Mortality Rate Ratios A study conducted in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden from 1987 to 2006, revealed an average difference of 24-28 years in life expectancy. On average, men with alcohol use disorder live between 47-53 years and women live between 50-58 years.
Conclusion. People hospitalized with alcohol use disorder have an average life expectancy of 47–53 years (men) and 50–58 years (women) and die 24–28 years earlier than people in the general population.
Living with an alcoholic often means navigating emotional turmoil, unpredictable behaviors, strained finances, and feelings of isolation. It affects your mental health, relationships, and overall quality of life. Support, education, and healthy boundaries are critical.
End stage alcoholism is marked by a complete loss of control over drinking. This stage brings severe health complications and potential social and legal issues.
Conclusion. Alcoholic ketoacidosis is the immediate cause of death in a relatively high number of cases of death of chronic alcoholics (up to 23%).
FAQs on Alcoholism and Dying from Alcohol
Look for jaundice, severe weight loss, swelling in the abdomen or legs, confusion, and signs of liver or heart failure. Seek medical care right away.
It depends on many factors, but usually people with alcohol dependence who live to old age are said to have won the “genetic lottery”. They were simply lucky to have genes that provided better resistance to toxins and protection from the associated diseases caused by alcoholism.
Nearly half have experienced clinical depression, and 20% have had bipolar disorder. Most are smokers, and nearly one in five have issues with cocaine and marijuana use. Only 25% have sought treatment for their drinking problems.
End-stage alcoholism typically presents a number of health complications. First, the liver becomes damaged, possibly permanently. Liver enzymes become elevated, signifying damage, and the liver gains fats and inflammation, eventually leading to scarring. The result of the damage is often liver disease or cirrhosis.
The Four Stages of Alcoholism: Pre, Early, Middle, & Late.
The major causes of alcohol-related death are alcohol poisoning, cancer, car accidents, heart failure, liver damage, and violence.
The "3-2-1" (or often "1-2-3") drinking rule is a guideline for moderate alcohol consumption: 1 drink per hour, no more than 2 drinks per occasion, and at least 3 alcohol-free days per week, helping to pace intake and reduce risks. It aligns with official health advice, emphasizing that the body processes only about one standard drink (e.g., 12oz beer, 5oz wine) per hour, and provides a framework for mindful drinking to avoid binge patterns and health issues, though it's a simplification of broader guidelines.
These include:
Those who did not have cirrhosis but did have other liver malfunctions had intermediate rates of alcohol intake. In addition, patients with normal liver function had been drinking heavily for only about 8 years on average, whereas those with cirrhosis had been drinking heavily for more than 17 years on average.
Organs known to be damaged by long-term alcohol misuse include the brain and nervous system, heart, liver and pancreas. Heavy drinking can also increase your blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, both of which are major risk factors for heart attacks and strokes.
Shame, unworthiness, and judgment are just a few reasons why our drug or alcohol use makes us push people away. We may be afraid of what our friends and loved ones will think or say if they know about our use or especially when we relapse. So we cast ourselves out. We push people away.
Key signs of stage 4:
Sleep problems, which can have significant clinical and economic consequences, are more common among alcoholics than among nonalcoholics. During both drinking periods and withdrawal, alcoholics commonly experience problems falling asleep and decreased total sleep time. Other measures of sleep are also disturbed.
Alcohol addiction is a severe disease that can significantly impact a person's health. The average lifespan of someone addicted to alcohol goes down with each drink, increasing the risk for heart and liver problems, cancer and suicide.
The pattern of an alcoholic typically involves a progressive increase in alcohol consumption over time, loss of control over drinking, and negative consequences related to alcohol use. This may include health problems, relationship issues, and financial difficulties.
At first, you might notice signs like memory loss, everyday tasks feeling harder than usual or trouble concentrating. Alcohol-related dementia can affect your: Memory. You might not remember facts, names or faces as well as you used to.
It happens when someone drinks so much alcohol that their gut can no longer absorb enough thiamine from their food. People addicted to alcohol tend to eat a very poor diet. This means that they don't get enough vitamins to meet their needs. Damage to the brain caused by this condition can sometimes be permanent.
The 1-2-3 drinking rule is a guideline for moderation: 1 drink per hour, no more than 2 drinks per occasion, and at least 3 alcohol-free days each week, helping to pace consumption and stay within safer limits. It emphasizes pacing alcohol intake with water and food, knowing standard drink sizes (12oz beer, 5oz wine, 1.5oz spirits), and avoiding daily drinking to reduce health risks, though some health guidance suggests even lower limits.
By far, the most common mental health conditions that co-occur with AUD are depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma- and stress-related disorders, other substance use disorders, and sleep disorders.
If you do experience early symptoms of ARLD, these are often quite vague, such as: