ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — According to the CDC more than half of Americans aged 18 and older regularly consume alcohol. And nearly 17 percent of adults binge drink. But too much alcohol can cause more problems than you might realize. Dangers of Alcohol
Alcohol used to be a big part of Veronica Valli’s life.
Veronica says, “My drinking was very chaotic and dangerous from when I was about 15 years old.”
Like many, Veronica accepted her excessive drinking until she realized it was holding her back. Research shows about 15 million Americans struggle with an alcohol use problem, but only 10 percent receive help. Excessive alcohol use is linked to an increased risk of injuries, chronic diseases, cancer, and poor pregnancy outcomes. Dangers of Alcohol
Veronica explains, “People can spend 10 years from the moment they wake up and think, ugh I need to stop drinking to actually stopping.”
Pain is another side effect of alcohol. More than half of people with an alcohol use disorder experience some type of persistent pain. In a new British study, researchers found chronic alcohol consumption may make people more sensitive to pain through two different molecular mechanisms: one driven by alcohol intake and one driven by alcohol withdrawal.
Veronica says, “I discovered everything I thought about sobriety and drinking was completely wrong. So, I thought sobriety was boring. That’s what our culture tells us.”
Veronica finally decided to get sober at age 27 – and hasn’t looked back.
“The number one thing I want people to know is that when you stop drinking you don’t give up anything, you don’t miss out on anything, just the opposite” states Veronica.
Now, she’s a recovery coach and therapist helping others break free from alcohol addiction.
Veronica says the number one mistake people make when trying to stop drinking is doing it alone. She says it’s important to find a community of support.
Contributors to this news report include: Julie Marks, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/alcohol.htm
HIDDEN DANGERS OF ALCOHOL
REPORT #3087
BACKGROUND: The CDC defines excessive drinking as consuming four to five drinks during a single occasion, or eight to 15 drinks per week, and any drinking by pregnant women or people younger than age 21. However, excessive drinking alone does not mean that a person has an alcohol use disorder. Alcohol slows down the central nervous system like other depressants which can lead to feelings of relaxation, confidence, and lowered inhibitions, as well as cause physical reactions like loss of coordination, memory, and the ability to make good decisions. Many people who’ve recovered say that they used to frequently blackout from alcohol use, finding themselves unable to remember what they said or did during the time that they were drunk. Once alcohol is interfering with someone’s daily life, it’s time to seek treatment.
RISKS OF EXCESSIVE DRINKING: Excessive drinking of alcohol can have severe consequences for someone’s health, both in the short and long term. According to National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), heavy drinking for men is defined as consuming more than four drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks per week, and for women, consuming more than three drinks on any day or more than seven drinks per week. Some of the long-term effects of alcohol misuse include liver disease where the alcohol causes inflammation and scarring of the liver, leading to conditions such as alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer; cardiovascular disease where the alcohol raises blood pressure, increases the risk of stroke, and contributes to heart disease; mental health problems where the alcohol can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders; and cancer where the alcohol use has been linked to an increased risk of breast, liver, and colon cancer.
NEW STUDY REVEALS LONG-LASTING EFFECTS: According to a new study in mice, heavy alcohol consumption may cause permanent dysregulation of neurons, or brain cells, in adolescents. The findings suggest that exposure to binge-levels of alcohol during adolescence, when the brain is still developing, leads to long-lasting changes in the brain’s ability to signal and communicate. The prefrontal cortex is a key brain region for executive functioning, risk assessment, and decision-making. It’s not fully formed in adolescents and is still maturing in humans until around age 25. Disruptions to its development in young people may have serious and long-lasting consequences. “Heavy binge drinking is problematic for everyone, and should be avoided, but adolescent brains appear to be particularly vulnerable to the consequences, which in humans, will follow them for decades,” said Nikki Crowley, assistant professor in biology and biomedical engineering and Huck Early Chair in Neurobiology and Neural Engineering at Penn State.
(Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230609123038.htm)
* For More Information, Contact: Veronica Valli
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