Over 20 million people are dependent on or addicted to alcohol in some way. Alcoholism is a significant problem that has a major impact on the life of the individual and those who love them. Given that everyone is impacted differently, what exactly are the ways in which alcoholism will affect you?
Withdrawal from Usual Activities
When you are addicted to something like alcohol, it infiltrates your every waking thought. You will avoid social situations, family calls, relationships, and even self-care in favor of sitting down with an alcoholic beverage. You could wake up some days and not go to work because it means you can’t drink and you don’t want to do that. This is not an ideal situation and it will begin to impact your mental health as well as your physical capacity.
Impair Your Judgment
Drinking alcohol has many side effects. Some people report feeling happy, excited, and free and others get sad, sleepy, and struggle to think clearly. The positive symptoms are the reason behind the common misconception of alcohol being a stimulant, but it simply is not true. In, fact there is only one correct answer to Alcohol: Depressant Or Stimulant For Long Term Addicts? It is a depressant. This means, over time, your ability to judge circumstances and your own capacity will become significantly impaired.
What Else Do Depressants Do?
Depressants create a toxic emotional environment internally. This means, after a period of prolonged use, they will interfere with your capacity to function. Everything you want to do and would do normally is slowed right down. Both the mind and the physical self are affected.
Health Complications
Aside from the obvious concerns over liver function, there are plenty of other ways that alcoholism can affect your body. These include hypertension, strokes, weight gain, cancer, a weakened immune system, and fertility problems too. Some of these conditions can create serious problems in your life and even lead to death if left untreated and neglected.
Memory Problems
Alcoholism is known to affect memory too and even play a role in exacerbating the start of things like dementia. Given that it is a depressant, it slows down your capacity to process information and retain key pieces of the puzzle you need. That means, you will struggle to keep track of your communications and even your actions too. This can impact everything from your professional performance to your personal relationships.
Mental Health Complications
Alcoholism, because of all the above reasons and more, can also lead to a number of mental health issues too. Depression is common, as are anxiety disorders because of how alcohol interacts with the brain chemistry and development. You may feel the impact of poor mental health more closely and struggle to seek out help for it because of all the complex layers at play.
Alcoholism affects everyone differently. Some people can manage for a long time without needing intervention and others struggle more quickly. There are always routes to take that will create a supportive network and enable you to move on from the detrimental habits. It is important for your health.
