What Happens If You Drink Every Day?

Drinking is a very normalized part of our culture, to the point where many people have an addiction disorder without even knowing it. Daily drinking can fall under this umbrella. Having a glass or two occasionally may be fine, but if you find yourself reaching for a drink every day, there may be a problem.

Read on to understand the specifics of what daily drinking can entail, and see if you or a loved one may have an alcohol addiction.

How Much Alcohol Is Too Much?

Heavy drinking as defined by the CDC is having 8 drinks a week for women, and 15 drinks a week for men. No matter your gender, having a drink or two every day can add up quickly.

Cravings, Tolerance, and Loss of Control

Do you find yourself thinking about your next drink all the time? This could be because of alcohol cravings. Cravings are a common sign of addiction, as your body gets so used to alcohol being in your system that it can’t function without it.

As your body becomes used to consuming alcohol every day, a tolerance can be formed. This means more alcohol is needed each time you drink to produce the effects you might be looking for.

Additionally, a loss of control over your ability to limit alcohol consumption can indicate an issue. Do you feel out of control when you drink? Once you start drinking, do you have problems stopping yourself? Have you tried to quit drinking, but can’t? These can all be signs of a disorder.

Physical Health Problems

In the short term, alcohol’s effect on dexterity and motor control makes injuries much more common. In the long term, there can be many negative health outcomes if you drink every day. This often includes liver problems and certain types of cancers.

Daily drinking can even affect your immune system, making it more likely for you to become ill. The way you look can also be changed — skin problems, hair loss, and weight gain are all very common with chronic alcohol use.

Mental Health Problems

Alcohol has a strong effect on the mind. With daily use, alcohol abuse disorder can lead to other mental health disorders, like anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and many more. When this happens, these are called comorbid disorders (disorders that occur simultaneously with another).

Drinking daily can cause other mental problems, such as:

• memory issues
• trouble concentrating
• slowed thinking
• delayed reactions

Memory care is essential as it affects our day-to-day life. Impaired memory can lead to more complex mental issues as you age, resulting in a loss of independence in daily activities and work. If this happens, you will need a supportive community to help you cope and manage everyday tasks and activities. Additionally, if you are experiencing severe issues, you could also seek help from professionals with experience providing mental health care, especially to elderly populations.

Withdrawal Symptoms

If a person is drinking every day and has become addicted, they may encounter uncomfortable effects if they stop drinking. This is called withdrawal, and it can have many physical and mental implications.

Physical signs of alcohol withdrawal:

• sweating, paleness
• headache
• loss of appetite and nausea
• insomnia
• tremors

Mental signs of alcohol withdrawal:

• anxiety and irritability
• depression
• fatigue, unclear thoughts
• mood swings
• nightmares

This process is also called detoxification. It is always much safer and easier to have medical supervision when going through detox. This one of many reasons people go to addiction rehab centers.

What To Do About Daily Drinking

If you or a loved one is drinking every day, it’s understandable to be worried. But there is still hope. Treatment is available for alcohol addiction, and it works — about a third of people in treatment for alcohol abuse have no further signs a year later. Many of the other two-thirds of people with addiction substantially reduce their drinking after going to treatment.

Drinking every day doesn’t have to be your reality. You have options, and people who care about you, even if you don’t know it. Reach out and find the support you need today.

 

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