Health Risks of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
By Buddy T, About.com Guide to Alcoholism
Excessive alcohol consumption and the abuse of drugs are just plain dangerous. Alcohol and drug abuse can affect your health and your ability function and think, and women are negatively affected even more than men. Heavy drinkers and drug abusers are not only a danger to themselves, but to others -- on the highways, at home and in the workplace.
- Health Effects of Alcohol and Drugs
- Issues for Women
- Prevention Tips
- Drunk Driving
- Substance Abuse in the Workplace
Health Effects of Alcohol and Drugs
Almost every system in the body can be negatively affected by excessive or chronic alcohol consumption. Alcohol can cause cancer, liver disease, heart attacks and brain damage, to name a few. Because many alcoholics also smoke, the health risks are further compounded.
- Alcohol's Health Effects Email Course
- AIDS and Substance Abuse
- Alcohol and Cancer Risk
- Cirrhosis - Alcohol Liver Disease
- Brain Damage and Alcohol
- Diabetes and Alcohol
- Aging and Alcohol
- Hepatitis C
- Nicotine and Alcohol
- Nutrition and Alcohol
- Sex and Alcohol
- Alcohol and Blood Pressure
Issues for Women
Simply put, alcohol affects women in more negative ways and quicker than it does men, according to a vast amount of scientific research. Even women who drink less than men get more intoxicated, become addicted faster and suffer the consequences of abuse-related illnesses sooner than their male counterparts.
- Why Women Abuse Substances
- Higher Health Risks for Women
- Other Risks for Women
- Domestic Abuse and Violence
- Drinking and the Female Brain
- Women at Greater Heart Disease Risk
- Female Hormones Mediate Alcohol's Effects
- Young Female Drinkers - You're a Target!
- Cocaine, Heroin Can 'Hijack' Mothers' Value System
- Risks During Pregnancy
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Prevention Tips
The time to prevent alcohol and drug abuse is before it starts -- and these days, that means very early childhood. It is never too early to begin talking to your children about drugs and alcohol. Research has shown that brief conversations and involvement by parents can still have a positive effect on kids, even in today's society.
- Is Your Child Using Drugs or Alcohol?
- How Will Your Child Drink?
- Tips for Reducing Underage Binge Drinking
- Early Spirituality Deters Alcohol Abuse
- Key Actions to Reduce Student Substance Abuse
- Changing the College Drinking Culture
- 'A Matter of Degree' College Interventions Successful
- College Alcohol Policies Work If Strictly Enforced
- Laws Can Reduce College Binge Drinking
- Emergency Room Ideal for Alcohol Intervention
Drunk Driving
Almost every state now has laws that require anyone convicted of drunk driving to undergo an evaluation to determine the extent of their alcohol consumption. That is because drunk driving itself is considered a symptom of a drinking problem. Many states now require some kind of alcohol treatment before allowing convicted drunk drivers back on the highways.
- Why You Should Never Drink and Drive
- The Penalties and Costs of Drunk Driving
- The Dangers of Driving While Intoxicated
- Will Your Drinking Be Evaluated?
Substance Abuse in the Workplace
Lost productivity, injuries and increased health insurance costs are some of the problems that alcohol and drug abuse cause businesses in the United States, and it's a growing problem. Research shows that most illegal drug users and heavy drinkers hold full-time jobs, and some may be your co-workers.
