Health Effects

Summary Alcohol impairs self-control, increases impulsivity, and can escalate conflicts—raising the risk of violent behavior in certain individuals. 30–40% of men and 27–34% of women involved in domestic violence incidents were drinking at the time; heavy drinkers are over 3.4× more likely to commit intimate partner violence. Risk factors include mental health issues, personality disorders, … Read more

Summary Late-stage alcoholism involves severe physical dependence, dangerous withdrawal symptoms, and lasting damage to multiple organ systems, including the liver, brain, and heart. Common complications include alcohol withdrawal delirium, Wernicke encephalopathy, peripheral neuropathy, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, and a heightened risk for stroke, cancer, and infection. People in this stage often require inpatient medical detox, followed by … Read more

Summary Wet brain (Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome) is caused by long-term thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. This most often stems from chronic alcohol abuse and leads to serious cognitive and physical damage. It begins with Wernicke’s encephalopathy (confusion, poor coordination, eye movement issues), which can be reversed if treated early—but may progress to Korsakoff syndrome (severe memory loss, … Read more