance for alcohol
Extreme cardiovascular disturbances.
Profound confusion, disorientation, hallucinations
Damage to the central nervous system
Peripheral nervous system
Decreased testicular size in men
Round-the-clock consumption despite extremely negative personal and social consequences.
According to "Journal of women's health", women develop long-term complications (such as brain, heart, and liver damage) from alcohol dependence more rapidly than do men. It's important to know that alcohol is a risk factor for breast cancer in women, and the mortality rate from alcoholism is higher among women than men.
There are other alcoholism physical symptoms that alcoholic women may suffer from such as:
Negative effect on reproductive functioning
Anovulation - ovulation does not occur
Problems with or irregularity of the menstrual cycle
Early menopause
If you are worried that you might be suffering from alcohol use disorder, do not try to quit on your own. The alcohol withdrawal could be dangerous. If you believe that you sometimes consume alcohol excessively, or your drinking is already causing problems, or your friends and family are concerned about your drinking, you can talk with your doctor. Several ways to receive help include talking with a mental health professional or seeking help from a mutual support group like Alcoholics Anonymous or a related kind of self-help group.
Because denial is normal, you might not feel like you have a drinking problem. You may not recognize how much you drink or how a lot of problems in your life are caused by alcohol use. Take the time to listen to your family, friends, or colleagues when they ask you to study your drinking habits or to reach out for help. Consider talking with another person who has had a problem with drinking before, but has already stopped.
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Lead Writer/Reviewer : Kayla Loibl
Licensed Medical Health Professional
Hello!
I am a Mental Health Counselor who is licensed in both New York (LMHC) and North Carolina (LCMHC). I have been working in the Mental Health field since 2015. I have worked in a residential setting, an outpatient program and an inpatient addictions program. I began working in Long Island, NY and then in Guelph, Ontario after moving to Canada. Read More
Sources:
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol and Tolerance. April 1995. https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa28.htm
Mayo Clinic. Alcohol Use Disorder. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcohol-use-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20369243
Web MD. Do I Have an Alcohol Problem?. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/understanding-alcohol-abuse-symptoms
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol's Effects on the Body. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body
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