Addiction to Alcohol
Alcohol Abuse and
Dependence
Most people love
alcohol. Though not everyone becomes addicted to it, people
usually consume it to lighten up their spirits. However,
there are a few unfortunate people for whom alcohol becomes
a major problem. The worrying thing for such people is that
alcohol is even more damaging than dangerous drugs like
marijuana and heroin.
Alcohol works as a
tranquilizer that can easily become addictive and is the
number one reason why so many people end up in hospital
suffering from different ailments related to alcohol abuse.
It is also the number one reason why people meet with
accidents.
Alcohol is a drug, just
like heroin or cocaine. It causes changes in the body and
alters moods and behaviors. If you drink, be fully aware of
what you are doing, because alcohol can become addictive.
What are Alcohol Abuse
and Alcohol Dependence?
Drinking now and again
on a social occasion doesn't necessarily mean the person
will become dependent on alcohol. But it can happen. If
drinking becomes heavy and regular, there can be a lot of
damage to the body - the heart, pancreas, liver, muscles,
stomach, nervous system, brain and lungs.
Alcohol abuse means having
unhealthy or dangerous drinking habits, such as drinking
every day or having too much at a time, or you continue to
drink even though you know your drinking is causing
problems.
If you continue to abuse
alcohol, it can lead to Alcohol dependence. Alcohol
dependence is also called Alcoholism or Alcohol addiction.
You are physically or mentally addicted to alcohol. You have
a strong need, or craving, to drink. You feel like you must
drink just to get by.
What are signs of
Alcohol dependence?
You might be dependent
on alcohol if you have three or more of the following
problems in a year:
· You cannot quit drinking or
control how much you drink.
· You need to drink more to
get the same effect.
· You start to drink earlier
and earlier
· You begin to ‘binge drink’
(more than 8units a day for men and 6 units for women)
· You have withdrawal symptoms
when you stop drinking. These include feeling nausea,
shakiness, and nervousness.
· Your life revolves around
drinking related activities and you have given up other
activities so you can drink.
· You have tried to quit
drinking or to cut back the amount you drink but haven't
been able to.
· You continue to drink even
though it harms your work, relationships and physical
health.
What are the warning
signs of Alcohol abuse?
If you drinking alcohol
for the following reasons then you are likely to eventually
start abusing it:
· To escape problems with
family, job, etc.
· As a way to deal with fears
and lack of self confidence
· To block out painful
feelings of loneliness, anger, anxiety or depression
· As a substitute for
ambition, close relationships.
You are abusing alcohol
if your drinking is causing you to experience the following:
· You get hangovers regularly
· Your drinking is starting
earlier in the day
· You lie to your family or
friends about the amount you drink
· Your drinking makes you
disgusted, embarrassed or angry with you yourself
· Others think that you become
aggressive, embarrassing, and troublesome when drinking.
The difference between
the heavy drinker and the alcoholic is that the alcoholic...
· Cannot control his drinking
?
· Drinks more frequently ?
· Drinks until he is
completely drunk ?
· Cannot do without drinking
What factors lead to
Alcohol abuse or Alcohol addiction?
People who are likely to
become alcohol dependent usually -
· Have a family history of
heavy drinking or alcoholism
· Come from non-drinking
families, but where there has been a very strict upbringing
· Come from unhappy homes
· Have a family history of
depression
· Are also heavy smokers
· Are single, or divorced
· Have more likely to abused
physically or sexually abused as children.
What kinds of problems
does excessive alcohol consumption cause?
Drinking too much
alcohol can cause a number of problems because of drinking
too much and at the wrong time. Drinking impairs judgment
and it prevents you from thinking normally. You are more
prone to risks and alcohol makes you become more vulnerable.
Drinking often leads lowering of inhibitions and make you
indulge in arguments, fights and risky behaviors or casual,
unsafe sex. It can also lead to monetary problems and it can
cause family disagreements. Excessive drinking causes
accidents at home and on the roads as well as in other
places. It causes physical health problems as well as mental
health problems.
Physical health problems
When a person consumes
excess alcohol he or she can develop a serious hangover. It
causes severe gastritis or stomach ulcers that can even make
you vomit blood. Alcohol can also knock you unconscious,
pass out and it can even lead to a fatality. It can cause
‘blackouts’ where you don’t remember what happened while you
were drinking. When a person consumes too much alcohol over
longer periods of time it can damage the liver and increase
the likelihood of cancer. It can also cause heart diseases,
especially among those who are over the age of 40. Severe
alcohol addiction can also result in brain damage and memory
loss.
Mental health problems
Most people consume
alcohol to feel lighter and good, but if they start drinking
it in copious amounts then it can lead to mental health
problems like depression. People with an alcohol problem are
also known to attempt suicide as they can turn impulsive and
do self-harm. People who have indulged in heavy drinking for
years can also start hallucinating or hearing voices in
their heads.
