Dangers of Alcoholic Beverage Addiction and How to Stop It

There are many reasons why people drink alcohol. Maybe because they really like alcohol, or because of social demands. Another reason might be because you want to get rid of stress or forget the complexity of problems in life. In fact, this drink which is considered to calm the mind holds many dangers to the body if taken beyond the healthy levels, especially to the liver.

Heart Damage Due to Liquor

In addition to the brain, a very complex organ is the heart. This organ functions to help the digestion process of food, filter toxins from the blood, regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and help the body fight infections and other diseases. But what happens when the liver is exposed to dangerous substances such as alcohol at excessive levels? The answer is that the liver will be damaged. Illustration like this. When you drink alcohol, this liquid will be absorbed into the bloodstream. Alcohol in high concentrations will pass through the liver before circulating throughout the body. In the liver there are cells containing enzymes that work to convert alcohol into water and carbon dioxide so that it does not have a negative impact on other parts of the body. Some liver cells will die every time they are exposed to alcohol. But because the liver is a tough organ, the liver can easily produce new cells. But the liver's ability to regenerate cells will eventually be disrupted when you continue to consume alcohol in the long run. As a result, the liver cannot produce new cells, which results in the liver being severely damaged. The following are the stages of liver damage that an alcoholic will experience. Please note that in some alcoholics, some of the conditions below can occur simultaneously.

• Fatty heart

Fatty liver can be experienced by people who consume large amounts of liquor, even if only for a few days. Consuming alcohol can trigger fat accumulation in the liver. This condition generally does not cause any special treatment is not necessary because the condition of the liver will return to normal if you stop consuming alcohol for 14 days. Because you have no symptoms, you must be careful, because fatty liver can develop into inflammation of the liver or hepatitis.

• Hepatitis

After suffering from fatty liver, the next step is to develop hepatitis. This can happen if you continue to consume alcoholic beverages when the condition of the liver has been filled with fat. The result, the liver will be inflamed. As with fatty liver, this condition has no symptoms. Conditions at this level can be recovered if you stop the habit of drinking alcohol forever. Sounds harmless, but don't be taken lightly, because this condition is a serious illness that can be life threatening. If you don't stop drinking alcohol, hepatitis will develop more and can cause liver failure. Malfunctioning of the liver can cause impaired blood clots, jaundice, coma, and bleeding in the intestine.

• Cirrhosis

The worst condition that you can experience as a result of continually consuming alcoholic beverages is suffering from cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a condition when the liver is so damaged that it cannot produce new cells and cannot repair itself anymore. Unlike the two previous conditions, cirrhosis cannot be restored. But by stopping consuming alcohol, it can prevent further liver damage. Life opportunities can also be extended by undergoing a liver transplant if the condition of cirrhosis is very severe or has complications.

Other Negative Effects of Alcohol

Apart from liver disease, alcohol can also cause other conditions, such as:

• Indigestion.
• High uric acid levels.
• Cancer
• Anemia.
• Heart disease.
• Epilepsy
• Dementia.
• Diabetes
• Eye disorders.
• Erectile dysfunction.
• Osteoporosis
• Weakened immune system.

Consuming alcoholic drinks during pregnancy risks causing fetal disability. Adverse effects not only occur in the body of pregnant women who drink alcohol, but the baby in the womb can also be affected. Consuming alcohol can put you in danger, such as having an accident due to driving under the influence of alcohol. When someone is drunk, focus, reason and mind become distracted so you can unconsciously commit violence, such as fighting or hurting other people. You can also fall from the stairs because you are too drunk. Having sex unconsciously, or having unprotected sex can also be done when influenced by alcohol.

Tips to Stop Alcoholism

Before it's too late, it's better to prevent negative things from happening to you by limiting or stopping consuming alcoholic drinks. It's difficult to stop this habit, especially for those of you who are classified as heavy addicts. But with a strong determination and support from those around you, alcoholism can be released. Here are tips you can do to get rid of alcohol addiction.

Change your lifestyle

The first step to stop consuming alcohol is avoiding the physical form. Discard all bottles of liquor that are still in your home, to reduce the desire to taste it. During this process, it is recommended to avoid things that trigger you to consume alcoholic beverages. For the time being, you can stay away from people who often accompanied you when you were drunk. If you are invited to get drunk, politely decline and tell them that now you want to stop consuming alcohol. Do a healthy lifestyle, and complete it with positive activities that can divert your desires from alcoholic drinks, such as doing hobbies, exercising, participating in social activities, gathering with family, or joining an anti-alcohol community. Make sure you are with people who have a positive influence to support the improvement of your life.

Go for medical treatment

Maybe changing your lifestyle isn't enough for those of you who have been 'worshiping' alcohol for years. Don't worry, because your dependency can be overcome with medical help. The thing you can do is follow a detox or rehabilitation program. Provision of certain drugs, such as disulfiram, can suppress your desire to consume alcoholic beverages. There are also drugs that can have an unpleasant effect when you drink alcohol. So when you consume alcohol during treatment, you will feel headaches, nausea, or vomiting. For more severe cases, there are drugs that can be injected. When you decide to stop drinking alcohol, then you have to stop it completely, not drinking alcohol at all even a drop. No need to be afraid of being shunned by friends after stopping consuming alcohol, because a good friend will certainly not plunge you. Remember that your health and life are far more valuable.