Effects of Alcoholsim: Today Was A Huge Wake Up Call And Really Scary
As many of you know I have been posting about my struggle with alcoholism. Today I just wanted to share two effects I know for sure alcohol has on my body. One effect which I just realized today.
I'm not a very tall person and have always been height weight proportionate. The most I've ever weighed is 160 pounds and that's been years ago when I was weight lifting. A few days ago I was around a friend who I've known for years and he commented about me "losing weight". I have noticed my pants fitting a little looser, but I honestly thought my pants were getting worn out in the waist. I usually work in the yard or on people's cars so I wear around the same 3 pairs of old jeans(that is until my wife throws them away because they are too shabby!) and wear my nice ones when we leave the house.
So, today I put on a pair of nice jeans and noticed they fit loosely. I knew the waist was not wore out in these specific jeans because it's my newest pair of Levis. My friend's comment crossed my mind and I thought "well maybe I should weigh myself".
The 120 pound reading left me shocked. I usually walk around at 140 pounds. The last time I weighed myself was approximately 2 months ago. A 20 pound weight loss without trying in 2 months?! I had no idea. It has truly rocked my world. I keep thinking of a a person's Mother we knew when I was younger. The person was on a traveling softball team with my cousin and we knew them for years. The Mother was a severe alcoholic and super skinny. One day the mother woke up and she could not stand.
Alcoholics have a huge decrease in appetite. Sure, their body is getting calories from the beer but it is mostly empty calories. However, the high calorie content of alcohol can put your body into a catabolic state. Additionally, the decrease in blood flow due to excessive alcoholism weakens muscle and can lead to muscle failure aka muscle atrophy.
The mother had drank for so long her body literally did not have the muscles to support her standing anymore. She was in a wheelchair from that point on. So yeah...my weight loss reminded me of her and I got to say it has scared me shitless. I have been walking around with a huge pit in my stomach all day.
Additionally, I would like to speak about the eyes. It's probably the first thing I noticed about my body when I began pondering how far I have let my alcoholism take hold of my life.
If you notice, my eyes have a different color brown circle around my brown iris. Guess what that is a sign of?...Fatty Liver. Essentially, the liver cannot metabolize the fats you ingest and it begins to accumulate in the liver. One of the symptoms?.. Rapid Weight Loss
Well let's just say today has been scary as F**k after realizing my weight loss.
I've always been taught by my step-mother that moderation is key. However, when it came to alcohol she would always tell me "Don't ever ever drink Son" as she knew our family was filled with alcoholics. I've read many studies that indicate it's not necessarily genetic but your genes with a combination of other factors can make you more susceptible to alcoholism. That is a debate for another day.
The point I wanted to make to anyone out there reading this post; especially our younger generation. I didn't really start drinking heavily until I was in the Iraq War. I turned 21 in Iraq. Sure, I had drank before then but I probably couldn't even use all my ten fingers to count the times. Essentially, I have done this to my body in 14 years. I even have 2 years of sobriety within them 14 years. So that brings it to 12 years of hardcore drinking to do this to my body.
If you are going to drink please do it in moderation.
Thank you for reading my post. I blog a little about everything. If you are so inclined please Like and Follow!
All Pictures by @lexikon082
What raw honesty. I was a drunk for about a decade. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Weekend, weekday, at work, while driving, whenever. Praise God He helped me leave that behind.
I hope your day of true freedom comes, but still excellent advice for others.
Trust me I think that day is coming a lot sooner than later. It's a battle I have been losing for years. Blogging on Steemit has really helped me work through many feelings and battles I go through. Not only with alcoholism but PTSD also.
I believe it. Also, in whatever ways I can be, I'm here for you. Feel free to reach out if you ever need to. Papa cares.
You have to start weaning off yourself slowly but steadily. Quitting cold turkey will be hard, but planning to do it over the course of a period of time is much easier. As you do it, you will probably feel you will need less and you will lower your tolerance level, which gives you the same effects with much less for your liver to process.
Start writing down how much you're doing, and keep a chart or journal so you can watch your progress.
That's my opinion of a possible solution. I could be wrong, but coming up with a plan where you can watch your progress should get you started.
Thanks for your advice.
By the way, the benefit you'll quickly see, is you'll find yourself being happy and impressed you are lowering your consumption, even if it just starts with 1 drink less the first day, to several hours without one a week or two later. To the point, eventually you didn't drink all week until Saturday... progress will make you feel you beat it and broke the chain and cycle of what happened to your mother. You can do this...
This is such a great post, and as one of your tags says, it is real. Thank you for laying it all out for us to read and connect with you.
It really touches my heart to know people appreciate me putting it out there. I really hope through my experiences I can touch at least one life for the better. I have so many topics to write on from personal experience...this struggle, war and the effects it has, child abuse, my 13 year college journey....Yeah it's been an interesting life. There has to be a purpose though.
People who are genuine are a rare commodity today. The culture loves to portray a Ken and Barbie look for us all to aspire to, and yet we all know how broken we become as we engage with life. You are being courageous and showing us all how to live with scars. In the meantime, you are teaching us how to share our own.
P.S. That life quote at the end made me laugh. :0
This post has been ranked within the top 50 most undervalued posts in the first half of Apr 18. We estimate that this post is undervalued by $1.33 as compared to a scenario in which every voter had an equal say.
See the full rankings and details in The Daily Tribune: Apr 18 - Part I. You can also read about some of our methodology, data analysis and technical details in our initial post.
If you are the author and would prefer not to receive these comments, simply reply "Stop" to this comment.