Alcohol Dependency Archives - Innovate Recovery

Alcohol is often considered a "social lubricant" used to break down conversational walls, reduce self-consciousness, and facilitate disclosure. Additionally, many individuals view alcohol as a way to heighten the sexual experience, not realizing the effects of alcohol and alcohol dependency can have on sexual health. In fact, consume a single drink or are struggling with addiction, alcohol still takes a toll on your sexual health with infectious disease, as well as your ability to have—or even enjoy—sexual intercourse.

If you are an alcoholic or know someone who is, it's important to be aware of the impact that alcohol dependency can have on sexual health. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

Alcohol can act as a "social lubricant," making social situations easier and more relaxed.
However, alcohol also has negative effects on sexual health, including increasing the likelihood of contracting an infectious disease and reducing the ability to enjoy sex.
If you are struggling with alcoholism, seek help from a professional in order to maintain healthy sexual relationships.

Behavioral Effects of Alcohol on Sexual Health

Alcohol lowers inhibitions, impairs cognition, and heightens risk-taking behaviors. In one study, half of the individuals reported having sex while intoxicated with someone they would not have had sex with otherwise. In one study, one-quarter of interviewees reported going home with someone that they just met. In fact, research also demonstrates that people are less likely to use protection when they are intoxicated, increasing the risk for both sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Even when protective measures are taken, lack of coordination and impaired judgment leads to birth control failure and improper—and ineffective—use of protection during sexual episodes. Alcohol can also be used against sexual partners by predators, with approximately half of the sexual assaults facilitated by alcohol.

Another behavioral effect of alcohol abuse is that it can lead to sexual dysfunction. This is because alcohol can interfere with the body's ability to produce testosterone and estrogen, which are important for sexual health. Additionally, alcohol can cause damage to the liver, which is responsible for producing sex hormones. As a result, people who abuse alcohol may experience problems such as erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, and infertility.

Short and Long Term Effects of Alcohol Dependency on Sexual Health

Alcohol dependency can also take a toll on sexual ability and enjoyment. In fact, even a small amount of alcohol measurably reduces sexual response. Alcohol's anesthetic properties reduce nerve response, making it difficult to achieve orgasm.

Additionally, alcohol dependency can incite erectile dysfunction in men, and lack of sexual arousal in women, leading to painful or unsuccessful sexual endeavors.

Alcohol-dependent individuals of both sexes can also experience shrinking of the sexual organs, and men can face fertility issues, as alcohol lowers the sperm count.

Furthermore, alcohol has a numbing effect on emotional response, leading to disconnected sexual encounters that prevent satisfying intimacy from taking place between partners.

People who are addicted to alcohol may also find it difficult to maintain healthy relationships due to the effects of alcohol on mood and behavior. This can also impact their sexual relationships. Partners of people with alcohol addiction may feel neglected or dismissed due to the addict's focus on drinking. They may also feel resentment or anger over the addict's behavior. These feelings can often lead to a decrease in sexual intimacy and communication.

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol addiction, it is important to seek help. There are many treatment options available, including detoxification, behavioral therapy, and medication. With treatment, it is possible to regain control of your life and improve your sexual health.

For more information on alcohol addiction and its effects on sexual health, please visit the following websites:

- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/effects-alcohol-use

- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcoholism.

Alcohol dependency can have devastating effects on long-term health. In fact, conservative estimates link over 100,000 deaths per year to alcohol, in the United States alone. Due to the effects of alcohol dependency on the body and mind, alcohol-dependent individuals find even their lifespans become affected—living up to 15 years fewer than their non-addicted peers.

If you are an alcoholic seeking inpatient rehab, you know the devastation that alcohol dependency can cause on long-term health.
Alcohol-dependent individuals find even their lifespans become shortened by up to 15 years.
Inpatient rehab is often the best solution for breaking free from alcohol dependency and regaining your long-term health.

Physical & Psychological Impact from Alcohol Abuse

Alcoholism is a serious disease that can be treated. Alcohol dependency is characterized by continued use of alcohol despite adverse social, psychological, or physical consequences. This includes impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, and withdrawal symptoms when not using it. It's important to get help for addiction before it threatens your long-term health and well-being. Here are just a few of the ways that alcohol dependency affects long-term health and longevity:

Psychological struggles - The individual may feel guilt about their behavior in relation to others who do not drink excessively; they may also experience shame about their own behavior
Damaged organs - Excessive drinking damages the liver's ability to process toxins from other drugs, foods, and alcohol. This can lead to inflammation and scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), as well as other organ damage, such as to the pancreas, brain, and heart
Lower immunity - Chronic drinking reduces the body's ability to fight infection, making the individual more susceptible to illnesses such as pneumonia and tuberculosis
Social isolation - Alcoholism often leads to social isolation from friends and family. This can compound feelings of loneliness and depression, which in turn can lead to further drinking
Increased risk for cancer - Drinking increases the risk for several types of cancer, including cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, liver, colon, and rectum
Death - In the United States, alcohol is the third leading cause of preventable death. Excessive drinking accounts for 88,000 deaths each year.

