A compilation of various symptoms of long term alcohol abuse intended to help you understand how this habit starts showing in form of various physical and behavioral signs in the long run. Continue reading…
Alcohol abuse can trigger a series of physical and psychological side-effects in the long run. The problems associated with this habit are not just restricted to health problems alone, but go well beyond these and form the basis of several problems in his social life. In most of the cases, by the time the person himself (or someone around him) figures out what’s wrong, the condition develops into a major addiction, with some life-threatening withdrawal symptoms to its credit. Taking into consideration the severity of these effects, it is wise to identify the symptoms of the underlying condition at the earliest, and initiate proper measures to make sure that the person doesn’t end up harming himself – the chances of which cannot be ruled out.
Long Term Symptoms of Alcohol Abuse
While the short-term side effects of alcohol abuse, such as slurred speech, foul breath, difficulty in walking, etc., can be easily identified as they are quite obvious, its long terms effects are a bit difficult to identify. The same rule of the thumb is applicable when it comes to symptoms, wherein the symptoms don’t necessarily surface when the person is in intoxicated state. In fact, most of these signs and symptoms start surfacing in form of behavioral changes in the long run.
Given below is a list of such long term symptoms of alcohol abuse which can help you diagnose the problem.
- The person is likely to face problem when it comes to concentration and coordination as alcohol is known to affect the brain cells which are assigned the responsibility of carrying out tasks requiring cognitive skills.
- His behavior will be characterized by sudden emotional outbursts; wherein you will see him getting angry at one moment and starting to cry at the very next moment.
- He won’t think twice before indulging in any activity which can be potentially dangerous – such as drinking and driving, or saying something which he wouldn’t say in normal circumstances.
- He is more likely to neglect social roles and responsibilities, i.e. ignoring his family, not giving enough time for them or for himself, not concentrating on his work etc., to a great extent.
- He will continue to abuse alcohol even if he knows that it is causing problems in his life, and may even turn a blind eye to these problems instead of trying to solve them.
- He will give up on various activities of interest as well as his commitments to make time for drinking, and will even resort to lying to do this.
- After a point of time, drinking alcohol will become a stress-busting activity for that person, wherein he will repeatedly resort to drinking as a means of relaxation.
- He has no control over drinking, and therefore, he will often end up drinking more than he intends to and eventually collapses as a result of intoxication.
- At times, he will resort to drinking only because he has nothing else to do – and this is something that he is likely to do when alcohol becomes a priority.
- He will also show lack of interest in becoming a part of social gatherings wherein he won’t be able to consume alcohol.
Other Signs to Look Out For
Other than these chronic symptoms, one also has to be on a look out for the symptoms of various disorders which are attributed to excessive alcohol consumption. The problem can eventually snowball into major neuropsychiatric and cognitive disorders. Other than the brain, various organs which absorb and digest alcohol, including the stomach, liver and pancreas, are damaged as a result of alcohol abuse. Insomnia is yet another symptom of prolonged alcohol abuse. Long term abuse is also known to be one of the most important causes of cancer, a claim which is backed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer – an intergovernmental agency that forms a part of the World Health Organization, which considers it to be a carcinogen. The person is also likely to experience withdrawal symptoms, such as profuse sweating and anxiety, if he doesn’t drink for a day.
While some individuals may show most of these symptoms simultaneously, only a few of these will be seen in others. Similarly, the chances of a particular symptom surfacing in two different individuals in varying degrees cannot be ruled out. If the problem is diagnosed in the very beginning, escaping the mess can be a relatively easy task for the person. However, the biggest hindrance that he is likely to face will be that of denial, wherein he will just refuse to admit that he needs some help. In such circumstances, the only way out will be to subject the person to alcohol abuse intervention – for the sake of his health.
