Harm of Alcohol

Physical Harm of Alcohol:

    Acutely intoxicated individuals may suffer abdominal discomfort and may injure themselves, intentionally or otherwise, is generally recognized; less well-recognized is the fact that they may develop gastrointestinal bleeding, cardiac arrhythmia, cerebro-vascular accidents and respiratory depression, all of which may prove fatal.
     These are some health problems: Acute Accidents and injury, Esophagitis, Gastritis, Peptic ulcer, Pancreatitis, Gastrointestinal bleeding,  Aspiration pneumonia, Cardiac arrhythmia, Cerebro-vascular accident (stroke), Neurapraxia, Hypoglycemia, Mallory-Weiss syndrome...

    Chronically misuse alcohol may develop, and indeed die from cirrhosis of the liver, the fact that they may develop damage to every organ system in the body and that they are just as likely, if not more likely, to die as a result of suicide or injury, is generally not appreciated.
    These are some of the health problems:  Accidents and injury,  Esophagitis, Gastritis, Peptic ulcer, Pancreatitis,  Hypertension,  Cardiomyopathy,  Cerebro-vascular accidents (stroke), Coronary heart disease,  Peripheral neuropathy, Osteoporosis, Brain damage: Dementia, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, cerebellar degeneration...

    From http://www.medicouncilalcol.demon.co.uk/handbook/chapter_4.htm

Alcohol-Related Psychological and Social Harm:

    A number of social and psychological problems arise in individuals who misuse alcohol.

    1- Psychological Problems:

    Prolonged excessive drinking is associated with a number of psychological and psychiatric problems. In some cases it is difficult to determine which came first. In most instances the psychological distress is ameliorated, to a large extent, when alcohol is stopped.

    Depression:

    There is a close link between alcohol misuse and depression. The biological changes induced in the brain by drinking mimic many of the changes evident in depressive mood disorders. It is also clear that the life of the problem drinker with anxieties about behavior, and possibly failing work performance, all contribute to feelings of depression. In most circumstances the depression is secondary to the drinking problem and it is wise for the clinician first to persuade the patient to stop drinking for a period of two or three weeks before reaching any conclusion about the nature of the psychological problems; during this time depression commonly lifts. Thus, 75% of a group of problem drinkers in one series had symptoms of depression at initial presentation, but only 5% reported persistent mood change 4 weeks after they stopped drinking.

    In some patients alcohol misuse is a symptom of an underlying depressive illness; these patients often have a family history of affective disorders. This link is more commonly found in women. Between 15 and 25% of all suicides in England and Wales may be associated with alcohol misuse, and almost 40% of men and 8% of women who attempt suicide are chronic problem drinkers. Suicide is therefore a very significant risk in patients who have a serious alcohol problem, particularly when this is associated with depression or a tendency to impulsive behavior.

    Anxiety Symptoms:

    Many individuals use alcohol as a means of coping with social and other anxieties and this may lead to harmful drinking. Patients who have phobic anxiety states are particularly at risk for developing alcohol problems. In addition the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may mimic those of an anxiety state; the dependent drinker may complain of feeling anxious and restless in the morning, and these feelings are relieved by drinking. It is, therefore, essential to enquire about drinking habits in patients presenting with symptoms of anxiety. The majority of anxiety symptoms associated with problem drinking disappear when alcohol is stopped.

    Psychotic Illnesses:

    Alcohol problems may be associated with, or else may precipitate, psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia. In these circumstances the prognosis is often less good than it is for either condition alone and management requires careful collaboration between specialist services.

    Amnesia:

    Episodes of amnesia for periods of hours or even days are a feature of alcohol misuse particularly following periods of heavy drinking during which the blood alcohol level rises steeply. Alcoholic amnesia are experienced by a quarter of young men and 10% of young women during heavy drinking bouts, but if they occur at all frequently they are evidence of a serious alcohol problem. During these periods activities may be carried out in a purposeful way and the individual may not appear drunk. It appears as if memory traces of behavior occurring at these times are not laid down, but the exact mechanism remains obscure.

    Alcohol Hallucinosis:

    This is a relatively uncommon condition which is characterized by the presence of hallucinations, usually auditory, occurring in clear consciousness. The hallucinations can occur either during a period of heavy drinking or following withdrawal or a sudden reduction in alcohol intake. They may take the form of non-specific noises or voices, often derogatory in nature, which may be described as coming from inside or from outside the head. Sometimes the hallucinations resemble those in schizophrenia in that they relate to the subject's actions and activities. The course of the illness is usually self-limiting with resolution in one or two months. It is most important to reassure the patient about the nature of the condition which can seem terrifying. In a small number of individuals there is progression to a state indistinguishable from schizophrenia. Symptoms are best treated with chlorpromazine or haloperidol.

    Morbid Jealousy:

    Morbid jealousy refers to that state where the person, almost invariably male, develops a delusional belief that their partner is being unfaithful. The victim is beset by accusations of infidelity; a search is frequently made for incriminating evidence and the partner may be followed or attempts made to catch them 'in the act'. Victims may be in real physical danger and on occasions tragic, sometimes fatal, assaults have occurred. While this syndrome is found in problem drinkers, it may occur in a range of psychiatric conditions, or indeed as a syndrome in its own right.

    2- Social Problems:

    Many of the social problems caused by alcohol arise from intoxication or drinking in inappropriate settings. Others reflect the breakdown of relationships as a consequence of chronic alcohol misuse.

    Interpersonal Relationships:

    Domestic discord and even violence is common amongst those who misuse alcohol. Child neglect and child abuse, including sexual abuse, are frequently reported by children reared in families where alcohol misuse has been a major problem. Doctors may become aware of an individual's drinking problem indirectly because of its effects on the family.

    Problems at Work:

    Alcohol misuse causes many problems in the workplace, for example, inefficiency, impaired work performance, accidents and absenteeism.

    Criminal Behavior:

    Certain offences, such as drunkenness. drunk and disorderly and drink-driving are, by their very nature, alcohol-related.     However, alcohol is also a factor in the commission of a variety of other crimes including: criminal damage, theft, burglary, robbery, and sexual and violent offences.

    Social Disintegration:

    Some individuals with severe drinking problems lose their social and financial support and drift into vagrancy and homelessness. The 'skid row' problem drinker constitutes only a tiny minority of those with alcohol problems and considerable expertise and effort is required if they are to regain a more acceptable and less damaging way of life. They also form the highly visible stereotype of the problem drinker which can be extremely misleading.

    It is hard to measure the exact extent of the social problems caused by alcohol. Statistics based on criminal offences, absenteeism and family breakdown represent only a small fraction of the day-to-day unhappiness and distress caused by intoxication and other alcohol-related problems.  

    Taken from Alcohol-related social and psychological harm
    Facts About Alcohol    Information About Alcohol    National Families NFIA   Alcohol and Crime - IAS   Alcohol and Women - IAS   Alcohol and the Young - IAS    Effects of Alcohol Intoxication - IUADIC   
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - MoDADA     Alcohol Pharmacology - MoDADA       
Tips For Controlling Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) - IUADIC    Cesar Drugs Information