Due to the results of certain studies, it has been postulated that an adult who drinks 1-2 alcoholic beverages per day may live longer than someone who does not drink at all. But we all know alcohol is in no way a safe drug, and alcohol can cause a variety of health problems. These health problems, to name a few, include pancreatitis, cognitive problems, and various afflictions of the liver. So when does having a good time get taken overboard? And just how many drinks are too many? The fact is that although alcohol remains legal, it is comparable in addictive qualities to illegal substances such as heroin and methamphetamines.



The disease alcoholism is a progressive disease in which a person feels compelled to drink in order to lead what they consider a regular life. As a person continues to be an alcoholic, their health will continually diminish until they become sober. As you know, one must first drink alcohol to be an alcoholic, but most people who decide to drink are not binge drinkers.

Alcoholics may be excessive drinkers, or they may choose to drink at entirely inappropriate times and places such as before church or while driving. People who drink in these situations can be considered mild alcoholics by refusing to stay sober when sobriety is called for.

At first, problems stemming from alcohol related crimes may cause a person to end up in court because of alcohol related offenses such as public intoxication or driving drunk. They may end up disappointing their family and friends because they show up to events while inebriated or act foolish while drunk around them. If these sorts of things occur and the person continues to drink, then that person is an alcoholic.

As an alcoholic's tolerance builds, it becomes necessary for them to drink more and more to keep their buzz, and physical dependency on alcohol sets in. In order to feel "healthy" an alcoholic must continue to drink, or they will enter into withdrawal, which is certainly no picnic.

Alcohol actually builds tolerance very quickly, and once a person finds themselves having to drink dangerous amounts in order to become drunk enough to satisfy themselves, then they have become chemically dependent on alcohol. Once this physical dependence is developed, it will prove very difficult to quit drinking without help.

After a chemically dependent alcoholic stops drinking, the onset of withdrawal can take place immediately. Within hours a heavy drinker will begin to feel nauseous, anxious, and develop headaches. As uncomfortable as this may be for the person enduring it, the worst may be yet to come.

After anywhere from six to twenty-four hours without alcohol, an alcoholic may go into delirium tremens. Delirium tremens can include hallucinations, unstoppable shaking of the limbs, and extreme confusion and discomfort. There is no cure or way to stop a DT other than to tough it out. Potentially deadly seizures, strokes, and heart attacks can take place at this point. With the help of a licensed professional, a physically dependent alcoholic may become sober, but without help an alcoholic will find it extremely difficult to quit without some sort of help.