11 Signs that Alcohol Is Killing You

But first, what is a heavy drinker?

The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) defines heavy drinking as Excessive drinking which is when a man takes 15 or more drinks in a week or a woman takes 8 or more drinks in the same time period.

There is also Binge drinking which is when a man takes 5 or more drinks in a single drinking session or a woman takes 4 or more drinks in same.

If you have been excessively or binge drinking on a consistent basis for a long time, you should look out for the signs listed in this article especially if you are aged 45 and above. Bear in mind that these signs could either come individually over time or together as a result of organ failure.

You should therefore take this seriously even if you get one or two signs as opposed to all of them because those signs would just be heralding more serious ones to come.

This article will talk about the physical and mental signs and diseases that could result from taking too much alcohol that you should be wary of. It will also include some advice on what you can do to help you reduce your drinking.

9 Physical signs that alcohol is killing you

1. Liver disease

The liver is the first defence against the harmful effects of alcohol because it is the organ that filters alcohol from the blood. Excessive drinking will damage the liver as it would be unable to keep up with the detoxification which means that it is not a question of “does alcohol kill your liver” but rather “when will alcohol kill your liver?”

The first and least severe disease the liver would suffer would be fatty liver disease which as the term implies, leads to a buildup of fats in the liver. There are no symptoms for this for the most part.

The next level is Liver Hepatitis. Here you will definitely experience some symptoms such as vomiting and jaundice. This disease on its own can cause death if left untreated. The last level is Liver Cirrhosis. At this point the liver is all but doomed because it will be scarred and cannot be healed.

You may not experience signs that your liver is failing until it is too late but it still is a sign that alcohol is killing you because alcohol will always affect the liver so if you are a heavy drinker, know that your liver is in trouble.

2. Cognitive issues

The problem with alcohol is that it gets into the bloodstream and as all organs in the body need blood, they are at risk, including the brain.

Alcohol shrinks the brain if taken over a long period of time because it prevents the brain from being able to create new cells. This will impact brain functions such as memory and reasoning.

There is also the nerve damage that you are at risk of contracting which would lead to nerve pain and numbness as well as tingling in your feet and hands.

3. Heart diseases

It is now a known and proven fact that alcohol can lead to heart diseases and this is even more true for women who drink heavily as opposed to men. As the heart is the central organ in the circulatory system, the system comes under heavy risk as well.

You will have increased exposure to complications such as:

• Stroke
• Cardiac arrest
• Heart failure and,
• Irregular blood flow

Signs that this is already happening are that you will experience high blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat.

Another sign that alcohol is killing you that you will notice is anemia on account of the circulatory system being unable to function efficiently. Symptoms of anemia include pale skin, chest pains and weight loss.

4. Respiratory infections

A major negative side effect from alcohol is that it can affect your lungs and respiratory system. Alcohol makes the lungs more susceptible to lung diseases such as pneumonia and tuberculosis.

If you therefore notice that you are increasingly getting these diseases and you have been drinking excessively, this may be a sign that you are dying from alcoholism.

5. Gastrointestinal and Digestive issues

This is one of the more immediate effects of alcohol because the Gastrointestinal Tract comes into direct contact with alcohol when you first drink it.

Because alcohol is toxic to cells, it irritates the inner lining of the Tract which can cause inflammation which you might feel in the form of heartburn and nausea.

There is no problem with this inflammation in the short term but if you keep drinking excessively, its effects could be exacerbated such that it could damage the internal organs and cause cancer.

6. Pancreatic infections

The pancreas is particularly vulnerable to the effects of alcohol because it leads to it producing more enzymes than it should as well as some toxic material that will lead to it swelling up and getting inflamed.

You will notice this because you will begin to have problems digesting food. The pancreas is also very important in the production of insulin so if it is affected, your insulin levels will be as well and this can lead to diabetes.

7. Cancer

With all the damage that alcohol does to the body, it is virtually impossible that it does not lead to cancer and this has been confirmed by multiple studies and research. For instance, it was estimated that alcohol related cancer killed around 19,000 people in the U.S. in 2009.

Excessive drinking over a long period of time can lead to a variety of cancers including:

• Liver cancer
• Breast cancer
• Intestinal cancer
• Head and neck cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Colorectal cancer and others

These cancers are much more likely to occur if a person smokes as well because alcohol would make it easier for the cancer causing substances in cigarettes to enter the body and wreak havoc.

8. Increased rate of diseases contraction

Another immediate effect of alcohol as well as a prolonged one, alcohol affects the immune system which makes it many times harder for the body to fight off infections. Studies show that even a day after taking alcohol, your body’s immune system is weaker than it would have been had it not been for the drinking.

Over a prolonged period of excessive drinking, your body’s immune system will suffer heavily and leave you at more risk of being infected. This is the reason the lungs get more easily affected by pneumonia and tuberculosis.

Should you notice that you are getting sicker than you normally do, this could be a sign that your body is experiencing an adverse reaction from alcohol of your immune system suffering damage and you should take steps to stop drinking immediately.

3 Mental signs that alcohol is killing you

9. Dementia and Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome (WKS)

As mentioned earlier, alcohol damages the brain which can lead to conditions like dementia which is a condition that is characterised by the loss of memory and difficulty in reasoning problem-solving.

Even more serious is Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) which is most commonly caused by alcoholism. WKS comes about when alcohol indirectly leads to the lack of Thiamine and presents itself by giving you symptoms like: lack of muscle coordination, double vision and a confused mental state. You may also experience frequent amnesia and hallucinations.

10. Anxiety and Depression

It is estimated that around 25% of people who drink excessively over a long period of time have psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and depression.

This is again linked to the effects of alcohol on the brain as alcohol messes with the proper amount of neurotransmitters in the brain. This is particularly dangerous because most alcoholics would then react by taking in more alcohol to numb the anxiety and depression which would then lead to a vicious cycle forming.

So if you have either of these, do not take it likely because it could point to impending brain damage.

Here are ways to help a person with depression.

11. Anti-social behavior

The brain is very important which is why its damage by alcohol leads to a host of things, another of which is antisocial behavior.

Alcohol affects the prefrontal cortex of the brain which is very important in the development and use of social skills. Antisocial behavior like lack of perception and the ability to understand humor would therefore result.

Should you notice these signs, it could point to you having brain damage which is most definitely something you do not want.

6 Ways to reduce your drinking

The good news is, you are not alone in alcoholism. Of the total number of people who seek substance abuse help in a given period, it is estimated that 51% seek help in relation to alcohol misuse and abuse as shown by this graph from ProjectKnow.