The Effects of Continuously Drinking Alcohol

While some people are able to limit their alcohol intake to a few drinks on an occasional basis, some people drink constantly. Those who drink large amounts of alcohol open their bodies up to a wide array of health problems that may not show up until later in life. At the time of consumption, it seems the consequences are limited to getting drunk; the long-term effects, however, can be much more severe.

Addiction

• When you consistently drink large amounts of alcohol, you increase your risk of developing an alcohol addiction. Your body becomes reliant on the alcohol to function and stopping can result in severe withdrawal symptoms. Some of the most common withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, convulsions and shaking. Like all addictions, an alcohol addiction is difficult to stop, especially if you do not feel that you have a problem. The longer an addiction lasts, the greater damage is done to the body. Your body becomes used to the alcohol and over time, you need more for a consistent effect, causing a downward spiral.

Brain Damage

• While continuously drinking alcohol can impair your brain function as you drink, this type of habitual drinking has long-term effects that exist long after any drinking has stopped. The alcohol damages the nerve connections within the brain. Once these nerve connections are damaged, they cannot be repaired. This reduces your brain functioning capabilities. Some of the noticeable effects on your brain include memory loss and changes to your personality. Brain cells can also become damaged and die. Once a brain cell dies, it is not replaced.

Pregnancy Effects

• Doctors often warn pregnant women against drinking while pregnant. A woman's metabolism slows down while pregnant to allow her body to nourish the baby by absorbing extra nutrients from the food she eats. This means that her system absorbs more of the alcohol and thus passes more to the baby. Because of the baby's small size, his body cannot process the alcohol as well, and can feel the effects of alcohol at a much lower dose. Alcohol use -- especially constant use -- during pregnancy can result in dangerous birth defects in the baby, as well as alcohol dependence.

Cancer Risks

• Many people associate the risks of certain cancers, such as oral, throat and esophageal cancers, to habits like smoking; however, continuous alcohol use can also increase the risks of these types of cancers, especially when combined with smoking. Just like alcohol negatively impacts your cognitive function, it also affects the function of your immune system. Extreme use of alcohol compromises your immune system over time and increases your risk of developing diseases like cancer that your immune system may normally be able to fight.

Digestive Problems

• Alcohol is mainly absorbed through your liver. If you drink alcohol continuously, you greatly increase the amount of work that your liver must do to keep your body free of toxins. This puts you at a higher risk for digestive system problems, such as liver cancer, cirrhosis and hepatitis. Alcohol can also put a strain on the lining of your stomach and upper intestines, which can result in developing ulcers, which are painful, and can cause you many problems with eating.

Heart Problems

• People who consume a lot of alcohol are at an increased risk of developing heart problems. Continuous alcohol consumption increases your risk for developing high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, stroke and cardiomyopathy, which is a weakening and enlarging of the heart. These diseases put your life at risk. In addition, alcohol has a negative impact on the levels of bad cholesterol in your blood. For women, these effects can happen at lesser levels of alcohol consumption due to metabolism differences between genders.