The long term health consequences of alcohol addiction

Last Updated:

February 3rd, 2025

While alcohol is generally seen as a harmless way to relax or celebrate, it is described by the World Health Organisation as a “toxic, psychoactive and dependence-producing substance”. For those who become addicted to alcohol, the long-term health consequences can be devastating. Understanding the impact of excessive drinking on your health is key to making informed decisions and seeking help if needed. From the physical harm to the mental impacts, here is the real cost of alcohol addiction.

The physical consequences of alcohol addiction

The physical harm caused by alcohol addiction is impossible to measure fully. However, to give a little context, in 2022 alone, 10,048 people in the UK died as a result of alcohol-specific illnesses. Some of the most serious physical consequences of alcohol addiction include:

Liver damage

Drinking a lot of alcohol puts a huge strain on your liver, the part of your body that helps get rid of toxins. This damage might not show up right away but it can get worse if you keep drinking due to alcohol addiction. Some of the most serious impacts include:

Alcohol hepatitis

Alcoholic hepatitis happens when your liver becomes inflamed from drinking too much. It can cause pain in your upper belly, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice) and extreme tiredness. If untreated, it can lead to even more serious liver damage.

Fibrosis

Fibrosis is when your liver starts to scar from all the damage caused by alcohol. The more scars there are, the harder it is for your liver to work properly which can have serious risks, including cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is the most severe stage of liver damage, where so much scarring has occurred that the liver can no longer do its job. This can cause major problems, including fluid buildup in your body, infections and even liver failure. At this point, the damage is permanent, making it vital to get help before things get to this stage.

Cardiovascular damage

Alcohol addiction can also have a big impact on your heart and blood vessels. Drinking too much alcohol can make your blood pressure go up which forces your heart to work harder than it should and puts extra strain on your arteries. Over time, this increases your risk of various dangerous conditions, including:

Strokes and heart attacks

Alcohol-induced strokes can come as a result of high blood pressure, clots that block blood flow to the brain (ischemic stroke) or burst blood vessels in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). All of these strokes can be incredibly dangerous, leave lasting damage and even kill you. Alcohol can also raise levels of harmful cholesterol in your blood, which increases the risk of blockages in your arteries. When this happens, even everyday activities can be incredibly strenuous and put you at risk of a heart attack.

Cardiomyopathy

Another severe consequence of alcohol addiction on the heart is a condition called cardiomyopathy. This is when heavy drinking weakens the heart muscle so much that it changes shape and stops working as it should. Cardiomyopathy can lead to irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias), blood clots and even sudden death if left untreated.

Alcohol-related cancers

What many people perhaps don’t realise is that alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen. To put that into perspective, that is the same group as nicotine. This classification was made decades ago by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as alcohol addiction is linked to a higher risk of various cancers, including:

Mouth and throat cancer

Drinking alcohol can damage the delicate tissues inside your mouth and throat, making them more vulnerable to cancer. Combined with smoking (which is higher among those with alcohol addiction), the risk skyrockets as the two substances work together to harm cells and interfere with their ability to repair themselves.

Oesophageal cancer

The oesophagus, which carries food and liquids from your mouth to your stomach, is particularly sensitive to the effects of alcohol. Chronic drinking irritates the lining, and over time, this damage can lead to cancer. Some people are also genetically more at risk because their bodies struggle to process alcohol effectively leaving it unchecked as it causes harm.

Liver cancer

Your liver is an incredible organ that works overtime to filter toxins, including alcohol, from your blood. As explained above, prolonged drinking due to alcohol addiction can cause scarring (cirrhosis) and inflammation (hepatitis), both of which increase the risk of liver cancer.

Breast cancer

Alcohol affects hormone levels, particularly estrogen, which can drive the development of certain types of breast cancer. While even small amounts of alcohol can raise the risk of breast cancer in some women, the risk greatly increases with the amount of alcohol consumed.

The mental health consequences of alcohol addiction

Drinking alcohol might seem like it makes you feel better when you’re sad or stressed, particularly if you are dealing with depression, anxiety, or trauma. You might feel happy or calm for a little while, but this doesn’t last.

Instead, drinking to mask emotional pain or cope with mental health issues often leaves you in a worse place than before. In the most serious cases, it can lead to suicidal thoughts or self-harm.

Another major risk is if you are on medication for a mental health condition and are drinking heavily. For example, mixing alcohol with For example, mixing alcohol with antidepressants or anxiety pills can be really risky. It can make the medicine work poorly or worse and can cause dangerous side effects, including an escalation of symptoms and an increased risk of overdose.

The personal consequences of alcohol addiction

Alcohol addiction can also cause a great deal of harm to the physical, mental and emotional health of loved ones. Trust often crumbles, conversations become arguments, and the home can feel like a battleground instead of a sanctuary. For some, the effects go beyond arguments as studies show that alcohol is a factor in half of all domestic violence cases and 40% of violent crimes overall.

Living with a parent who drinks too much can be particularly tough for children who have to walk on eggshells, not knowing what mood their parents will be in minute to minute. In England, over 200,000 children live with a parent who is addicted to alcohol and two and a half million more deal with dangerous drinking at home. This can be a very scary and traumatic experience, causing issues later in life and often leading to addiction problems being passed down.

Seeking the right help for alcohol addiction

At UKAT, beating alcohol addiction starts with a plan that’s all about making you feel supported and confident. From the very first day, our team is here to ensure you get the best start on your journey to recovery.

First up, is detox. This part is super important because it helps your body get rid of the alcohol safely. If you have quit before, you may have already experienced alcohol withdrawal symptoms but our doctors will keep an eye on you 24/7 to make sure you’re safe as your body adjusts.

After detox, you will join our rehab programme, where we help you understand why you started drinking too much and teach you ways to handle life without needing a drink. It’s like learning new superpowers that help you deal with stress, make smarter choices and build a happier life.

Once you’re done with rehab, our job isn’t over, and we have an aftercare programme to keep you feeling strong and connected. You will join weekly group therapy sessions and become part of our alumni community. This way, you always have friends and experts to talk to, helping you stay on the right path.

Need help for alcohol addiction?

If you are worried you’re drinking too much, getting help is easier than you might think. Whether you need help right now or you’re just curious about what we offer, UKAT is here to chat. Contact us today, and we can give you advice and reassurance and even get you started with treatment.

(Click here to see works cited)

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NHS. “The risks of drinking too much.” NHS, https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/the-risks-of-drinking-too-much/. Accessed 6 January 2025.
Office for National Statistics. “Alcohol-specific deaths in the UK: registered in 2022.” Office for National Statistics, 22 April 2024, https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/causesofdeath/bulletins/alcoholrelateddeathsintheunitedkingdom/registeredin2022. Accessed 6 January 2025.
UK Rehab. “Alcohol Addiction | Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis.” UK Rehab, https://www.uk-rehab.com/alcohol-addiction/. Accessed 6 January 2025.
World Health Organization (WHO). “No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health.” World Health Organization (WHO), 28 December 2022, https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health. Accessed 6 January 2025.