There are some 14 million people in the United States and 1 out of every 13 adults

are considered alcoholics or at least experience drinking problems to some degree.

Most people just don’t understand the consequences of drinking. Alcoholism is a

disease and unless something is done, more and more will be affected by this dangerous

drug. A bad withdraw from this drug can lead to death, not even heroin results in death as

many times as alcohol.

The majority of people see alcohol as a social outlet and does not consider it to

be as dangerous as it may really be. Alcoholism is an often-progressive disease with

symptoms that include a strong need to drink despite negative consequences, such as

serious job and health problems. The thing about alcohol is that a person does not need

to be an alcoholic to experience problems with alcohol. Just a couple of drinks for

anyone can result in irresponsible behavior, clumsiness, slurred speech, loss of balance,

even unconsciousness.

If you are diagnosed as an alcoholic you can not just try to cut down on drinking

and think that this will help. Studies show that nearly all alcoholics who try to merely cut

down on drinking are unable to do so indefinitely. Instead, cutting out alcohol is nearly

necessary for successful recovery. Alcohol has direct toxic as well as sedative effects on

the body, and failure to take care of nutritional and other physical needs during

prolonged periods of excessive drinking may further complicate matters. Some cases

even require hospitalization. The effects on major organ systems can be dramatic. A

wide rang of digestive-systems can be affected, such as ulcers, inflammation of the

pancreas, and cirrhosis of the liver. The central and peripheral nervous systems can be

permanently damaged. In advanced cases, abstinence from alcohol may result in a

serious withdrawal syndrome, commonly known as delirium tremens, characterized by

symptoms ranging from shaking limbs to hallucinations and blackouts. This condition

can prove to be deadly even with prompt treatment.

There are some good things about moderate drinking. Several studies have

reported that people that drink one or two drinks per day are less likely to develop heart

disease than people who do not drink any alcohol or who drink larger amounts. Small

amounts of alcohol may help protect against coronary heart disease by raising levels of

“good” HDL cholesterol and by reducing the risk of blood clots in the coronary arteries.

Most people just don’t understand the health risks heavy drinking can cause.

They think of alcohol as a way to relax and forget about problems, but in fact it creates

more problems. Earlier and better treatment has led to high recovery rates. Despite these

encouraging signs, estimates of the annual number of deaths related to excessive drinking

exceed 100,000 in the United States alone. Economic costs related to alcoholism are

nearly $150 billion a year.

Bibliography

Work Cited Page

United States. National Safety Council and California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs. Effects

of Alcohol

United States. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. FAQ’s on Alcohol Abuse and

Alcoholism

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