It's important to get help if you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol dependency. There are many resources available, including counseling, support groups, and medication-assisted treatment. With early intervention and treatment, alcohol dependency can be overcome and long-term health can be protected.

Alcohol Dependency Affects Long-term Health and Longevity

From psychological struggles to damaged organs and lowered immunity, alcohol dependency puts individuals at risk for a host of life-threatening circumstances and health risks. Here are just a few of the ways that alcohol dependency affects long-term health and longevity.

Alcohol-Related Heart Problems - Alcohol consumption creates stress on the circulatory system and heart by raising blood pressure as well as the levels of triglyceride or "bad" cholesterol, in turn creating a greater risk for heart attacks. Additionally, long-term heavy alcohol use can lead to an enlarged heart and even congestive heart failure
Alcohol and the Liver - The primary purpose of the liver is to remove toxins from the bloodstream. Even moderate drinking increases the amount of work that the liver must perform. The excess work the liver performs in response to long-term and heavy consumption of alcohol causes the liver to accumulate fatty cells, swell, and become less efficient. Prolonged alcohol usage will result in the liver becoming cirrhotic, hardening, and may even leave it unable to function, leading to illness and possibly death.
Drunk Driving Accidents - Alcohol impairs both judgment and motor coordination. About 45% of all automobile fatalities in the United States each year are a result of this impairment of body and mind.
Suicide Risk and Alcohol Dependency - Alcohol has a profound effect on cognitive abilities, reducing reasoning ability and impulse control. Taken together, these two factors make it more likely that a person will act on momentary impulses that would otherwise be rationally dealt with. As such, alcohol is involved in almost one-third of all suicides in the United States.
Cancer, Disease, and Alcohol Dependency - The stress alcohol consumption places on the body have a detrimental impact on the immune system. By compromising the immune system, individuals who consume alcohol are at greater risk for immune-related diseases such as cancer, serious infections, or other frequent illnesses.

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol dependency, it's important to get help. There are many resources available, including counseling, support groups, and medication-assisted treatment. With early intervention and treatment, alcohol dependency can be overcome and long-term health can be protected.

One of the most common rationalizations for alcohol addiction is relaxation, with nearly one in three alcoholics stating they use alcohol to relax. However, the truth is that alcohol is not an effective stress reducer—working mainly to reduce the perception of stress instead of eliminating it. Due to the intricate interactions of alcohol with the body's chemistry, stress responses become greatly affected by alcoholism—often raising our stress levels instead of lowering them.

To break this bad habit and regain control over your life today recognize which type you are (or if you have a co-occurring disorder) and seek Alcohol Rehabilitation Treatment from a qualified treatment center as soon as possible. This will enable you to address the root causes of your alcohol abuse and take back control of your life, one day at a time.

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol dependency, get help today. There are many resources available, including professional Alcohol Rehabilitation Treatment programs that can help you break the cycle of addiction and regain control of your life. Don't wait—the sooner you seek help, the sooner you can start on the road to recovery.

Alcohol Dependency and Stress Responses

While alcohol does trigger euphoric feelings (felt as a "buzz" or "high") in the brain's reward centers, the body becomes physically depressed. In fact, when alcohol is working within your system, you may feel a sense of temporary relaxation at first.

The body's stress response is activated in alcoholics as a result of alcohol's negative effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). This results in dysregulation of cortisol secretion, which can lead to many harmful consequences, including: cognitive deficits, anxiety, alcohol craving and relapse, and increased vulnerability to physical illnesses.

Alcohol dependency and stress responses are inextricably linked. When alcohol is working within your system, you may feel a sense of temporary relaxation at first. However, as alcohol consumption continues, the body becomes depressed and stressed responses become heightened. This can often lead to increased anxiety, irritability, and even

Physical Stress and Alcohol Dependency

However, the body is actually more stressed by the consumption of alcohol. Physical systems become taxed and strive desperately to achieve their original balance. The liver works overtime in order to rid the body of toxins, and the body copes with the aftermath of low hydration and nutrient depletion. In fact, the usual "hangover" signs such as raging headaches and tension in the hands and feet are due to constricted blood vessels. Likewise, blood pressure rises, as the circulatory system struggles harder to function properly.

The nervous system also becomes heavily stressed when alcohol dependency sets in. Additionally, alcohol spikes the body's HPA output, creating higher production of stress hormones known as glucocorticoids. As a result, the brain experiences chemical reactions of stress-causing short tempers, anxiety attacks, jumpiness, and even premature aging.

