Posted by Elizabeth on June 7, 2002, at 1:17:18
In reply to alcoholism may be safer than getting a tattoo, posted by 3 Beer Effect on June 4, 2002, at 1:14:07
Umm...does anyone have any stats on the risk of infection (HIV infection in particular) from tatoo needles? AIDS is *much* more horrific than hepatitis C, and (IMO) more reasonable to compare to the risks of chronic alcohol abuse. Hep C is relatively treatable; it's really not as scary as you make it out to be. (Not to say it shouldn't be taken seriously.)
So about that alcohol...there really are a lot of serious risks associated with excessive drinking, including some that can be irreversible. A couple of potential dangers of alcoholism that nobody has mentioned here:
Alcohol greatly potentiates other CNS depressants. There are quite a few drugs that are seldom lethal in overdose by themselves but can be lethal if combined with alcohol. Alcohol by itself can be lethal in overdose too.
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, caused by thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. The vitamin deficiency results not only from poor diet, but also from decreased absorption due to GI inflammation; storage and utilization may also be impaired. Typically, though not always, the thiamine deficiency syndrome has two stages: Wernicke's encephalopathy followed by Korsakoff's syndrome. The main symptoms of Wernicke's encephalopathy are: visual symptoms (double vision, abnormal eye movements, etc.); incoordination and unstable gait; abnormal reflexes; and cognitive symptoms (drowsiness, confusion, disorientation). There is often damage to central and peripheral nerves. WE can be fatal if untreated. Korsakoff's syndrome sometimes presents by itself, with no preceding episode of Wernicke's. The risk of KS is increased, however, if WE goes untreated or is treated late. The symptoms are: memory loss; inability (or greatly diminished ability) to learn new information; and confabulation. Some symptoms, particularly the memory problems, may be permanent, *even with treatment*; however, treatment and appropriate lifestyle changes do seem, at least, to prevent or slow further damage. Most people with KS do *not* recover fully, though.
Alcoholic dementia is a more generalized form of chronic cognitive functioning than KS. Symptoms include globally impaired intellectual functioning, memory, abstract thought, and judgement, and sometimes personality changes.
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can include cardiovascular lability which often results in heart attack or stroke. There's also a risk of seizures, which can be fatal as well. Alcohol withdrawal psychosis, or delirium tremens, typically includes hallucinations (especially visual hallucinations), confusion, disorientation, etc.
Inflammation can increase the risk of infections. The immune system is also often compromised. The linings of the stomach and intestines may be damaged, which impairs the active absorption of many nutrients (notably thiamine; see above).
Alcoholics are also more likely to develop a number of types of cancer, especially in the digestive system, than nonalcoholics. Deficiencies in antioxidants and formation of free radicals in alcohol metabolism may contribute.
There's also the "fetal alcohol syndrome" -- alcohol is a teratogen and can cause birth defects, notably mental retardation.
Even if a drunk person doesn't drive (or set his/her house on fire while smoking), impaired coordination and judgment when drunk can lead to other types of accidents (falling, bumping into things, being hit by a car while crossing the street).
Many people become more aggressive when they are drunk, which (combined with impaired judgment) can lead to violence (fights, abuse of child/spouse, etc.).
Alcohol use also can be potentially dangerous for people who already have impaired liver functioning, such as those with...hepatitis! (You also shouldn't drink if you're taking certain drugs that can elevate liver enzymes.)
3beers: Klonopin isn't working so well? Have you considered the possibility that your dose is too low? You also might try a different benzo; sometimes people do find that one benzo works better than another (for no particular reason that anybody knows). Also, remember that Klonopin isn't a mood elevator (to use a dated expression), but that's a separate issue from whether it helps with anxiety. Benzos really are highly effective substitutes for alcohol, and they're much less toxic. I hope you'll try to find a way to treat your social anxiety without resorting to booze; as you see, liver damage and depression are only two of the numerous potential health hazards of alcohol abuse.
Alcohol is a pretty good organic solvent, but as a drug, it's just plain dirty (and not in a good way). There's a reason it's called inTOXICation.
* In memoriam Scott Krueger (1979-1997) *
poster:Elizabeth
thread:106819
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020602/msgs/109024.html