Why do alcoholics not suffer from diseases? Learn about the impact of alcohol on the body, possible reasons for disease resistance, and the risks associated with alcohol abuse.
As an experienced alcoholic, I want to discuss this topic. I started drinking very early—around 11. Now I am 42 years old, and at this point, I drink in waves. I can go on a hard bender for a couple of weeks, and then not drink for several months.
At the same time, I've had some crazy immunity my whole life. I practically never get sick with colds or viral diseases. Of course, after a bender, my pancreas and liver hurt while I'm recovering, but eventually, everything returns to normal.
I recently had a complete examination with a doctor. She told me, "Everything is perfect." I couldn't help but laugh. The doctor didn't understand why I was laughing, and I said to her:
— I've been drinking and smoking since I was 11. There should be something wrong with me, right?
To which she replied:
— It's not about how much you drink or smoke. It's about genetics.
As for genetics—I don't know. My father was not an alcoholic, but, as I called him, a drunkard. He drank heavily, but only from Friday to Sunday. He never drank during the week. Maybe this affected my genetics somehow, but I doubt it.
That's the doctor's opinion, but I would like to share my own thoughts.
I think that due to constant binge drinking, the usual environment for viruses changes, making it harder for them to adapt to the body. Plus, we should add the constant "alcohol saturation" of the body, which supposedly kills everything in sight—viruses, bacteria, and anything else one can think of.
Of course, this is not a scientific opinion, just my musings.
As for the assertion that alcoholics do not get cancer, I believe that's complete nonsense. Alcohol does not help at all because cancer is related to genetic changes in cells, and alcohol can only exacerbate the situation.
Although, if we look at this completely from an alcoholic perspective, we could come up with the opposite theory: the body is so poisoned that cancer cells are also stunned and don't understand how to survive here. Something like chemotherapy, but in an alcoholic version.
Once again, these are all just humorous reflections.
Overall, I would be interested to know your opinion. Have you noticed something similar in yourself or among acquaintances? How is your health if you've been drinking for a long time? Let's discuss this topic.
