How well a person with alcoholism or alcohol abuse does depends on whether or not they can stop drinking.

Alcoholism is a major social, economic, and public health problem. Problem drinking can affect every part of a person's life. If you have an alcohol problem, abstinence can help improve your mental and physical health and possibly, your relationships.

Treatment programs can help you quit. However, drinking again after treatment is common. It is important to have a good support system.

Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can increase your risk of many health problems, including:

• Bleeding in the digestive tract
• Brain cell damage
• Brain disorder called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
• Cancer of the esophagus, liver, colon, and other areas
• Changes in the menstrual cycle (period)
• Delirium tremens (DT's)
• Dementia and memory loss
• Depression and suicide
• Erectile dysfunction
• Heart damage
• High blood pressure
• Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
• Liver disease, including cirrhosis
• Nerve damage
• Poor nutrition
• Sleeping problems (insomnia)

Alcohol use also increases your risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and violence.

Drinking alcohol while you are pregnant can lead to severe birth defects in the baby. See: Fetal alcohol syndrome

Seek immediate medical care or call your local emergency number (such as 911) if:

• You or someone you know has alcohol dependence and develops severe confusion, seizures, or bleeding

Images

Alcohol and diet

Liver anatomy

Alcoholism

Liver cirrhosis, CT scan

Liver fattening, CT scan

Alcoholism

Liver with disproportional fattening, CT scan

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Review Date: 03/20/2011
Reviewed By: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.; David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)