How Alcohol Affects the Liver
It should come as no surprise that alcohol can have a devastating impact on nearly every aspect of your life. There are countless psychological impacts associated with alcoholism and there are endless physical consequences that alcohol addiction can have on your life. One of the important organs of your body that can sustain a tremendous amount of damage as a result of alcoholism is your liver. Even if you aren’t considered an alcoholic, it’s possible that increased alcohol consumption could jeopardize how efficiently your liver functions.
The liver is a critical organ in your body that breaks down and filters harmful substances that may be in your blood. There are also certain hormones, enzymes, and proteins that the liver produces on a daily basis that can help to keep you protected from different illnesses and infections. In short, your liver works to keep your body healthy and can have an impact on how well other parts of your bodywork.
When your liver is not working at top capacity, you put yourself in a position of falling prey to several illnesses or experiencing issues with other parts of your body. If your liver is on overload as a result of your alcohol addiction, it’s possible that your body may not be able to process the influx of this toxic substance (i.e alcohol) and you could develop alcohol poisoning. What many people don’t realize is that alcohol poisoning could actually kill you. In fact, approximately six people pass away each day from alcohol poisoning. Unfortunately, every day there are more and more people that suffer from cirrhosis of the liver which is a fundamental breakdown of the liver.
Short Term Impact of Alcohol on the Liver
The liver is an incredible part of your body. In fact, on average it can easily process approximately 90% of the alcohol that you consume. The remaining 10% that is not processed is what gives you the feeling of intoxication that you experience as you drink. The problem arises when you either start binge drinking or you are drinking so much on a daily basis that your liver simply cannot keep up with the strain that you’re putting on it.
The “healthy” amount of alcohol that a person should or could drink is something that is widely debated. In fact, there are some health experts that hold to the premise that drinking even two to three alcoholic beverages per day is something that could have an adverse effect on your liver. To avoid any damage to your liver, the best thing that you can do is avoid drinking altogether.
Long Term Effects of Alcohol Abuse on the Liver
Did you know that a person suffering from chronic alcoholism is 20% more likely to develop a disorder that has an impact on their liver? Alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver are two examples of diseases that alcoholics are susceptible to. Both of these diseases could be potentially fatal. Some of the examples of symptoms that are associated with liver disease include:
- Abdominal pain
- Itchy skin
- Swelling around your ankles or legs
- Dark urine
- Continuous nausea
- Chronic fatigue
- Abnormal colored stool
- Loss of appetite
- Overall weakness
- Fever
- Disorientation
Can Liver Heal from Alcohol Abuse?
As long as you take steps to overcome your alcohol addiction, there is a possibility that your liver could potentially heal from alcohol abuse. It’s important to note, however, that if your liver disease is too far progressed, it is something that will be fatal which is why it’s imperative that you make the decision to quit drinking sooner rather than later.
It’s important to remember that chronic alcohol use ultimately leads to scarring in the liver. However, since the liver is a regenerative organ, there is always the possibility that the liver could heal itself over time as long as no additional stress is placed on it. This means that the only way to completely heal your liver is to stop drinking.
How Long to Quit Drinking to Heal the Liver
One of the questions that a person who is beginning their recovery journey typically has is how quickly will their liver start to heal after quitting drinking. There are several factors that make an impact on this answer such as:
- The amount of alcohol that you drink each week
- Whether or not you have already been diagnosed with alcohol-related liver disease and the extent of that disease
- Your lifestyle choices outside of your addiction
- Genetics
Your liver can start working toward healthy regeneration within just a few days from the time that you quit drinking. Once again, this regeneration is dependent on the severity of your alcohol addiction and the impact that it has had on your body. If you are a severe alcoholic, it’s possible that it could take anywhere between three months to a year for your liver to truly heal from this disease.
Alcohol Addiction Treatment at Pacific Manor Recovery
At Pacific Manor Recovery, you can take comfort in the fact that the addiction experts at our treatment center go above and beyond to ensure that you have the tools and resources that you need to work through this potentially deadly disease. Our treatment center offers a variety of personalized treatment plans that will help you to meet the goals that you have for yourself and your recovery. Here is a brief overview of what we have to offer:
Detox program
For many that suffer from the disease of alcoholism, their first step in their treatment journey will be to participate in detox. Detox is an example of a program that will help you to remove the influence of alcohol from your mind and body in a healthy way. Within just a couple of hours from the time that you take your last drink, your body will begin to crave more alcohol. When you don’t fulfill that craving, your body will begin to go into somewhat of a tailspin and you will start to experience withdrawal symptoms. Although these withdrawal symptoms may start off as mild, they will quickly pick up in intensity which is something that could make it impossible for you to properly take care of yourself.
Inpatient treatment program
There are many people that need to go through the recovery process in a safe and protected environment that is away from their everyday surroundings. The reason behind this is that they may have people in their life that may be suffering from their own addiction or may not understand that addiction is a disease that requires professional intervention. An inpatient treatment program gives you the chance to focus exclusively on yourself and your own well-being for a period of time. During inpatient treatment, you will live at our treatment facility and be provided with a home-away home type of environment. You will take part in different forms of therapy throughout your day and still have plenty of time to enjoy the amenities that we offer at our facility.
Outpatient rehab
Some people simply don’t feel comfortable committing to an inpatient treatment program for one reason or another. Many view an inpatient program as being too restrictive and mistakenly believe that that is the only treatment option for alcoholism. As a result, they do not receive the help that they need to overcome this addiction. However, if you fall into this category, it’s strongly recommended that you commit to an outpatient program. An outpatient program provides you with more flexibility in your recovery journey. For instance, if you have a job or you’re going to school, you may find it easier to manage an outpatient program since this treatment option is much more flexible.
Regardless of the treatment program that you commit to, you will need to actively participate in different forms of treatment that will help you to develop a better understanding of the root cause of your addiction. Examples of therapy that you will experience during your time in treatment include individual counseling, group therapy, trauma-based therapy, behavioral therapy, and family therapy. While it’s true that you may feel uncomfortable or awkward as you begin to share, you will likely notice that there are other people that may have had similar experiences and that you make connections with. This is an important step in developing your system of support which is something that can be an invaluable tool for you during the recovery process.
When you’re ready to make a healthy change in your life or if you would like to learn more about how long it takes for your liver to recover from alcohol abuse, the Pacific Manor team is here and ready to help you. A member of our intake team is available around the clock to help to get you started on your recovery journey. For more information, please get in touch with us today at (888) 300-4370.
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