Is Alcohol Life Threatening?

Almost everyone knows that alcohol consumption is not conducive to a healthy lifestyle, but how dangerous is it? The truth is that alcohol can be much more dangerous than most people realize. Not only can it lower your quality of life, but it can actually cause premature death. Let’s take a deeper look at exactly how dangerous and life threatening alcohol can be.

For many who drink, alcohol consumption is not especially dangerous. This applies to people who have one or two drinks irregularly. The danger becomes present when someone starts drinking regularly or excessively. This is when alcohol begins to have a noticeable effect on the body, particularly on the internal organs. The more a person drinks, the higher their risk becomes for various diseases, health conditions, and other dangers. Some of these will occur in the short term, while others will only present themselves after years of binge drinking.

When most people think of death from alcohol consumption, they think of it as something that only occurs years down the road. This is simply not the case. In reality, alcohol consumption can lead to death in a very short time frame. The most common short term, life-threatening risks include:

• Injury: When under the influence of alcohol, your balance and motor skills are diminished. This leads to a higher likelihood of slipping or falling. While many times this will result in just waking up with a bruise, all it takes is hitting your head in the right way to cause death. 

• Driving Under the Influence: The dangers of driving under the influence are well known. A person under the influence simply does not have the ability to safely operate a vehicle. Driving under the influence often leads to fatal car accidents.

• Overdose: This is more commonly referred to as alcohol poisoning. This occurs when a person drinks more alcohol than their body can metabolize. This leads to symptoms such as vomiting, seizures, breathing issues, coma, and even death.

These risks are often ignored by drinkers, but they do exist. Every day, people die from these short-term risks of alcohol consumption.

Just as dangerous as the short-term risks of alcohol consumption are the long-term health risks. Many of these will not present themselves until a person has engaged in years of irresponsible drinking. Such risks include:

• Heart Issues: Heavy, long-term alcohol use increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Both of these can easily be fatal.

• Liver disease: The liver helps to break down alcohol in the body. Years of drinking weakens the liver, causing it to become fatty and weak. This can even lead to liver failure, which almost always results in death. 

• Pancreatitis: Alcohol can directly damage pancreatic cells and interfere with the organ’s normal functions, including digestion and blood sugar regulation. This can become chronic pancreatitis, a condition where the pancreas is permanently damaged and inflamed, leading to persistent pain, digestive problems, and potentially diabetes. If untreated, it can become fatal. 

• GI Bleeding: Alcohol use can disrupt the stomach lining’s protective barrier, leading to inflammation and potential damage to blood vessels. Over time, this can cause persistent GI bleeding, which is bleeding within the digestive tract. 

WIth these risks, prolonged alcohol use can cause your later years to be incredibly uncomfortable. Not only that, but they may also cause premature death.

While anyone who drinks is in danger of experiencing the aforementioned, life-threatening issues first hand, some populations are at a much higher risk. These populations include:

• Aged 45-64: As our bodies age, they become more vulnerable to the risks of alcohol consumption. Individuals aged 45-64 experience the highest rates of alcohol-induced deaths, as proven in studies by the Centers for Disease Control.

• Males: Males consistently experience higher rates of alcohol-related deaths compared to females. It is believed this is due to the higher rate of alcoholism seen in men. 

• Native Americans: The Native American population has the highest rates of alcohol-related death, according to the National Library of Medicine. 

• Lower Socioeconomic Status: The lower a person’s socioeconomic status, the higher their risk of alcohol-related disease or death. It is believed this is due to increased stress and limited access to resources. 

• Childhood Trauma: People who have survived traumatic childhoods are more likely to develop drinking problems, greatly increasing their risk of alcohol-related disease or death.

• Family History: While alcoholism is not believed to be completely genetic, there is likely a genetic component. Having a family history of drinking problems increases the risk that a person will develop one themself.

Individuals who are members of one of the above populations need to be extremely careful when it comes to drinking. Failure to do so could cause them to have an early, alcohol-related death.

Knowing when to seek help can save your life. Signs that it is time to seek treatment include:

• An inability to stop drinking, even if you want to. 
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms if you do take a break from drinking.
• Experiencing symptoms of any heart or liver disease.

If you experience any of the above, it is time to contact a treatment center that specializes in alcohol addiction treatment. Doing so could save your life.