Chronic alcohol and substance use also has profound effects on mental health. Long-term alcohol abuse can lead to severe conditions like depression, anxiety, and an increased risk of dementia, which significantly accelerate the aging process. These mental health issues can diminish cognitive function, leading to memory loss, confusion, and an overall decline in quality of life.
Alcohol And Its Effects On Aging
- It’s common knowledge that drinking too much can lead to alcoholism.
- These serious symptoms are believed to be related to alcohol being a neurotoxin, which can cause tissue damage.
- One study found that men who consumed more than 35 drinks a week were 35% more likely to display “arcus corneae” — a gray ring in the eye that often pops up in old age.
- Depriving yourself of adequate sleep can make you age faster.
- Because alcohol affects your sleep, you may also notice under-eye circles the day after drinking (10).
- People who drink may notice that they’re “feeling no pain” sooner as they get older.
While that drug addiction consequence is temporary, if it continues, it could have lasting effects. Does the effects of alcohol on the skin and aging cause wrinkles? The damaging effects of alcohol on skin and aging wreak havoc on your health and could make you look and feel older than you are. Drinking while taking prescribed medications can have undesirable and potentially dangerous effects.
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Over time, this loss of moisture can cause the skin to age prematurely, making it look rough and uneven. Instead of spending money on skin treatments to mask the devastating physical effects of alcohol, invest in your body from the inside out — the healing found in sobriety. Gateway Foundation is here to help you take back your appearance, health and life. Giving up alcohol can have a significant impact on your waistline. Gastritis can cause bloating around your midsection, caused by alcohol inflaming your stomach’s lining.
About Alcohol Addiction
Redness – Blood vessels can burst and you can also have issues with blood rising to the surface causing red blotches or patches of redness on the skin/face. Because dehydration from drinking can cause dry mouth, bad breath the day after drinking can also occur (2). At North Jersey Recovery Center, we strive to make your addiction treatment experience as comfortable as possible. For more information about alcohol treatment options and how to stop drinking, please visit the NIAAA https://ecosoberhouse.com/ website at niaaa.nih.gov. The effects of alcohol are a significant factor in making you look much older. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism also suggests keeping track of how much you’re drinking, which you can do on a piece of paper in your wallet or an app on your phone.
This is because of the damage that alcohol can do to the body’s organs as well as chemicals in the body. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that alcohol affects the aging process. Let’s also take a look at why, as you get older, drinking alcohol may affect you differently. Regular alcohol consumption can also cause hyperpigmentation, where certain areas of the skin become darker than the surrounding skin. This is often a result of alcohol-induced liver damage, which affects the body’s ability to process and eliminate toxins.
To take the first step in the right direction, contact us today. It’s a natural process called intrinsic aging, and it’s something you can’t control. Extrinsic aging is when your skin ages faster than it should because of your environment and how you live. That’s where alcohol comes in — it dehydrates you and dries out your skin. It is never too late to get the help that you need for drinking.
These two inspiring books from leading sobriety coach Simon Chapple are out today! Obviously, the smartest way alcohol makes you look older to prevent aging from alcohol consumption is by lowering daily intake. However, when a person has a preoccupation with alcohol, he or she may lose control and have the inability to stop. This person may develop a tolerance, which means that he or she must drink more and more to get the same pleasing effects.
Dehydration and visible blood vessels make your eyes red and dull. Although alcohol might make you feel more relaxed in the moment, in the long run it can increase anxiety and depression, feeding into a negative cycle. And then there are the frequent hangovers from binge drinking. Overall, the less you drink, the more energetic and youthful you will feel.
Other Ways that Alcohol Impacts Aging
- Let Little Creek Recovery Center guide you down the right path to recovery, personal growth, and long-term sobriety.
- This is why oftentimes when someone is drunk they get bloodshot eyes.
- If you’ve been wondering if drinking alcohol causes you to look older, we’ve got the answer.
- That way people with alcohol use problems can receive the help and support that they need while they continue to live their lives.
Ria’s telemedicine-based program is designed to simplify things, allowing you to access the support you need from the comfort of home. We use evidence-based methods to help you moderate or stop drinking, and our convenient smartphone app makes the whole process portable. You no longer need to disrupt your life in order to start drinking less.
Alcohol Affects Your Blood Vessels
In addition to weight loss and reduced inflammation, sobriety reduces the water retention caused by dehydration — contributing to an overall lighter physical appearance. A person struggling with alcoholism becomes unrecognizable to their loved ones, and not only in behavior. Alcohol addiction takes a toll on every aspect of your personal and professional life. It can change your personality, mental health, mannerisms and even your physical appearance.