Alcohol abuse causes a myriad of serious problems for the drinker as well as those affected by his drinking. These problems include physical and mental disorders, the disintegration of relationships, damage to unborn babies, and disabling and fatal accidents.
Twenty-five percent of all fatalities for children ages fourteen to seventeen are alcohol related.
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Problem drinkers and alcoholics suffer from depression that can lead to suicide (alcohol is a depressant), and a variety of disorders in the digestive system.
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Heart problems as well as liver damage are common.
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Heart complications increase as fat collects around the organ causing the heart to pump less efficiently, leading to heart disease.
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Cirrhosis of the liver causes a slow painful death. As the sickness progresses, the victim become jaundiced and develops a swollen belly as the liver expands.
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Hepatitis is another liver disfunction. In many cases, both hepatitis and cirrhosis can be reversed if the person stops drinking immediately.
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Prolonged alcohol use can also lead to cancer of the esophagus, throat, and mouth.
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Ulcers occur frequently. The brain starts to be destroyed as nerve cells die. Memory initially becomes poor as the disease progresses. Eventually one can end up with “wet brain”, a condition identified as a physical shrinking of the brain. A “wet brain” patient or victim has a deficit of the senses (i.e. abstractions, memory, and concentration). If drinking ceases, those destroyed cells never regenerate.
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Malnutrition sets in as the desire to drink becomes stronger than the desire to eat food. Even though many alcoholics appear “puffy”, they are starving to death. Puffiness and red hands are symptoms of a drinking problem as the body fills with toxic fluids and the liver cannot properly clear them.
Other physical problems can appear through the occurrence of accidents—falling, car accidents, poor judgement, and drowning. The occurrence of crime and violence as well as child abuse are statistically staggering.
The alcoholic cannot reason things out, ask for help, or admit he is wrong. Because he can no longer think through situations, he reacts to small as well as large issues. Life becomes Chaotic. Some become violent while others quietly withdraw, suffering internally both physically and mentally. Many alcoholics turn to other chemicals and death by overdose is frequent.
Of all the effects of drinking, the most pathetic is FAS or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The victims are helpless unborn fetus that never stand a chance of a healthy, normal life due entirely to the mother’s consumption of alcohol.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
FAS is one hundred percent preventable if a woman does not drink alcohol while pregnant. In 1981, the Surgeon General issued a statement that recommended women who are pregnant or considering pregnancy should abstain from alcohol and items containing alcohol. If one has ever looked for alcohol free cough syrup on the market, she’s in for quite a surprise. Contac is one of the few available. A majority of syrups are up to four percent alcohol even for babies: Cold remedies are loaded with alcohol (Nyquil is fifty percent alcohol) as well as mouth wash (Lysterine is forty-five percent alcohol), vanilla extract, cakes, sauces, dressings, and candies. The public is quite unaware of the ingredients in many products.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was first identified in the United States in 1973. It is defined as a pattern of mental, physical, and behavioral defects that develop in infants born to women who drink heavily during pregnancy.
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It is characterized by a cluster of congenital birth defects that include the following: prenatal and postnatal growth deficiency; a particular pattern of facial malformations, including a small head circumference, flattened midface, sunken nasal bridge; central nervous system dysfunction; and degrees of major organ systems malformations.
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Studies have shown that an average of one to two drinks daily do decrease birth weight and growth size.
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The incidence of FAS is approximately one to three per 1,000 live births.
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If drinking alcohol stops during early pregnancy, the risks of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome decreases. In 1980, the cost associated with FAS was the following: $14.9 million for health treatment of babies born with FAS; $670 million in total treatment costs for 68,000 children under the age of 18; $760 million in treatment for 160,000 FAS adults; and $510.5 million in indirect productivity losses.
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One in six women in the peak childbearing years of 18 to 24 may drink enough to present a hazard to an unborn child.
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Regular drinking is common among high school and middle school age girls and a sizable number drink heavily.
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Since 1989, the government has required a warning label on all alcoholic beverages. If one has ever looked for these warning signs, it is almost impossible to spot because of size, location, and camouflaging. It is a start but a feeble attempt at best.
On March 30, 1990, 20/20 ran a special about FAS. It featured the work of Michael Dorris, who after discovering that his son had FAS, wrote the book
The
Broken Cord
(Harper and Row, 1989). In it he tells of his own anguish once he learned that his wife had drunk anti-freeze (for the alcohol) and given birth to an FAS baby. For many years he didn’t known what was wrong with his son and, thankfully, found specialists that dealt exclusively with FAS children. Mr. Dorris’ book has helped thousands of confused, frustrated, heartbroken parents who for years have not known what was wrong with their children. Of those interviewed on 20/20, many had adopted children and not been told of the birth mother’s drinking habits. Some of the children looked visibly deformed (eyes far apart, nose flattened, protruding forehead), while others had only behavioral problems. These children are known as Fetal Alcohol Affective (not full blown FAS). Behavioral problems such as reacting without thinking, gullibility, vulnerability to things that are dangerous for them, not knowing right from wrong, and lacking sense of reason are all signs that these specific parents experience with their children. (This is not scientifically documented but rather what the interviewed parents on 20/20 reported.)
FAS children have trouble with balance, coordination, learning, and memory skills. Others are mentally retarded varying from educatable to severe retardation. Learning disabilities may show up in school. Hyperactivity, short attention span, and other behavioral problems are common.
Pregnancy and FAS
The first trimester is a crucial time period. Cells are rapidly developing and forming major organs in the body. Alcohol damage at this point would destroy cells that are present as well as newly developing cells. The brain is very vulnerable because its structure is being formed during the first three months of pregnancy.
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During the second trimester, there is an increase in tissue and organ size. The fetus is growing the most rapidly at this present time. A pregnant mother needs all the vitamins and nutrition that she can so alcohol consumption during this period could cause a baby to be smaller than normal.
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In the last three months of pregnancy, everything comes together for the fetus. Brain cells are maturing and connections between them are developing. If mothers drink two drinks per day during the eighth month of pregnancy, babies will weigh five to six ounces less at birth than the normal child. Also during this period, if one drinks too much, a baby’s mental activity will be dulled.
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The Father’s Drinking
If the father drinks, does this effect the baby? Much research is presently being done now in this area. They do known that alcohol can harm the testicles, and heavy drinking (five or more drinks daily) is linked to a low sperm count.
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Problems with infertility among alcoholic men is indicated.
What You Can Do To Give Your Baby A Healthy Start
It is suggested to not drink alcohol if you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant. Get involved in healthy alternatives: Listen to music, take an aerobics class (low impact), plant a garden or do volunteer work. A baby deserves a healthy start in life and a new mother can help her fetus be the best she/he can be.
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—Eat right (lots of fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates like cereals without sugar, whole wheat bread, pasta, and rice, low fat milk, fish and chicken, occasional red meat with the fat removed, and lots of water—eight glasses a day if you can.
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—Exercise often.
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—Have a good attitude.
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—Get enough sleep and rest.
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—Enjoy your pregnancy.
And remember, don’t smoke, drink, or take drugs: