Alcoholism

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Alcoholism Definition Alco Alcoho holi lism sm is a chronic  an and often  progress progressive ive disease  that includes includes problems controlling your drinking, being preoccupied with alcohol, continuing to use alcohol even when it causes problems, having to drink more to get the same efect (physical dependence), or having withdrawal symptoms when you rapidly decrease or stop drinking.

Symptoms Alcoholism signs and symptoms include those below. Y You ou may: •

Be unable to limit the amount of alcohol you drink



Feel a strong need or compulsion to drink



Develop tolerance to alcohol so that you need more to feel its effects



Drink alone or hide your drinking



Eperience physical withdrawal symptoms ! such as nausea" sweating and shaking !  when you don#t drink



 $ot remember conversations or commitments" sometimes sometimes referred to as a %black out%



&ake a ritual of having drinks at certain times and become annoyed when this ritual is disturbed or 'uestioned



Be irritable when your usual drinking time nears" especially if alcohol isn#t available



(eep alcohol in unlikely places at home" at work or in your car



)ulp drinks" order doubles or become drunk intentionally to feel good" or drink to feel %normal%



*ave legal problems or problems with relationships" employment or finances due to drinking



+ose interest in activities and hobbies that used to bring you pleasure

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+ong term,effects Alcohol depresses central nervous system. In some people, the initial reaction may be stimulation. But as you continue to drink, you become sedated. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and afects thoughts, emotions and udgment.

*ealth problems caused by ecessive drinking can include: •

Liver disease. *eavy drinking can cause alcoholic hepatitis ! an inflammation of the liver. After years of heavy drinking" hepatitis may lead to irreversible destruction and scarring of liver tissue -cirrhosis.



Digestive problems. *eavy drinking can result in inflammation of the stomach lining -gastritis" as well as stomach and esophageal ulcers. /t also can interfere with absorption of B vitamins and other nutrients. *eavy drinking can damage your pancreas ! which  produces hormones that regulate your metabolism and en0ymes that help digestion !  and lead to inflammation of the pancreas -pancreatitis.



Heart problems. Ecessive drinking can lead to high blood pressure and increases your 

risk of an enlarged heart" heart failure or stroke. •

Diabetes complications. Alcohol interferes with the release of glucose from your liver  and can increase the risk of low blood sugar -hypoglycemia. 1his is dangerous if you have diabetes and are already taking insulin to lower your blood sugar level.



Sexual function and menstruation. Ecessive drinking can cause erectile dysfunction in men. /n women" it can interrupt menstruation.



Eye problems. 2ver time" heavy drinking can cause involuntary rapid eye movement -nystagmus as well as weakness and paralysis of your eye muscles due to a deficiency of  vitamin B,3 -thiamine.



Birth defects. Alcohol use during pregnancy may cause fetal alcohol syndrome" resulting in giving birth to a child who has physical and developmental problems that last a lifetime.



Bone loss. Alcohol may interfere with the production of new bone. 1his can lead to thinning bones -osteoporosis and an increased risk of fractures.



Neurological complications. Ecessive drinking can affect your nervous system" causing numbness and pain in your hands and feet" disordered thinking" dementia and short,term memory loss.



ea!ened immune  Ecessive alcohol use can make it harder for your body to resist disease" makingsystem. you more susceptible to illnesses. !

 



"ncreased ris! of cancer. +ong,term ecessive alcohol use has been linked to a higher  risk of many cancers" including mouth" throat" liver" colon and breast cancer. Even moderate drinking can increase the risk of breast cancer.

Causes 

  #enes  , scientists say there are specific genetic factors which may makewho somehave people more likely to become addicted to alcohol" as well as other substances. 4eople a family history of addiction are at higher risk for abusing alcohol. Alcoholics are si times more likely than nonalcoholic to have blood relatives who are alcohol dependent. 5esearchers from the 6niversidad de )ranada" 7pain" revealed that "the lack of endorphin is hereditary, and thus that  there is a genetic predisposition to become addicted to alcohol" .    $he age of first alcoholic drin!    , a study found that   people  , people who started drinking alcohol  before the age of 38 were much more likely to have an alcohol problem later in life. life. 

