The Three Disease Stages of Alcoholism

Individuals can drink normal amounts of alcohol and not have a problem. The normal amount for a healthy male is up to two drinks and for a healthy non-pregnant female just one drink. These are generally accepted to be normal consumption amounts of alcohol that typically do not lead to alcoholism. However, if the frequency or amount of alcohol increases over time and the individual notices other signs or symptoms of alcoholism an intervention is perhaps necessary. A medical professional experienced in alcohol interventions can advise family members and friends of the most appropriate times to conduct an alcoholic intervention.

Signs and symptoms of alcoholism increase in severity as the disease progresses as time goes by and it becomes more apparent that there is indeed a problem. The symptoms of alcoholism eventually impact the physical and mental capacities of the individual and have an impact on family relationships, job performance and relationship issues.

There are three stages of alcoholism, early, middle and end. The early stage is when individuals first begin to rely on alcohol to change mood, or to escape everyday problems. Their life begins to revolve around alcohol and they look forward to that next drink. The tolerance level will begin to increase as they increase the amount of alcohol they need to consume in order to reach that desired level of "high", or "feeling good" or "normal". In this early stage of alcoholism, the individual is not usually viewed as being "impaired" and is able to function at work, school and at home in pretty much a normal pattern. Alcoholism is usually not detected in this early stage.

When an individual is in the middle stage of alcoholism they have an increased need for and strong desire or craving for alcohol. They require increasingly larger and larger quantities of alcohol to maintain that "high" feeling and tend to consume alcohol early in the day, in the middle of the day and at night. They often drink alone or in hiding. The body is no longer capable of processing the amount of alcohol consumed and intoxication becomes more obvious to those around the individual. The individual usually outwardly denies that there is a problem but may secretly think a lot about alcohol and how to manage getting drinks of alcohol when needed and may form a pattern or routine to drinking.

The end stage of alcoholism is when there is clearly a craving for alcohol, and the individual experiences an obvious withdrawal when alcohol is unavailable for consumption. Hangovers, blackouts, and health problems that are alcohol-related are becoming more prevalent and frequent or at least regular occurrences. The organs of the body slowly deteriorate from the alcohol as the abuse of alcohol interferes with the digestive process and also inhibits nutrients from getting into the bloodstream. Liver damage is typical and can lead to the inability of nutrients from being converted into usable forms that the body is suppose to absorb and utilize for energy and growth. This leads to more health problems as body tissues and organs are not able to get oxygen and food sources that it needs to survive. If treatment is not started, it is this end-stage of alcoholism in which the disease can turn fatal. Suicides and alcohol-related accidents are also common due to the described state of affairs.

When individuals, family and friends can know and recognize the signs of alcoholism and insist on getting help through intervention, treatment is then possible and the only hope for recovery from alcoholism. Early and consistent therapy and other treatment options are important if the stages of alcoholism are to be stopped.

There is no cure for alcoholism but treatment can delay or stop the progression of the stages of alcoholism and save lives.

Frequently Asked Questions About Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

There are many frequently asked questions around the subjects of alcoholism and alcohol abuse that can be answered in a simple format. Understanding the answers to these questions can give others the tools they need to understand those who suffer from alcoholism or alcohol abuse and allow those who have succumbed to alcohol abuse or the disease, alcoholism to seek out the help and support they need to overcome the hold alcohol has on their lives.

Most of the questions concerning alcoholism and alcohol abuse center around understanding what the definition is for both and the consequences of abusing alcohol or becoming dependent on alcohol are to the individual and to those who are close to them. Doctors and other professional healthcare providers can give other valuable information regarding any specific questions you have about alcohol abuse or the disease, alcoholism.

What is alcoholism?

The disease alcoholism is also sometimes referred to as "alcohol dependence". Alcoholism is a chronic disease that has no cure but that can be managed. The disease involves a strong craving for alcohol, withdrawal symptoms when alcohol is not available and an increasing level of tolerance for alcohol and an inability for the individual to stop drinking or to limit the amount of alcohol consumed at will without help and support from professionals who understand the disease and how to manage it. The person suffering from alcoholism needs to learn how to control the craving for alcohol, and what impaired control means as well as physical dependence and tolerance and how managing these symptoms can lead to the ability to manage the disease, alcoholism.

Is alcoholism really a disease?

Alcoholism is a disease, which is chronic and progressive. It is a serious health risk to suffer from alcoholism as well as an economic hardship as many individuals suffering from alcoholism lose jobs and relationships leading to financial ruin. There are symptoms to the disease alcoholism that involves cravings for alcohol, an intolerance level that continues to increase over time, and an inability to control how much alcohol is consumed or the ability to stop drinking alcohol without support from professionals.

There are genetic and environmental risk factors that put some individuals at a higher likelihood of getting the disease alcoholism.

What is alcohol abuse?

