The Physical Effects of Alcohol

Written by

The physical effects of alcohol can be dangerous.

The Physical Effects of Alcohol Explained

Alcoholism is a disease that affects millions of people worldwide. To better understand the physical effects of alcohol, it is vital to know how alcoholism starts and progresses.

Alcohol can cause mental and physical addiction. Sometimes, there are fatal consequences as a result of consuming alcohol. Alcohol affects some aspects of a person’s life, including finances, legal, relationships, and personal life.

A dependence upon alcohol should always be taken seriously.

 

Early Stages of Alcoholism

Consuming alcohol is common in the United States. Most people have had at least one alcoholic beverage in their life. Some will drink moderately. Others may binge drink or begin to drink alcoholically. Heavy drinking does not always indicate alcoholism however. A person also does not need to down half a bottle of scotch or more every night to be an alcoholic.

Alcohol impacts a person’s judgment quickly. For some people, just one alcoholic beverage can affect their ability to make healthy decisions. Almost everyone who has an alcohol use disorder diagnosis began their drinking safely.

How Does Alcoholism Start?

What can cause someone to become an alcoholic? The shift from normal drinking to alcoholism generally happens when someone changes why or how they consume alcohol. For example, someone might go from drinking with their friends to drinking to relieve pain. When the change occurs, there is usually an increase in cravings. From there, the person will likely start drinking more and more.

It has as much to do with their relationship with alcohol as it does behavior. A true alcoholic will not put down the drink in the face of consequences. Many people drink to excess in college for example. Someone who binge drinks in college may be exhibiting an alcohol use disorder at the time, but if that person is able to simply quit on their own or cut back substantially and drink only lightly after that, then that person isn’t typically what you’d call and alcoholic.

Many people don’t get the effects they are looking for when drinking alcohol, so they turn to harder liquor or increase their alcohol intake. A lot of people that struggle with alcohol abuse slowly increase the amount they drink. When someone drinks a lot of alcohol, especially for a longer time, they will likely start experiencing the physical effects of alcohol use.

If someone doesn’t get addiction rehab help, the physical effects could cause significant health issues. Alcoholism could take their life via drunk driving or deterioration of body organs, as well.

 

Immediate Effects from Abusing Alcohol

Alcohol can consume a person’s life. It can lead to severe health issues. Some of the health issues will take longer to develop. However, other effects can happen right after someone starts drinking.

Some immediate effects from abusing alcohol include:

  • Getting into an accident or having an injury
  • Having an arrest for reckless or irresponsible behavior
  • Higher chance of engaging in risky sexual behaviors
  • Relationship damage
  • Severe dehydration
  • Blackouts
  • Damage to fetus
  • Alcohol poisoning

These are just some immediate effects of abusing alcohol. Some long-term effects could occur with alcoholism, as well.

 

Long-Term Physical Effects of Alcohol Abuse

If someone keeps abusing alcohol for longer, they will start experiencing more severe health effects. In addition to the effects above, long-term abuse of alcohol can lead to:

  • High risk of neurological issues
  • Increased risk of having a stroke
  • Digestion issues
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Cancer
  • High blood pressure
  • Increased risk of developing mental health issues
  • Liver cirrhosis
  • Alcoholic hepatitis
  • Brain damage

These are just a few of the many long-term physical effects that could occur from alcohol abuse. If you or someone you know has alcohol addiction, don’t wait. Getting treatment now could help to prevent some or all of these long-term effects.

 

Other Issues Caused by Alcohol Abuse

The immediate and long-term effects above can happen to anyone.

There are some other issues caused by alcohol abuse, as well. Some of these issues may include:

  • Malnutrition
  • Higher risk of getting anemia
  • Immune system function issues
  • Higher risk of getting pancreatitis
  • Seizures

The only way for someone to fight against these health problems is to quit drinking. The best way to overcome alcoholism is to get professional rehab help. The rehab team members can help you work through obstacles, triggers, personal issues, and much more. They can help you manage any health issues you already have, as well.

 

Most people who succeed in an alcohol addiction program don’t miss their drinking days. They may have cravings and triggers, but they realize their life is better in recovery than drinking. It may take some time before you feel like this. However, once you start getting treatment, you can find more meaning in life when you are sober.

Get Help for the Physical Effects of Alcohol

Millions of Americans are living with alcoholism or an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).  A lot of the people who have an alcohol addiction experience immediate physical effects of alcohol use. The people who continue drinking for years may start experiencing the long-term effects, as well. Alcohol addiction comes with serious psychological effects as well.

