Some people don’t realize the significant impact that alcohol can have on mental and physical health. It can worsen conditions like anxiety and depression and also has a long list of adverse effects on your physical body.
If you have a tumultuous relationship with alcohol and are starting to notice its impact on your body, it is time to reach out for help. 5 Palms’ alcohol rehab offers inpatient and outpatient programs to accommodate your recovery needs.
How Does Alcohol Affect the Body?
For most people, the extent of their knowledge about what alcohol does to the body is that it makes them intoxicated, which usually involves feeling relaxed, sociable, sleepy, or even emotional. But what’s really going on behind the scenes is this:
Your Bloodstream as a Highway
After you consume alcohol, it uses your bloodstream to travel to various organs in your body.
Lack of focus
Alcohol interacts with receptors in the brain and slows down communication between neurons, which are responsible for changes in how you feel, along with a loss of coordination. You may find it difficult to think clearly.
Liver function
The liver is responsible for breaking down alcohol, and once the substance reaches this organ, it sets to work trying to process the toxins. Alcohol becomes the priority for the liver, which puts its other functions on hold, such as regulating blood sugar, processing nutrients in your food, producing bile for digestion, and filtering other toxins from your blood. This explains why you may be more susceptible to blood sugar dips or spikes as well as gas or other digestive upsets when drinking.
Increased heart rate
Alcohol causes your blood vessels to dilate, and your heart needs to pump harder to circulate blood throughout your body. This is why you might notice that your heart races while you are drinking and possibly into the next day.
These are just some of the immediate effects of consuming alcohol, but if you continue to drink over the long term, especially excessively, these effects can become more severe and even permanent.
The Long-Term Effects of Alcohol on Your Physical Well-Being
Hangovers and other discomfort associated with alcohol consumption are only temporary. However, chronic alcohol misuse can have longer-lasting effects. Some of the potential long-term effects of alcohol on your physical health include:
Increased Risk of Cancer
As one of the organs that is hit the hardest from long-term excessive drinking, the liver is highly susceptible to cancer. Chronic alcohol misuse can also increase the risk of cancers of the throat, mouth, breast, esophagus, and colon.
Liver Damage
In addition to cancer, the liver can also suffer damage if you drink excessively over a long period. The constant strain on the liver to process toxins from alcohol can eventually lead to inflammation, fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, and even severe conditions like cirrhosis.
Impaired Digestive Health
Alcohol irritates the lining of your digestive system, and repeated exposure to alcohol can lead to chronic inflammation and issues like gastritis, stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. Chronic alcohol misuse can also throw off the balance of your gut microbiome, which affects digestion and nutrient absorption. If your body cannot properly absorb the nutrients in your food and drink, you can develop many other health problems due to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Premature Aging
Not only does long-term excessive drinking affect how you feel on the inside, but it can also take a toll on how you look on the outside. Chronic heavy drinking dehydrates your skin, triggers inflammation, and impairs your body’s ability to produce collagen, which is responsible for helping your skin maintain firmness and elasticity. Eventually, you can develop wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin, making you look older than you are.
All of these physical effects of alcohol can be mitigated or avoided completely by engaging with alcohol responsibly. If you or someone you love is struggling with overconsumption, 5 Palms is here to help.
Enroll in Alcohol Rehab at 5 Palms
Despite knowing the adverse effects of alcohol, you may still find it difficult to quit. If you need help reducing or eliminating alcohol from your life, you can count on the experienced, compassionate team at 5 Palms. To learn more about our alcohol rehab in Florida, give us a call at 1.844.675.1022 or complete the online form today.