How do I deal with my
alcohol problem?
If you have an alcohol
problem then the first thing that you should do is talk to
somebody close like a friend or family member. In addition,
you need to take steps that will help to change your
behaviour and dependence on alcohol. Also, try and control
your alcohol problem before it truly becomes a very serious
problem. Here is what you can do to deal with your alcohol
problem:
Maintain a diary
The first thing that you
need to do is maintain a diary in which you should write
down your thoughts about drinking and why it has become a
problem for you. Be frank about your problem and ask your
friends to help you out.
Ask for help
If you find that you are
not able to control your alcohol problem on your own, then
do not hesitate about asking for help. You should talk to a
doctor or you should approach an organization that deals
with alcohol problems and ask them to help you out. In case
your alcohol problem makes you feel shaky or restless or
even jumpy then you need a doctor or professional to help
you out. They will probably give you medications to control
your problem. In case your problem is so severe that even
your doctor is not able to help you out, then you will need
to speak with a mental health specialist.
Make changes to your
drinking habits
Making changes to your
habits can be difficult. However, there are steps that you
can take to help yourself and these include:
· Fix a target –quantity, day,
time – to reduce the intake
· Drink alcohol of lower
strength like beer or wine
· Try not drink on an empty
stomach
· Avoid the typical places or
situations in which you are more likely to drink
· Explore alternative
activities to drinking
· Involve a friend or your
partner to support and keep track of your progress
There are many
alcoholics who drink in order to cope with the stress and
worries they are facing. The best person to help you out is
either a psychiatrist or a psychologist. They can help you
find a way by which you can overcome your worries and cope
better with stress without resorting to drinking alcohol.
You can also join a group that has people with the same
problems. A good self-help group can also help you overcome
your alcohol problem.
Fortunately, most
alcoholics do not have to be hospitalized to overcome their
problem. However, if you are an alcoholic then you should
try and avoid going to pubs and other places where alcohol
is served so that you do not get tempted into drinking. Even
a brief alcohol treatment can help an alcoholic break his or
her habit. Medications are also effective in helping an
alcoholic ‘dry out’ and stay away from alcohol. Do not use
tranquilizers or self-medicate to cope with your alcohol
problem!!
What quantity of alcohol
is unsafe to consume?
Depending on how strong
the drink is you will need to know how much of it is unsafe
to consume. Keep in mind that one unit is equal to 10 ml of
alcohol. Compared to men, women who are of the same weight
as a man and who drinks the same amount of alcohol will have
more quantity of alcohol in her organs as compared to men.
This means the safe limit for a woman is lower than the safe
limit for a man. Women should not drink more than 14 units
of alcohol in a single week while men should not drink more
than 21 units per week. As we grow older we need to be even
more wary, as due to muscle loss, alcohol ends up in the
vital organs of the body more readily.
What are the treatment
options for Alcoholism?
In some ways, Alcohol
dependence is like a disease. Today, the medical profession
sees it as a condition of body and mind, which requires
medical and psychiatric treatment, and not as mere social
misbehavior.
Alcoholism is treatable.
In most cases, the psychiatrist may advise a short period of
hospitalization, while the alcohol is allowed time to get
out of the system. Medicines are needed to help the person
overcome the uncomfortable ‘withdrawal symptoms’ that can
occur from stopping alcohol There are also many new forms of
medication available, to help a person give up alcohol. Some
of these can create a strong dislike for alcohol, so that
the person no longer wishes to drink. However, these must
always be used with a psychiatrist's supervision, as they
can be harmful if used improperly. A good diet and vitamins
are needed to make up for all the nutrients lost from
drinking. Alcohol dependence can lead to many psychiatric
disturbances besides blackouts - mental confusion,
hallucinations, memory disturbances - these require to be
treated. The psychologist can carry out several tests, among
them tests of personality, tests for the detection of
psychological problems, and tests for determining level of
current functioning. These can be very valuable in planning
the person's treatment. Family therapy is necessary to help
build up support for the person, as well to help the family
members cope with the problem. Because alcoholism leads to
problems in family relationships, these too may require
working through with some outside help. Cognitive Behavior
therapy may help the alcoholic change some of his habits and
develop other skills to cope with his daily stresses and
alter his or her beliefs and perceptions about the reasons
for drinking. Relaxation therapy may be taught by special
methods, to help the person have an alternative means of
lowering his or her stress levels. Support groups like
Alcoholic Anonymous (Al Anon), and Group therapy are proven
to be quite effective.
All the above strategies
are long term, and focus on sustained treatment, relapse
prevention and rehabilitation as a complete and holistic
approach to the problem of Alcohol Abuse and Dependence.
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