One of the main issues with alcoholism is how easy it becomes to lie to yourself. If you’re in this phase, you’ll often downplay the amount you drink and find ways of explaining away the behaviour, when people inevitably start to notice. You may start to experience consequences at work or school due to your habit and find yourself regularly hungover and craving more alcohol.
Signs such as drinking at work, while looking after children or when driving are indicators of this stage. You’ve likely become more irritable, and alcohol may start to affect you differently. You’ll need to drink more to achieve the same effects you used to feel and often pass out from alcohol. Changes in your body such as facial redness, stomach bloating, shaking, sweating and memory lapses start to affect you.
As alcoholism progresses, the cells in the body become more and more resistant to the short-term effects of alcohol. As a person continues drinking excessively, the cells will continue to adapt. Eventually, the presence of alcohol becomes the norm for the body, and the long-term damage continues.
End-stage alcoholism typically presents several health complications. First, the liver becomes damaged, possibly permanently. The liver gains fats and inflammation, eventually leading to liver scarring. The result of the damage is often liver disease or cirrhosis.
The damaged liver can cause other complications in the body since it is a vital organ. The liver is responsible for over 500 tasks to ensure the body is functioning as healthy as possible. Other health complications, like heart problems and stroke, stem from chronic alcohol abuse in end-stage alcoholism. Risks of dementia and cancer increase. Even brain damage and hepatitis can occur in end-stage alcoholics.
It is possible to recover at any stage of alcoholism! 59% of people successfully completed alcohol treatment in 2019/20. You can reach out to start treatment by DMing us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram; by emailing us at info@www.therecoverylodge.co.uk or phoning us on 01795 431751.
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