Distended bowel in alcohol and drug abuse. Coloured X-ray of a section through the abdomen of a 43-year-old male patient with a history of alcohol and drug abuse, showing the loops of distended bowel (orange blobs). Bowel distension (bloating) is often a sign of medical conditions affecting the intestines. Excessive alcohol or drug intake can damage the lining of the intestines causes severed gastrointestinal disorders, leading to bloating.