We aim to help inform people about the dangers of alcohol abuse, knowing just some of the risks associated with long-term alcohol abuse may help you help yourself or could save the life of a loved one.
Addressing alcoholism can be a sensitive subject, most people drink and many of them enjoy a few too many drinks every now and again.
It's difficult to define an alcoholic, as many of them are functioning and appear to be coping with everyday life duties and struggles.
Most of us are affected by alcohol in some way or another, a drunk individual at a bar, a parent who drinks excessively to cope with stress or friends who enjoy drinking just a little too much.
Alcohol is something which is widely accepted and the effects of it are often overlooked because of the legal approval it has attached to it.
At Step Away Treatment Centre we believe alcoholism to be defined as the excessive abuse or misuse of alcohol resulting in an unmanageable lifestyle.
It's important for you to make informed decisions when it comes to your health and future well-being.
The purpose of this is to inform our readers of the some of the negative effects alcohol abuse can have on your brain and the rest of your body.
During adolescence your brain is still developing, leaving it vulnerable to substances that might affect or hinder brain development.
Chronic alcohol abuse has been directly linked to a number of adverse negative effects on an individual's cognitive and physical functioning.
Heavy alcohol consumption damages brain development, causing alcohol dementia, shrinking of the brain, physical and mental dependence, increasing the risk of neuropsychiatric and cognitive disorders and causes brain chemistry distortion.
Acts like leaving the stove on, forgetting to lock the front door or overlooking a work query may seem unrelated at the time but these may be symptoms associated of excessive alcohol usage, i.e. signs of alcohol dementia, which increases failure to carry out an intended task at a later date.
Alcohol is a depressant, consequently depression, anxiety and panic disorders are closely related to alcoholism, with drinking heavily leading to irrational infantile thinking and often thoughts of suicide due to long-term use.
Neurotoxic effects on the brain result in trouble identifying and perceiving facial emotions, face social perception problems and even lose your ability to attribute mental states such as humorous or pretending.
Affecting your physical functioning alcoholism has been directly related to liver disease, high blood pressure, triglycerides (high blood fats), heart failure and strokes, and certain cancers.
Alcohol abuse is the leading cause of liver disease in society today, causing fatty liver, cirrhosis and alcoholic hepatitis. The liver is used to remove toxins from the body and without it normal bodily functions are impaired and often liver failure is a result of long-term use.
Knowledge is power and by being informed it may not only save your life but the life of a family member or loved one. Step Away is an alcoholism treatment centre as well as drug addiction treatment centre in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Our alcohol treatment facilities are for both male and female patients over the age of 18. No matter what stage your drinking problem is, addiction treatment and rehabilitation is always possible.
Please do not hesitate to contact us regarding yourself or a loved one suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction. Your life is the result of the choices you make, if you don't like your life it is time to start making better choices. Click here for more information on Alcoholism Treatment South Africa
Please contact us for help today.
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