  Smo!ing% especially non&daily smo!ers  , A study by Yale Yale 6niversity researchers found that non,daily smokers are five times more likely to have a problem with alcohol compared to people who have never smoked. smoked.   Easy access , Eperts say there is a correlation between easy access to alcohol -cheap prices and alcohol abuse and alcohol,related deaths. A 67 study found a strong link between alcohol ta increases in 39; and <==< and a significant drop in deaths related to alcohol  use in one American state , the effect was found to be nearly two to four times that of other prevention strategies such as school programs or media campaigns.  Stress , some stress stress   hormones are linked to alcoholism. /f our levels of stress" aniety  aniety  are high some of us may consume alcohol in an attempt to blank out the upheaval. &ilitary service members returning from /ra' and Afghanistan are likely to eperience posttraumatic stress disorder disor der and alcoho alcoholl use disor disorders ders simultaneously simultaneously""  according to researchers at the $ational /nstitute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.  'eer drin!ing , people who have friends who drink regularly or abuse alcohol are more likely to drink ecessively and eventually have an alcohol problem.  Lo( self&esteem , eperts say that people with low self,esteem who have alcohol readily available are more likely to abuse it. depression may deliberately or unwittingly use alcohol as a means  Depression  , people with depression may of self,treatment. 2n the other hand" a statistical modeling study suggested that alcohol abuse may lead to depression risk" rather than vice versa versa..   )edia and advertising  , in some countries alcohol is portrayed as a glamorous" worldly and cool activity. &any eperts believe that alcohol advertising and media coverage of it may convey the message that ecessive drinking is acceptable.  Ho( the body processes *metaboli+es, alcohol  , people who need comparatively more alcohol to achieve an effect have a higher risk of eventually having an alcohol problem" a study carried out by researchers at the 6niversity of >alifornia" 7an Diego" found.

Treatment

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3. Detoificati Detoification on -deto: -deto: 1his 1his may be needed needed immediately immediately after after discontinui discontinuing ng alcohol use use an and d ca can n be a med edic ical al emer emerge genc ncy y" as de deto to  ca can n re resu sult lt in wi with thdr draw awal al se sei0 i0ur ures es"" hallucinations" delirium tremens -D1" and in some cases may result in death. <. 5ehabilitati 5ehabilitation: on: 1his involves involves counseli counseling ng and medications medications to give give the recovering recovering alcoholic alcoholic the skills needed for maintaining sobriety. 1his step in treatment can be done inpatient or  outpatient. Both are e'ually effective. ;. &aintenance &aintenance of sobriety sobriety:: 1his step#s step#s success success re'uires re'uires an alcoholic alcoholic to be self,driven. self,driven. 1he key to maintenance is support" which often includes regular Alcoholics A Anonymous nonymous -AA meetings and getting a sponsor.

-ey $e $erms rms

Blood&brain barrier A network of blood vessels characteri0ed by closely spaced cells that prevents many

 potentially toictosubstances from penetrating the blood vessel walls to enter the the brain. Alcohol is able cross this barrier. Detoxification 1he phase of treatment during which a patient stops drinking and is monitored and cared for while he or she eperiences withdrawal from alcohol. Neurotransmitter 2ne of a group of chemicals secreted by a nerve cell -neuron to carry a chemical message to another nerve cell" often as a way of transmitting a nerve impulse. Eamples of neurotransmitters include acetylcholine" dopamine" serotonin" and norepinephrine. elapse

A return to a disease state" after recovery appeared to be occurring. o ccurring. /n alcoholism" relapse refers to a patient beginning to drink alcohol again after a period of avoiding alcohol. $olerance A phenomenon during which a drinker becomes physically ph ysically accustomed to a particular 'uantity of alcohol" and re'uires ever,increasing 'uantities in order to obtain o btain the same effects. ithdra(al 1hose signs and symptoms eperienced by a person who has become physically dependent on a drug" eperienced upon decreasing the drug#s dosage or discontinuing its use.

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