Without treatment, end-stage alcoholics are likely to suffer from a combination of symptoms including internal bleeding, spikes in their body temperature, swelling of the legs (edema), and jaundice (yellowing of the skin). Men often experience erectile dysfunction and testicular atrophy, while women can have painful swelling in one or both breasts. Death is usually caused by a combination of internal bleeding and a buildup of toxins within the body and can include seizures and/or cardiac arrest. Alcohol is the ingredient found in beer, wine, and spirits that causes people to get drunk if certain amounts are consumed. It is a toxin that in excess can cause serious damage to a person’s physical health, especially with prolonged abuse.
Is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome the same as Wet Brain?
The average lifespan of an alcoholic tends to be shorter than that of the general public because heavy drinking on a regular and long-term basis can increase the risk of developing several life-threatening diseases and conditions. “In order to improve American life expectancy, the U.S. needs to address the conditions that put our young- and middle-aged adults at high risk of death,” she said. “These include policies that would improve access to treatment for drug addiction and overdose, reduce road traffic fatalities and invest in public transportation, decrease gun deaths, and reduce cardiovascular disease.”
Staying Healthy
Alcohol recovery programs are essential for those who can’t quit, including faith-based 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or science-based programs like SMART Recovery. Research suggests that the five-year survival rate in the United States is 73%—meaning that 73 out of 100 people will live for at least five years. Recovery from AUD is marked by stages of abstinence, life expectancy alcoholic withdrawal, repair, and growth. While the process may take several years, the outcome is a happier, healthier life where you have the freedom to fulfill your full potential. During the recovery stage, it’s not uncommon to feel temporarily worse. For some people, AUD has hurt their relationships, careers, health, finances, self-esteem, and other aspects of their lives.
What Stages Aren’t Reversible?
- These studies provide valuable insights into the relationship between alcoholism and life expectancy, shedding light on regional and demographic variations, as well as the long-term effects of alcoholism.
- These stages can help prevent relapse and support people to live healthier, fuller lives.
- The impact alcohol has on the reproductive system extends beyond these temporary effects.
- It’s not often talked about, but left untreated, alcohol use disorder can be a fatal disease.
- If you know someone who drinks regularly and has these symptoms, have them reach out to a treatment provider to discuss their treatment options.
Risk predictors were subjected to Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to identify significant predictors in multivariate models and life expectancy analysis. Nearly one out of 4 males (23%) was a modest drinker, who gained 0.94 year (95% CI 0.65–1.23 year) in life over non-drinker and had 8% reduction in adjusted all-cause mortality (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.86–0.97). In contrast, regular drinkers had 43% increase in overall mortality (HR 1.43, CI 1.35–1.52) and shortened life by 6.9 years (95% CI 6.6–7.1 years).
Understanding Alcoholism as a Chronic Disease
Those who regularly drink more than the recommended daily limits of alcohol should not stop drinking without medical support. Individuals should seek help from a medical professional to safely manage alcohol withdrawal. Once the alcoholic liver disease progresses, its symptoms become easier to recognize. There are normally no symptoms, and alcoholic fatty liver disease is often reversible if the individual abstains from alcohol from this point onward.
Graduate School of Addiction Studies
Tolerance develops when the same amount of alcohol no longer produces the same effects. Cirrhosis of the liver occurs when healthy liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue. This happens when the liver is inflamed and swollen for long periods of time.
