Substance use disorder (SUD) causes a wide range of health complications for individuals, on top of the mental and emotional impact it has. Continued use of substances can impact your health, quality of life, and the length of your life.
If you are struggling with regulating your alcohol or drug use, know that you can take steps now to get into our alcohol addiction treatment program and start on the path of healing.
The Health Consequences of Alcohol and Drug Use
Those who use drugs or alcohol on a consistent basis face the risk of numerous health complications. That includes lung and heart disease, but also some forms of cancer and an increased risk of stroke.
Often, it seems like these health risks are not relevant to your own life. You feel fine, and you can always stop using substances if your health gets worse, right? Consider that about 178,000 people die from excessive alcohol use each year, and of those, the average life was shortened by 24 years, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That number includes people who die suddenly from a binge drinking episode and those who die from continued alcohol use for years.
Consider the risks of continued drug use. Drug use not only impacts your brain, heart, liver, kidneys, and other main organs but can also put you at risk of getting Hepatitis C and HIV, conditions that develop due to shared injections. Infections can damage your heart, leading to early death.
What Are the Health Risks of Alcohol Use?
The World Health Organization (WHO) notes the numerous health risks associated with alcohol use, including that it can cause or play a role in more than 200 diseases, injuries, and illnesses. These include:
- Heart-related disease: About 474,000 people died in 2019 from cardiovascular disease caused by alcohol use.
- Cancer: Alcohol has been linked to liver, breast, neck, esophageal, and colorectal cancers. WHO notes that in 2019, “4.4% of cancers diagnosed globally and 401,000 cancer deaths were attributed to alcohol consumption.”
- Pregnancy complications: Alcohol consumed during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, which cause developmental disabilities and birth defects in the child.
These health risks are amplified by the mental health disorders, family complications, work-related consequences, and financial losses that come from continued alcohol use.
What Are the Health Risks of Drugs?
Drugs are more complex than alcohol in that each type of drug attacks the body in unique ways and causes numerous types of health risks. Consider these examples:
- Cocaine use: The use of cocaine can lead to acute heart attack, cardiovascular health complications, heart failure, strokes, and arrhythmia development. It can also cause damage to the lungs, including respiratory infection, and it can damage the kidneys.
- Opioid use: Opioids can cause an increased risk of strokes, heart-related infections, permanent brain damage, respiratory depression, and lung damage. The renal system can suffer ongoing difficulties from continued opioid use.
What to Do to Protect Your Health If You Use Drugs or Alcohol
SUD is a serious, life-threatening complication. While sudden death from overdose is one possibility, the long-term impact that these toxins have on the body is powerful. What can you do if you are worried about how your drug or alcohol use is affecting your health?
- Turn to a drug and alcohol treatment center in Lubbock for help.
At The Ranch at Dove Tree, we provide you with a respectful environment where we support not just the recovery of your physical health but also of your mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. We offer medical and therapeutic care that strengthens your ability to heal and reduces the risk of further damage.
- Talk to your doctor.
If you don’t feel ready for alcohol or drug addiction treatment but want to understand the health impacts your use is having, we encourage you to reach out to your family doctor. Your doctor can let you know how much your substance use is taking a toll and can recommend treatment as needed.
If you broke a bone or suffered a burn, you would seek medical care. If you learned you had cancer, you would likely get help. Treat addiction in the same way. It requires medical care as well as emotional and mental support. Change is good. We can help you.
Contact Us for Immediate Help
Put our drug and alcohol treatment center in Lubbock, TX, on your list of places to reach out to today. When you do, you learn more about not just what we can do to help you break through addiction and dependence but how we can help you work towards healing your body. Do not wait to give us a call to learn how our team can help you. Contact our compassionate counselors now.
