Addiction to alcohol is a disease that destroys a person in all spheres of his activity. It leads to degradation of mental, spiritual, moral and religious life.
It causes a gradual loss of freedom and responsibility. It disturbs interpersonal bonds and prevents moral functioning in the family and society.
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Alcohol consumption also causes unfavorable changes in the human body. The harmful effect of this stimulant consists in destroying nerve cells in the cerebral cortex, damaging blood vessels and disrupting the work of the digestive tract. Constant alcohol abuse leads to acute hepatitis, a disease called cirrhosis. The heart is at risk of suffering from equally severe ailments. The heart muscle degenerates, overgrows with fat and loses its elasticity, becoming flabby. The blood that goes to the heart presses on the weakened walls and stretches them, which is why it gradually increases in size. The heart becomes weaker and weaker, the work of the cardiovascular system is disturbed.
Characteristic for alcoholism is also the coexistence of disorders in the functioning of the stomach and pancreas, secreting substances necessary for digestion, including insulin, without which the body is unable to absorb carbohydrates.
The nervous system is particularly sensitive to the effects of ethanol.
The most common underlying causes of neurological symptoms are organic damage to the brain and peripheral nervous system. Disturbances in walking and coordination of movements (ataxia) are among the most common symptoms of alcohol poisoning. Initially, ataxia occurs even at a low dose, but as alcohol tolerance increases, such symptoms do not develop until greater amounts of ethanol have been consumed. They do not disappear after the intoxication wears off – they can last for several hours, sometimes even around the clock. At this stage of the disease, the consumption of a small dose of alcohol “improves” the gait and the way of moving becomes normal again. Hence, drinking becomes a means of recovery, but as the body’s tolerance to alcohol decreases, uneven gait and uncoordinated movement remain constant and worsen even with small amounts of alcohol.
Another serious consequence of alcoholism is polyneuropathy. With this ailment, the entire peripheral nervous system suffers. The patient has sensory disturbances manifested in the form of persistent pains in the legs and hands, sometimes very painful – burning, bursting from the inside, unbearable heat. The sensation that we end up freezing and numb is accompanied by sweating of the arms and legs as well as cramps. A hoarse voice specific to alcoholics is the result of damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve.
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The damage to the vagus nerve, which can be observed in the form of pulse and respiratory disorders, is also a threat to the life of patients. The nerves of the skull are often affected by lesions. When the optic nerve is affected, visual acuity deteriorates, the field of vision narrows, and the pupils react sluggishly to light. As alcoholism develops addiction, nervous system damage develops, some of which may reverse if they stop drinking. But the longer you drink, the more persistent neurological disorders will persist, regardless of treatment.
Alcohol also adversely affects the body’s defenses. People who consume alcohol systematically often contract various infections – from banal colds to severe, chronic bacterial diseases. Various diseases in alcoholics are difficult to heal, complications are frequent, and some types of cancer are found much more frequently in drinkers.
Affecting the offspring is one of the most dangerous and tragic effects of alcohol abuse. Children of alcoholics are sick and overly sensitive to infections. The pace of their psychophysical development is slower and they are more prone to rickets, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases. They start to sit up and talk late, they are less physically enduring.
Alcohol affects every cell of the human body, which, when consumed in excessive and long-term consumption, causes destruction literally throughout the body. Disease and death are their consequences.