Emotional Stress and Alcohol Dependency

Emotionally, alcohol leaves us just as frazzled. Sleep quality lowers and rest becomes interrupted when alcohol is consumed, potentially affecting our mental chemical balance, and heightening anxieties while lowering inhibitions. Alcohol also serves as an emotional anesthetic—leaving us in a poorer position to rise to challenges or resolve them at all. Furthermore, emotional perception becomes blurred, and inhibitions lower, leading to heated interpersonal exchanges. Alcohol can also intensify feelings of anger, paranoia, and even depression and suicidal thoughts—not only in the time of intoxication but also in between uses.

Alcohol abuse can cause a great deal of emotional stress for both the abuser and those around them. For the abuser, alcohol may become a crutch used to cope with difficult emotions or problems. This can lead to alcohol dependency, which in turn can cause even more stress. As the abuser's alcohol use increases, their ability to function normally tends to decline. This can lead to conflicts with family and friends, job troubles, and other problems.

The stress caused by alcohol abuse can be very damaging to those around the abuser as well. Family members may feel overwhelmed and helpless as they watch their loved one spiral out of control. Friends may feel frustrated and angered by the abuser's behavior.

Both the abuser and those around them can benefit from seeking help. There are many alcohol dependency programs available that can help the abuser overcome their addiction and learn to cope with stress in healthier ways. Family and friends can also attend counseling to learn how to best support the abuser during this difficult time.

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol abuse, please seek help. There is no shame in admitting that you need help and getting the support you need to get your life back on track.

Liver health can be seriously affected by untreated alcohol dependency. In fact, alcohol-related liver disease can lead to serious conditions such fatty liver, alcohol-induced hepatitis, and even fatal cirrhosis. For those who have been dependent on alcohol for years, private inpatient alcohol dependency treatment can be the first step to restoring liver health and preventing liver conditions from worsening.

In fact, liver disease caused by alcohol dependence can lead to liver failure and liver cancer. If you've been dependent on alcohol for years, our private inpatient treatment center is the first step towards liver recovery.

Here are some of the other benefits of professional alcoholism treatment:

You'll learn how to control your drinking so that it doesn't interfere with your daily life or relationships. This will help you avoid relapse and live healthier overall.
You'll gain coping skills to deal with stress without turning back to drinking as a solution.

These tools will also help you stay sober when temptation strikes again in the future because they're not just effective while you're in rehabilitation, but long after you've completed treatment. Inpatient alcohol dependency treatment can be the first step to restoring liver health and preventing liver conditions from worsening. So if you're struggling with alcohol-related liver disease, don't hesitate to seek professional help. You'll be able to get your life back on track and restore your liver health in the process.

Understanding the Function of the Liver

The liver is one of the most exceptional organs in the human body. Primarily functioning to remove toxins from the bloodstream, the liver performs a host of important tasks for overall health. From storing vitamins to creating necessary proteins from amino acids, the liver also gives your body the energy and strength it needs to survive. Additionally, the liver processes complex fats, metabolizes and stores the body's sugars for energy, and creates important cholesterols.

The liver is one of the most important organs in the body. It performs many vital functions, including detoxifying the blood, breaking down fats and proteins, and storing energy.

Alcohol dependence can take a serious toll on the liver. Heavy drinking can damage liver cells and interfere with their ability to function properly. This can lead to liver cirrhosis, a serious condition that can be fatal.

Fortunately, alcohol dependence can be treated successfully. Treatment usually includes counseling and/or medication, and it often leads to long-term sobriety. By getting help for alcohol dependence, you can protect your liver and improve your overall health.

How Alcohol Affects Liver Health

Alcohol is essentially a toxin, and the liver processes alcohol when it enters the body. In fact, the liver breaks down alcohol, ensuring that they do not create toxic conditions in the bloodstream. As alcohol consumption becomes prolonged, the liver cannot properly process these toxins. Steatosis (also known as "fatty liver") can set in when the liver loses this ability to process alcohol. Fat deposits accumulate within the liver, causing dangerous scar tissue or cysts.

If alcohol consumption continues once steatosis has set in, the liver becomes inflamed. Alcohol-dependent individuals may experience symptoms such as fatigue, jaundice, cognitive difficulties, or even fluid in the abdomen. If treatment is not sought, alcohol-dependent individuals may even develop a condition known as cirrhosis—a perpetual state of liver disease that causes the compromise of healthy tissue and an overabundance of scar tissue. Cirrhosis is currently considered by most medical experts to be irreversible and can lead to death if untreated.

