while the alcohol is being toxified in the liver fatty accumulate there replacing healthy tissue chronic excessive drinking leads to what's called a fatty liver in this condition liver function progressively declines at this stage every drink poses a health risk. alcohol abuse damages and even kills off nerve cells in the brain in some cases leading to memory loss and cognitive impairment meanwhile the liver damage gets worse and worse scars form as cells are being destroyed by continued drinking the final stage liver cirrhosis drinkers don't feel the slowly progressing to seize even if they do sleep off the short term effects. and the impact of chronic alcohol abuse can involve social as well as physical problems.