As a young adult, envisioning alcoholism effects on varying ages is no easy task. But if you continue on this path, what might life be like at 25, 40, 60? Find out the bitter truth about alcoholism. If you know that you need alcohol addiction treatment, don’t wait. Red Oak Recovery can help you overcome your addiction.
Infants and Children
Did you grow up in a home with alcoholism? An estimated 6.6 million children do. Nearly half of these children will grow up to abuse alcohol themselves.
Additionally, mothers who abuse alcohol or drugs while pregnant may have a child with physical and/or mental challenges.
A household defined by alcoholism puts children in environments like these:
- Little structure
- Unpredictable parenting
- Conflict
- Financial hardship
- No help with schoolwork
- Food insecurity
- Abuse
This strife creates trauma that you, or your child, may carry for the rest of your life.
Tweens and Teens
Even small amounts of alcohol physically alter the brains of teens and tweens at a critical time when the brain is still growing. Alcohol abuse may lead to both short-term and long term brain damage.
As a result, you may experience:
- Poor judgment
- Trouble learning
- Risky behavior
- Mood swings
- First signs of mental illness
Teens who start drinking before 15 are five times more likely to develop alcoholism in adulthood.
Young Adults
Young adults can expect to experience many of the items in the above list as well. The human brain continues to grow until around 25. And even after that, the brain is continuously learning new things and making new connections.
You may also notice that you feel awkward in social situations when you don’t drink. Unfortunately, because of your drinking, you missed out on crucial social skill development in your teens due to the effects of alcohol at varying ages.
Middle Age
Even in early middle age (ages 30-40’s), you can already expect to “feel” and “look” much older than you are. You may struggle to remember things and have at least one chronic health condition.
You’re probably also developing mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, and mood disorders. You had a lot of dreams and goals in your 20’s. But as alcoholism’s effects on varying ages continue, you find you’re struggling financially. Your career never really took off. And you may be living in a turbulent family situation or be homeless.
Senior
As you age, all of this gets worse. You don’t know which is going to give out first–the heart, the lungs, the liver. Everything is breaking down, and you feel tired all the time. Dementia is setting in.
But you may not even make it to your golden years since the average alcoholism slashes 20 to 30 healthy years off your life.
How to Avoid Alcoholism Effects on Varying Ages
Alcoholism wreaks havoc on a person’s life. If it hasn’t begun taking its toll on your health, it will begin to soon. However, you can turn this ship around. The compassionate team at Red Oak Recovery is here to support your recovery efforts and learn the skills you need to heal and live at your best without alcohol. Our holistic approach combines wilderness therapy with evidence-based methods like:
- Individual, group, and family therapy
- Experiential therapy
- Equine therapy
- Exercise therapy
You don’t have to wait to see what life looks like in five, 10, or 20 years if the effects of alcoholism on varying ages continue. It’s time to get on the path to recovery. At Red Oak Recovery, we’re committed to your long term sobriety. Together, we can help you consider the alcoholism effects on varying ages. To learn more, contact Red Oak Recovery today at 828.382.9699.
