Alcohol’s Effects on the Body National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA

When blood pressure, the force of blood flowing through your arteries, is consistently high, that ups your risk for heart attack, stroke and heart failure, as well as vision loss and kidney disease. Now experts have reason to believe even moderate drinking carries risks. Dementia is a condition in which the brain’s ability to function has been reduced. Approximately 9 percent of alcoholics have how does alcohol affect relationships brain damage severe enough to be diagnosed by a doctor, and 50 to 75 percent of alcoholics have some degree of brain damage. A reduction in brain size is just one of many changes caused by heavy drinking, none of them healthy. Studies indicate that 50 to 75 percent of heavy drinkers show some kind of impairment in the way they think and reason, even after they detoxify and abstain from alcohol.

Impacts of Alcoholism in Relationships

The connection between alcohol, interpersonal violence and codependency is widely documented. Constant conflict or neglect can severely impact children of parents with alcohol addiction. They may experience loneliness, depression, guilt, anxiety, anger issues and an inability to trust others.

• If your relationships have been strained or destroyed due to drinking or addiction issues, keep in mind that there are ways you can rebuild your relationships as you walk your road in recovery.
• While physical abuse is a major issue, there are other aspects of alcohol misuse behavior that can damage relationships.
• It can contribute to sexual dysfunction, thereby impacting the quality of sexual intimacy between partners.
• Alcohol abuse has been shown to impact children’s cognitive, emotional, behavioral conditions.
• American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information.

Can alcohol change a person?

These factors make drinkers more prone to accidents, injuries, and violent or unstable behavior. Additionally, scientists found that some people are genetically predisposed to reckless or impulsive behavior when under the influence of alcohol. As alcohol use disorder progresses, many people find their friendships are predicated on alcohol.

Relationship Issues

Thirty to forty percent of babies whose mothers drink heavily throughout pregnancy have the Syndrome. Some experts believe between one-third and two-thirds of all children in special education have been affected by alcohol in some way. The institutional and medical costs for one child with FAS are $1.4 million over a lifetime. However, FAS is the only cause of birth defects that can be completely prevented. The easiest way for a woman to prevent FAS is to not drink during pregnancy. The ramifications for continued abuse are clear; alcohol is closely linked to deadly diseases.

You see, if drinking was really just “all bad,” very few of us would ever get hooked. The tricky thing about alcohol is that it often starts with benefits—perceived benefits, at least. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration notes that families that are affected by alcohol problems have high levels of confusion and stress. This can make children who grow up in such environments more susceptible to substance use and other mental health problems.

Alcohol misuse can have a serious detrimental impact on the health and well-being of individuals as well as their families. Getting treatment is essential and can help people begin to recover their normal functioning and improve relationships with their partners, children, and other loved ones. Relationship problems are a common byproduct of alcohol addiction, though there are several ways to combat it. Professionals can provide family support for loved ones affected by addiction and help individuals reach recovery at the same time. After all, partners and families are part of the journey and deserve help returning to normalcy. Setting clear and healthy boundaries is essential when dealing with alcohol abuse.

Addiction Treatment Programs

Her husband tried to endure the mental and intensifying physical abuse that she would inflect, but eventually it was too much for him or the children. Alcohol abuse impacts users’ behavior, which can result in accidents and violence. In the short-term, alcohol can cause slurred speech, motor impairment, confusion, and memory problems.

• It can wreak havoc on the most unsuspecting victims and spiral out of control before treatment is even considered.
• Many also offer training on how to assist a loved one with coming to grips with the condition and facing the problems that now plague the family, business or relationship.
• Or, maybe they show up with a bottle of wine or two, and start pouring themselves a drink.
• Additionally, employees who binge drink or drink heavily are prone to absenteeism.
• If you get angry and act out, that just goes to show that you’re not really doing internal work.

Reaching out to support groups, seeking educational resources, and talking to a mental health professional can all be beneficial if you have a loved one who has an alcohol use problem. People who have an addiction to alcohol continue to engage in compulsive behaviors despite negative consequences. Many of these negative consequences affect the individual’s health and well-being, but family, friends, and other loved ones are also often affected as well. One of the many complex aspects of alcohol use disorder is when codependency and alcohol misuse intersect.