I personally have a drink every so often, but I make sure not to let it get out of hand because I've what alcoholism can do to a person.
That's a wise decision. Alcoholism is a term for drinking excessively and causes mental and physical health problems.
So can the alcohol itself cause any physical or mental issues that are unique to purely alcoholism compared to, say, addiction to heroin or other drugs?
Yes, alcohol particularly affects the brain, heart, liver, and pancreas. The first organ that is typically damaged is the liver.
I figured, since the liver is what breaks the alcohol down, correct?
Correct. Alcohol liver disease is often due to overconsumption. This could manifest as fatty liver, hepatitis, fibrosis, or cirrhosis.
That's interesting that it can manifest in different ways. What does this manifestation depend on, if you know?
Fatty liver is reversible if treated in time. The other conditions are more serious. It really depends on the health of the person drinking as to what conditions they get.
I know a little bit about fatty liver because my brother had it, but not due to alcohol. How else can alcohol impact a person?
Alcoholism can also lead to mental illness. Frequent overconsumption can cause brain damage.