Having a casual drink and being alcoholic are two different things. The latter signifies an uncontrolled stage wherein you abuse alcohol, not use it. Chronic alcoholism is a serious disease plaguing America and other parts of the world today. A person in this stage witnesses their relationships falling apart, their employment in danger, their health failing, and legal problems showing their face.
This is the stage wherein you are unable to stop drinking even if you want to. The stage seems hopeless. However, there is a ray of hope. AA meetings in New Hampshire provide strong hope to chronic alcoholics who want to become sober.
You cannot continue to live with chronic alcoholism, thinking that, one fine day, you will become okay. You won’t. It’s a long journey. The earlier you start, the better. If you refuse to, you may experience long-term health risks associated with severe alcoholism.
Discussed below, in brief, are the destructive effects of alcohol on a person’s physiology (physical health), psychology (mental health), and social life.
Physiological effects of alcohol
There isn’t a person on the Earth who would say, “long-term drinking has improved my health!” It is impossible because, medically speaking, alcohol is a toxin, and the accumulation of toxins can only create health complications.
Chronic alcoholism weakens immunity. You become vulnerable to all kinds of infections. With the world reeling under various strains of Coronavirus like Delta, Omicron, and others, would you want to go around with your guards down?
All is not lost yet. There is still time. Find a meeting in your area using the AA meetings locator. Start working on your alcohol problem. Slowly, but surely, you will find that life is more than drinking alcohol.
Save yourselves from potential long-term health complications like liver cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, heart disease, stroke, cancers, inflammation of the pancreas, weak bones, weak digestion, damage to stomach lining and reproductive system, and more.
Psychological effects of alcohol
One drink can make you feel lighter and better. Heavy drinking can send you swirling down into depression. Chronic alcoholism keeps you in depression.
Your brain’s gray and white matter begin to diminish. You experience memory loss, extreme mood swings, poor concentration and judgment, confusion, and other mental illnesses.
Meetings provide a strong network of support and help alcoholics address their mental problems. The idea is to help you re-discover your self-esteem, confidence, optimism in life, and willpower so that you stop making alcohol as your “crutch.” You become mentally stable enough to go sober for days together. Tools like Sobriety Calculator help you keep a tab on your sober days.
Social life
Chronic alcoholism destroys families. An addict’s behavior is often hurtful because they need a drink, no matter what. They can cheat, lie, steal, become violent, and even abandon their loved ones to get alcohol.
At work, chronic alcoholics may often skip office due to hangovers, miss deadlines, find excuses to not attend office meetings, and lose interest in their job. They may lose their job. This can bring in financial problems. Reading this may sound gloomy. Sadly, thousands of people live this way. Time to change, right? Search “AA meeting near me” and take the first step.
