Alcohol Addiction cannot be referred to as a mere or temporary condition. It has become a deadly disease.

The fact that there is no cause that can be singled out to be the primary factor, leading to alcoholism or alcohol addiction is a further and more serious threat. Alcoholism can strike anyone and everyone and time and age are not setting any bars for the same. The saving grace being, Alcoholism, like any other disease, can be treated, and a person might become non-alcoholic for the rest of their life.

There are two specific factors that are imperative for this to happen. One is the person’s personal drive to ditch alcoholism and leads a sober and healthier life, and the second being the guidance and treatment extended by a specialist, in this case, most effectively a psychiatrist.

Are You Addicted to Alcohol?

The first step to curing yourself of this condition that may lead to any level of severity, if left unaffected is to understand whether you are addicted to alcohol.

  1. Consumption of alcohol on a daily basis, in any amount whatsoever, is alcoholism.
  2. Consumption of alcohol, alone, without company and doing so over a long period of the day is alcoholism.
  3. Drinking to a level every time, where you lose consciousness is alcoholism.

Notice your drinking habits better and immediately consult a psychiatrist if you execute any of the above points.

Effects and Side-Effects of Alcoholism

There are a number of effects or more particularly, side effects that you will be faced with if you are an alcohol addict (or alcoholic).These effects may further be divided into Short-Term Effects and Long-Term Effects.

Short Term Effects

A serving is a can of beer that is 12-ounce, a glass of wine that is four-ounce, or a shot of any other alcohol that is 1.5-ounce on a daily basis, is considered to be the safe level of alcohol consumption. Consumption of the same, anywhere above this level, leads to short-term effects of alcohol addictions. The side effects of this kind of consumption include-

  1. Slurry Speech,
  2. Sudden mood shifts,
  3. Severe drowsiness,
  4. Decreasing body temperature,
  5. Disruption in sleep,
  6. Depression,
  7. Weight gain,
  8. Depleted sexual performance,
  9. Damage to liver functions,
  10. Loss of consciousness temporarily post consumption of alcohol,
  11. Partial loss of memory or blackouts, where the alcoholic remembers no events of the drinking phase,
  12. Vomiting or nausea, and
  13. Loss of control of your bowels and bladder.

While these are considered to be the short-term effects, there are also more severe long term effects that need to be considered.

Long Term Effects

Over consumption of alcohol over a long period leads to more crucial and detrimental long term effects of alcoholism. These include-

  1. Death or non-functionality of brain cells,
  2. Liver damage to a level that it becomes cirrhosis,
  3. Inflammation of the pancreas also referred to as pancreatitis,
  4. Cancer in several parts of your body, including- liver, kidney, pancreas, etc.,
  5. Coma and finally also death is a probability.

Avoid these conditions by consulting a psychiatrist. Psychiatry therapy and medicines have come together over and again to help alcoholics beat the curb for alcohol and lead a healthier and pronounced life.