What are the medical consequences of alcohol or drug abuse?
Alcohol and other drugs can cause or worsen many medical problems. Alcohol, for example, increases the risk of some stomach and heart diseases. Some people get gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) or high blood pressure because of drinking too much alcohol. Also, if you were taking a medicine, such as blood pressure medicine, during the time when you were drinking or using drugs, it is likely that the dose of this medicine may need to be lowered now that you’re not drinking or using drugs. Mood changes such as irritability, anger, depression and anxiety, and problems with sleeping and sexual function are common in the first few months of recovery. If you have any of these problems and discuss them with your doctor, he or she can help you. Is it safe to take medicines for pain or anxiety if I have these problems? In general, taking medicines for anxiety or pain for a long time can increase your risk of a relapse. For this reason, your doctor may want you to try other ways of r