Treating Liver Conditions at Inpatient Alcohol Rehab Centers

When you can finally cure alcohol addiction, the damage to the liver no longer progresses. In fact, conditions of fatty liver and alcohol-induced hepatitis can usually be treated by medical staff, sometimes including the administration of corticosteroids. Inpatient alcohol rehab centers can ensure that you receive the proper diagnostic tests, medications, or nutritional guidance in order to help your liver—and the rest of your body—make a full recovery. Even if you have been diagnosed with cirrhosis, finding freedom from alcoholism will likely improve both the quantity—and certainly the quality—of your life.

If you're struggling with alcohol-related liver disease, don't hesitate to seek professional help. Treatment usually includes counseling and/or medication, and it often leads to long-term sobriety. By getting help for alcohol dependence, you can protect your liver and improve your overall health.

From the first drink of alcohol, the body's digestive health can begin a long road to peril. Alcohol can cause damage to a host of digestive organs with prolonged drinking—including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and intestines. Because of the negative effects of alcohol dependency on digestive health, it becomes imperative that alcohol-dependent individuals receive treatment at a successful inpatient alcohol rehab center to address health issues and prevent further damage to the digestive system.

If you are an alcoholic seeking the effects of alcohol dependency on digestive health, it is imperative that you receive treatment at a successful inpatient alcohol rehab center. Alcohol can cause damage to a host of digestive organs with prolonged drinking—including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and intestines. Because of the negative effects of alcohol dependency on digestive health, it becomes imperative that alcohol-dependent individuals receive treatment at a successful inpatient alcohol rehab center to address health issues and prevent further damage to the digestive system.

In addition to the physical effects of alcohol dependency on digestive health, there are also psychological impacts that should be taken into account. When someone is dealing with alcohol dependency, they may feel ashamed, embarrassed, or guilty about their drinking. This can lead to stress and anxiety, which can also impact digestive health.

The Effects of Alcohol Dependency on Digestive Health

Alcohol dependency can affect the mouth and throat, damaging or enlarging the salivary glands, inflaming oral tissues, contributing to oral cancer, and promoting tooth decay as well as gum disease. Alcohol enters the bloodstream quickly (and even faster on an empty stomach), through both the lining of the small intestine and the stomach. The esophagus can also be damaged by chronic alcohol consumption, causing heartburn. Alcohol can also cause gastrointestinal bleeding, inflamed stomach lining, and has even been linked to the development of esophageal cancer.

In the stomach, even moderate alcohol consumption can change gastric acid composition, creating further physical imbalances. The stomach can become less able to remove harmful bacteria, and more prone to hemorrhagic lesions—some developing even from a single night of binge drinking. Stomach muscles can become damaged when alcohol dependency persists without successful alcoholism treatment, causing diarrhea, constipation, and bloating.

Bloating is a common side effect of alcohol consumption. When alcohol is consumed, it can cause the stomach to produce more gas than usual. This can lead to feelings of bloat and discomfort. In addition, alcohol can also slow down the digestive process, leading to gas and bloating that is not caused by alcohol itself, but rather by the food you eat while drinking. If you are struggling with alcohol dependency and are experiencing bloating as a side effect, it is important to seek treatment at a successful inpatient alcohol rehab center. There, you can address the root causes of your alcohol consumption and work to repair the damage that has been done to your digestive health.

One of the organs hardest hit by alcohol dependency is the small intestine. Alcohol dependency prevents proper nutrient absorption, creating less benefit from the foods you eat. Digestive enzymes also become impeded, making it harder to metabolize both food and drugs of any kind. Alcohol can also cause bleeding within the small intestine, as well as bacterial overgrowth. Many alcohol-dependent individuals also find themselves becoming sensitive to high-sugar foods and becoming more prone to bowel problems due to muscular tissues in the small intestine.

Finding Digestive Healing at an Inpatient Alcohol Rehab Center

A reputable inpatient alcohol rehab center should provide you with diagnostic testing to assess your digestive function and uncover any potential damage alcohol may have done. Trained medical staff can help you create a course of healing to help the body repair the damage that alcohol may have caused to your digestive tract. Of course, the kindest and most healing thing you can do for your body—and its digestive function—is to seek a cure for alcoholism. Over time and with heavy use, alcohol consumption will only create further digestive problems for dependent individuals.

Receiving treatment at a successful inpatient alcohol rehab center is crucial for alcohol-dependent individuals who want to protect their digestive health. In addition to addressing the physical effects of alcohol abuse, inpatient alcohol rehab centers offer counseling and therapy that can help alcoholics deal with the psychological impacts of alcohol dependency. This holistic approach to rehabilitation can help individuals get on the road to recovery and protect their digestive health in the process.

If you are struggling with alcohol dependency and are experiencing bloating as a side effect, it is important to seek treatment at a successful inpatient alcohol rehab center. There, you can address the root causes of your alcohol consumption and work to repair the damage that has been done to your digestive health.

The Effects of Alcohol Dependency on Sexual Health