Even if you don’t have any of the long-term physical effects of alcohol yet, it is still best to get treatment now. Many of the physical effects of alcohol which occur later are irreversible. Other than these effects of alcohol there are the consequences of behavior while drinking. Driving while intoxicated, fights, destroyed relationships, high-risk sexual behaviors. The results can be tragic. But they don’t need to be. You can also take back control over your life with the right kind of help.

Contact us at Harmony Treatment and Wellness today. We can answer your questions and explain how our alcohol treatment program can help.

 

Mixing Klonopin and Alcohol

Written by

mixing Klonopin and alcohol

Klonopin and Alcohol

Klonopin is a benzodiazepine that many doctors prescribe to people who have moderate to severe anxiety. There have been many cases where people were mixing Klonopin and alcohol. The dangers of doing this are serious.

 

If you have a prescription for Klonopin, it is vital to know the drug can be addictive. It becomes more of a problem when mixing it with other substances. The good news is there are treatment programs for people who need to stop using Klonopin and alcohol.

 

For now, it might be a good idea to learn more about the symptoms of mixing these substances, the withdrawal process and other aspects of this type of addiction.

Symptoms of Mixing Klonopin and Alcohol

Klonopin like alcohol and all depressants, causes depression of the central nervous system. If you have both these substances in your system, the effects will be amplified. Sometimes, the consequences can be deadly.

 

Some symptoms of mixing Klonopin and alcohol include:

  • Slower breathing
  • Reduced heart rate
  • Coordination issues
  • Dizziness
  • Slurred speech
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Memory issues
  • Cognitive function issues
  • Moderate to severe headache
  • Loss of appetite
  • Sleep problems

In most cases, Klonopin is a safe prescription drug. Doctors control how much of this medication each patient gets. The problem is that many people mix it with other substances such as alcohol. Some people will buy more Klonopin from others when they don’t get the effects they want from their prescription.

 

If you have been mixing alcohol with Klonopin and you’re struggling to quit, we can help.

Who Abuses Klonopin and Alcohol

Anyone can be at risk of abusing Klonopin and alcohol. However, studies show that undergraduate students have the highest rates of mixing Klonopin and alcohol. In the studies, 12.1% of the students were abusing one or more medications and alcohol.

 

Some of the others who commonly abuse alcohol and Klonopin include:

  • People 25 and younger
  • Those who don’t have their high school diploma
  • Single people
  • People who have a history of drinking a lot

If you have been abusing these substances, you aren’t alone. You can get the help you need to stop using alcohol and Klonopin.

Signs of Addiction

Many people who mix alcohol and a benzodiazepine like Klonopin don’t think there is a problem with what they are doing. Do they all have an addiction? There is no guarantee that everyone who takes these substances at the same time has an addiction. However, it is still dangerous to do so.

 

There are so many risks of mixing harmful substances such as alcohol and benzodiazepines. People who continue to mix them may have an addiction.

 

If you combine these substances and can’t seem to stop, contact us today. We can help diagnose whether you have an addiction. If so, don’t worry. We can get you the treatment you need to overcome that addiction.

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptoms

Some people avoid going to a treatment program because they worry about withdrawal. It can be tough to go through this process on your own. However, you can get help managing the symptoms of withdrawal when attending a treatment program.

 

Some withdrawal symptoms a rehab center team can help you manage include:

  • Raised body temperature
  • Hallucinations
  • Coordination problems
  • Irritability
  • Insomnia
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Rebound anxiety
  • Profuse sweating
  • Seizures
  • Increased heart rate
  • Panic attacks
  • Tremors

Thinking about these withdrawal symptoms can be scary. However, if you enroll in a treatment program, you won’t have to deal with these symptoms yourself. You will get around-the-clock care if you go to an inpatient rehab center. There are other treatments you can receive, as well.

Get Help to Stop Using Klonopin and Alcohol

Mixing alcohol and a benzodiazepine can be dangerous. The side effects will be much worse if you have both substances in your system simultaneously. You could have side effects such as nausea and vomiting to tremors and seizures. Even if you don’t experience most of the side effects above, the damage these substances do to your body can be substantial.

 

The important thing is to get help to stop using these substances if you need to do so. Many professionals have experience and training to deal with addiction such as this one. Once you detox from these substances, the treatment program can help you learn techniques to manage your anxiety. Those techniques can give you a natural way of managing anxiety, so you don’t feel the need to use Klonopin and alcohol.

 

Have you been mixing alcohol and a benzodiazepine? We don’t want to see you struggle with substance abuse. Contact us today to get help with your Klonopin and alcohol addiction.