4 Risk Factors of Alcohol-Related Fatty Liver Disease (ALD)

4 Risk Factors of Alcohol-Related Fatty Liver Disease (ALD)

There's primarily one risk factor for developing alcohol-related fatty liver disease (ALD): the consumption of alcohol.

So who is most likely to become an alcoholic drinker? Psychological studies show that those who are dependent on alcohol are people who can't say no to an extra drink, or the first drink at all. Here's a list of people who are most likely to become dependent on it:

Young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 The statistic of those in this age range who binge drink - a habit that can easily lead to fatty liver disease - is as high as 41%.

Those who tend to be impulsive Someone who is impulsive will tend to try something on a whim. If friends are encouraging a person to drink all day at a get-together, someone who is impulsive might be more apt to do exactly that. He or she may be in a home situation where feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, frustration and being trapped have been coming up recently, making an impulsive person even more impulsive.

Those who are influenced by a peer group Those who are influenced by friends are less apt to stand up for what they believe when the peer pressure is applied.

Those whose parents drank while they observed the behavior Watching a parent drink and treat family members poorly is nothing that a child wants to watch. A child can make a decision to never be like the offending parent but then later in life, finds himself or herself walking in the parent's footsteps. Counseling helps a lot in these cases.

Those who have had a previous history of drug abuse, and are going through a rough time in their life Stress brings out the worst in us. A previous history of abusing drugs or alcohol can be 'relived' when times get hard, making a person turn to alcohol.

Those who received accolades for drinking large amounts of alcohol Getting praised by one's friends and talked about as if "you're the man" is a good feeling. But when that feeling is associated with alcohol, it starts a neural pathway in the brain that links happiness with alcohol. This link has to be broken if you are going to give up alcohol, something that is essential to reverse fatty liver. Replacing the happiness with a disgusted feeling (such as imagining maggots in the alcoholic drinks) is an old trick that psychologists and hypnotherapists use to break bad habits.

If you recognize that you could be at risk to develop fatty liver disease as a result of your personal drinking habits, the best choice of health practitioner to see is a psychologist.
------------------------------------------------------