While alcohol can affect different men in different ways, it’s possible to look at some of the most common effects it has on men as a group. You may be experiencing some of these results through your drinking now. You may know someone who’s experiencing a more severe version of an effect. Today, we’ll list the potential physical effects of alcohol on men and help make you aware of when help starting recovery is necessary.
What does alcohol do to men’s bodies? The question here is about binge drinking rather than occasional social drinking.
The Physical Effects of Alcohol on Men’s Bodies
SHORT-TERM PHYSICAL EFFECTS
Men face higher risks for injuries when drinking.
Injuries from drinking can come from accidental falls, risky behaviors, and changes to perception while drinking. Men who become aggressive when drinking can be hurt when the aggression leads to a fight. Injuries from drinking and driving can be permanent. This type of effect from drinking can be the most immediate as injuries (or death) can happen in seconds.
Men face the risk of alcohol poisoning.
Binge drinking can lead to alcohol poisoning. Some of the common symptoms include confusion, nausea and vomiting, slurred speech, and unconsciousness. Complications can worsen alcohol poisoning’s effect on the body. It may lead to hypothermia, dehydration, and seizures.
Men face the risk of contracting sexually-transmitted diseases while binge drinking.
Risky sexual behaviors can accompany periods of excessive drinking. Impaired judgment or thrill-seeking could lead to unprotected sexual activity with one or more partners. Some of the most common STDs in men are chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, Trichomoniasis, genital herpes, hepatitis B and C, genital warts (HPV), syphilis, and Zika virus. Some of the early symptoms of an STD in men are specific to areas of the body, including genital lesions and inflammation of the urethra. A third category is signs and symptoms appearing throughout the body. If left untreated, they could cause damage to organs.
LONG-TERM PHYSICAL EFFECTS
Men face sexual dysfunction from misusing alcohol.
This isn’t usually an overnight result, but over time men can find engaging in sexual behavior troubling due to excessive drinking. Erectile dysfunction can be one result. Infertility can be another. Testicular function and the production of male hormones can be impacted by an alcohol use disorder. Secondary sex characteristics can be affected as well. These include the loss of facial and chest hair. Men may also experience an abnormal growth of breast tissue.
Men risk permanent damage to vital organs.
A man who binge drinks may experience liver damage. Disease chances also increase as a result of a long-lasting alcohol use disorder. Some of those potential diseases include cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon in men. Long-term alcohol misuse can also lead to stroke and heart disease.
Separate treatment is available for men.
Men with an alcohol use disorder can find treatment specifically designed for their gender at Hanley Center. This kind of program provides men with individual and group therapy in an all-male environment. Men may discover they share similar reasons for starting to drink and continuing to drink. They also share common ground in their perceived gender role. This kind of setting allows patients to see how alcohol use shows up in their peers, what’s similar and what’s different. They can benefit from making healthy connections with other men who understand the challenges that family and work relationships, career goals, and intimate relationships can create.
Hanley Center is a well-known care provider offering a range of treatment programs targeting the recovery from substance use, mental health issues, and beyond. Our primary mission is to provide a clear path to a life of healing and restoration. We offer renowned clinical care and have the compassion and professional expertise to guide you toward lasting recovery.
For information on our programs, call us today: 561-841-1033.
