“Never let the things you cannot do prevent you from doing the things you can.” — John Wooden
I kept my head buried when I was drinking - knowing I was doing harm to my body, but not wanting to know exactly what would happen. Luckily I got help -- first detox, then rehab and now the 12 Step recovery program.
I've lost friends from this disease. Alcoholism and addiction lead to three things: prison, psychiatric wards ... or death.
From the National Library of Medicine - "...alcohol consumption significantly contributes to the burden of chronic diseases and conditions globally, and that this burden should be a target for intervention."
Chronic Diseases and Conditions Related to Alcohol Use listed in the 2005 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study:
Malignant neoplasms
Mouth cancer
Nasopharynx cancer and other pharynx cancers
Esophagus cancer
Stomach cancer
Colon and rectum cancers
Liver cancer
Larynx cancer
Trachea, bronchus, and lung cancers
Breast cancer (women only)
Ovarian cancer
Prostate cancer
Kidney and other urinary organ cancers
Hodgkins lymphoma
Non-Hodgkins lymphoma
Diabetes
Mental and behavioral disorders
Unipolar depressive disorders
Neurological conditions
Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias
Ep.ilepsy
To sum it up -
Heavy alcohol use is linked to many forms of cancers.
Alcohol can kill liver cells, and lead to scarring called cirrhosis.
Alcohol abusers may have a higher chance of dying from heart disease.
Heavy drinking can cause mental health issues like dementia and depression.
So, drinking alcohol is not "good for your health" as we often hear advertised. Makes me wonder who's behind the campaign. Just guessing -- could it be the alcohol industry?
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