9781422270929

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What is Alcohol Addiction? Alcohol addiction is one type of substance abuse disorder. It is also a chronic disease . People with this disorder have an uncontrolled dependence on alcohol. The disease usually lasts a lifetime and can be dangerous and even life threatening if it remains untreated. Alcohol addiction affects the body and the brain. Drinking too much can cause coordination problems, blurry vision, and loss of consciousness, all of which can lead to accidents if someone is driving or even walking under the influence of alcohol. A person can suffer cardiorespiratory arrest, or die by vomiting and then asphyxiating . Too much alcohol consumption can lead to alcohol poisoning and even death. Cells cannot stop alcohol frommoving into the bloodstream, and the alcohol spreads to the body tissues. In particular, the function of the liver can be greatly affected. When alcohol is in the bloodstream, the liver prioritizes its metabolism over everything else in order to work hard to rid the body of alcohol, which is a toxin. Over time, alcohol abuse can place a huge burden on the liver and cause significant liver damage, which can lead to several liver diseases. Alcohol can affect the brain in many ways. Common side effects are slurred speech and difficulty walking. Heavy drinking over a long period of time can lead to brain deficits that remain even when the person has stopped drinking. A person can start having simple slips in memory, such as not remembering names, or can have more serious

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