Alcoholism Effects

The primary effect of alcoholism is to encourage the alcoholic to drink at times and in amounts that have negative effects. The secondary damage caused by an inability to control drinking manifests in many different ways.

It is common for a person suffering from alcoholism to drink well after physical health effects appear. The physical effects associated with alcohol abuse may include liver damage, pancreatitis, epilepsy, polyneuropathy, alcoholic dementia, heart disease, increased chance of many forms of cancer, nutritional deficiencies, sexual disfunction, and potentially death.

The social problems arising from alcoholism can be significant and extremely detrimental. Drinking at inappropriate times, and behavior caused by reduced judgment, can lead to legal consequences, such as criminal charges for drunk driving or public disorder, or civil penalties for tortious behavior. An alcoholic's behavior and mental impairment while drunk can significantly impact family and friends, possibly leading to marital conflicts and potentially divorce, or contributing to domestic violence. This can contribute to lasting damage to the emotional development of the alcoholic's children, even after they reach adulthood. The alcoholic could suffer from loss of respect from others who may see the problem as self-inflicted and easily avoided.