Physical Symptoms of Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol abuse will create problems in an abuser’s mental and physical health. The symptoms will likely be noticeable to others even before they are recognized by the user. Unfortunately, alcohol abuse causes an array of physical consequences for the user including liver and kidney damage, heart problems, muscle problems and other potentially serious side effects.

The Effects of Alcohol on an Abuser’s Health

Though the signs vary from person to person, someone who is abusing alcohol may look disheveled and be dehydrated often.

It is no secret that alcohol abuse can damage a person’s liver, but alcohol also causes other ailments and consequences to occur in a user’s life. Alcohol abuse immediately puts a drinker at more health risks being that it impairs a person’s judgment which can lead to them involving themselves in dangerous activities, such as driving or becoming violent towards others.

People who abuse alcohol several times a week are more likely to have a heart attack being that alcohol consumption raises blood pressure, and are more likely to develop cirrhosis of the liver. Furthermore, prolonged alcohol abuse can damage a person’s brain chemicals resulting in memory problems and the onset of mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, long term alcohol abuse can lead to cancer and heart problems as well as neurological problems such as stroke, dementia and neuropathy.

Alcohol abuse can also lead to social problems by causing an avid drinker to become violent towards their loved ones, and it can also cause a person to pull away from family and friends so that they can drink.

Although alcohol is legal, many people commit crimes while under the influence of the drug and many people make poor judgment calls that they regret once they sober up. Alcohol abuse can lead to alcohol addiction and alcohol addiction can cause a person to lose everything in their life that they care about unless they receive the proper help.

When a person is abusing alcohol they will have changes in their physical, mental and behavioral health that will be noticeable to other people.

 The Physical Symptoms of Alcohol Abuse

The physical symptoms of alcohol abuse will vary from person to person, but typically they include…

Unkempt Appearance: Many abusers of alcohol, whether short term or long term, do not care about their appearance or may completely forget to, or not care about taking a shower, causing them to smell and look messy.

Uncontrollable Shaking: This is usually seen when a person who drinks frequently does not have alcohol in their system.

Vomiting: This is an effect that occurs when a person abused too much alcohol or when an avid drinker does not have alcohol in their system and is going through withdrawals.

Body Aches and Headaches: Both can be seen in a person who abused alcohol short term or long term.

Fatigue: A person who abuses alcohol will feel excessively tired and may not want to participate in activities that they used to enjoy.

Dehydration: A person who abuses alcohol may have cracked lips or dry skin due to the dehydration that alcohol consumption causes.