While it may start as fun, drinking alcohol can turn into something that causes problems in your life. Has your drinking turned into some degree of alcohol use disorder, which includes abuse and addiction?

If so, alcohol and associated behaviors can cause a variety of problems that can ruin your life if left unchecked. Here are seven things to watch out for:

1. Physical Side Effects

Alcohol can cause effects on your entire body. This is especially true of heavy and long-term drinking. Short-term use can cause many physical effects, including muscle cramps, nausea, and vomiting.

Over time, alcohol can contribute to heart disease, liver damage, pancreatitis, infertility, and many other serious health consequences. These are only some of the ways alcohol use impacts your physical health.

2. Abuse And Addiction

Alcohol is an addictive substance. Drinking it can turn into alcohol abuse and addiction, which are included in the professional term alcohol use disorder.

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Your mind and body could become dependent on alcohol. This means that when you stop drinking, you may experience withdrawal symptoms.

You could have additional signs and symptoms of alcohol use disorder, which may include:

  • cravings
  • constantly thinking about drinking and obtaining alcohol
  • spending less time doing activities you enjoy

3. Relationships

Problem drinking can take a toll on relationships, especially within the family. The drinking and associated behaviors don’t only affect you but also everyone around you.

There are many ways drinking can affect relationships. For example, you may become emotionally or physically abusive when drinking. You may use money that the family needed to buy more alcohol. Your behaviors may erode trust.

In time, drinking and related behaviors can lead to broken families and friendships.

4. Responsibilities

Drinking can cause problems with work, school, and other responsibilities. You may skip responsibilities or not fulfill them completely.

In time, this kind of behavior can lead to other problems such as getting fired from work and having money troubles. Your colleagues or coworkers may feel like they can’t count on you.

5. Reckless Behaviors

Drinking alcohol can reduce inhibitions and interfere with your thought processes. This state of mind can encourage you to do things you may not do if you’re sober.

You may act differently and engage in risky behaviors. For example, when you drink you might get in physical fights, drive recklessly, or gamble money that you needed to pay bills.

These kinds of behaviors can contribute to other problems, such as legal trouble, health consequences, money trouble, and relationship tension.

6. Mental Health

Alcohol doesn’t only affect the body. It can also have a negative impact on the mind. Alcohol use can contribute to mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. Mental health disorders can also contribute to alcohol abuse and addiction.

Addictive substances like alcohol have a direct impact on the brain and brain pathways. This substance can affect your memory, decision-making, and other aspects of your mind, including your emotions and sense of well-being.

7. Long-Term Effects

Drinking, especially heavily, over time can lead to lasting effects on your body and mind. You can develop chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, or liver disease. Heavy alcohol use is also connected to cancer.

Drinking can even shorten your lifespan and lead to death. It can cause issues that affect you on a long-term basis and damage your overall quality of life.

Treating Alcohol Use Disorder At Vertava Health Ohio

Alcohol use often progresses over time. It continues to cause problems and can worsen until you stop the problematic drinking. You might stop addictive behaviors because the problems got so bad that you had a wakeup call.

Or, you might decide that it’s time to turn your life around.

Professional treatment can help you stop the downward spiral of drinking and find a new path forward. You can gain treatment for alcohol dependence and stop behaviors that are ruining your life.

If you need addiction treatment in Ohio, Vertava Health Ohio can help. We offer different treatment types that we can incorporate into a treatment plan for you. Contact us to see how we can help your situation today.

Call Vertava Health now!