Alcohol abuse is different from suffering from the disease, alcoholism. Alcohol abuse is when an individual fails to perform the responsibilities of home, work or school as a direct result of drinking alcohol, gets into trouble with the law while drinking, operates dangerous machinery while drinking alcohol, or continues to drink alcohol despite the direct evidence that doing so is causing problems in a relationship or has caused harm to others. These patterns are caused directly by the drinking and occur within a 12-month period of time.

Individuals who are abusing alcohol do not suffer the same cravings or withdrawal symptoms that those with alcoholism suffer from.

Teen Drinking Leads to Adult Alcohol Dependence

It is wrong for teens to drink alcohol on so many levels the most serious reason there is for teens to avoid alcohol is that youth who drink have a higher chance of developing alcoholism, a chronic disease that can lead to serious health issues like liver cancer and cirrhosis of the liver. If a teen starts drinking alcohol before he/she turns fifteen they are four times as likely to develop alcoholism as opposed to teens that do not begin drinking until after they reach legal age, according to the national Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

In the United States the minimum legal drinking age is 21, in Japan and Iceland it is 20, in South Korea it is 29. Several countries have no minimum legal drinking age including Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, Fiji, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Soviet Georgia, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The minimum legal age to drink in Antigua, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey and Switzerland is 16 with the rest of the countries chiming in at age 18.

There are other dangers for teen drinkers besides the higher risk for developing alcoholism. The other dangers include the perils of drinking and driving and being involved in a fatal crash. Teens that drink are very likely to make the decision to drink and drive in part because of the fear of being caught if they call home for a ride, and partly because poor judgment is a symptoms of alcohol abuse. Teens who are intoxicated typically engage in many dangerous behaviors including behaving in a way that they might not otherwise behave such as having decreased inhibitions to act in a sexual manner that they would otherwise not participate in which carries the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

Alcohol is a drug and as a drug it is addictive. Alcohol usage often leads to the use of other drugs that carry many other dangers for teens.

Teens who drink are also in danger of performing poorly in school, which can impact future possibilities for career and higher educational choices resulting from the drop in grades that typically follow alcohol dependency.

Teen alcohol usage can also damage relationships between the teen and his/her family creating rifts that can last a long time. Teens that drink often exhibits behavioral problems, which can further complicate family relations.

Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to numerous health risks later in life including the increased risk for liver issues, heart problems, stomach ulcers, and malnutrition at a time when physical growth is still occurring.

The obvious danger is that underage drinking is illegal, and those who engage in illegal activities as youth may continue to break the law as adults, which can lead to dangerous situations. They may also engage in other illegal activities as teens, which carry other dangers.

The Workplace Responds to Alcoholism

When alcoholism exists in the workplace there is always a significant impact on both productivity and worker safety issues. There is also a cost of $33 billion to $68 billion attributed to alcoholism in the workplace, which includes absenteeism. The consequences of alcoholism in the workplace are not just felt by the alcoholic but also by those who work alongside them in the workplace. Injuries and exposure to dangerous safety issues as a result of alcohol are topics that need to be discussed and solutions found.

It is interesting to note however, that the workplace is one area in which the person can encounter an effective prevention program or where many alcohol related problems are identified or interventions initiated that are responsible for helping many individuals take action towards diagnosis and treatment for alcoholism.

One way that workplaces are impacting employees with alcohol-related problems is by implementing comprehensive drug-free programs. These programs are very beneficial to the individuals with the problem and help to provide a safer environment for all employees. These programs typically include:

A clear policy that outlines why the drug free program is being implemented

Explain what behaviors are not tolerated in the workplace

An explanation of what will happen if policy is violated

Supervisors are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of alcoholism and the abuse of alcohol (which is different from alcoholism) and to keep track of performance of each employee. Supervisors are not to diagnosis or counsel employees

Education programs to inform employees of the symptoms of alcoholism and how it impacts the workplace and also how to obtain help if it is suspected that alcoholism exists within the workplace

Create a support system for employees who have alcohol-related issues

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) have been instrumental in helping the employees and their families to deal with alcohol and the workplace and to be able to get the help they need such as counseling and other services, which sure beats firing the employee.

An alcohol-free workplace is the responsibility of the owners, supervisors, and employees. In order to have a drug-free workplace there needs to be a way of confronting without overwhelming,

When a drug free workplace program is designed it should be a collaboration effort of both employees and employer and should protect the right to privacy for all individuals in the workplace, be compliant with all local, state and federal laws and meet the needs of all parties with mutual respect for all rights to freedom and safety especially.

Workplace drug and alcohol screening tests can be performed and may include urine tests, saliva tests, hair follicle tests, breathalyzer and blood tests. The testing should be a part of the written policy for a drug free workplace. The policy should specify testing of new hires, random tests of all employees and staff and testing of any employee involved in workplace accidents or when employees are under "reasonable suspicion" of drug and alcohol workplace violations.

The Affects of Alcoholism

There are many affects that the disease, alcoholism has on the individual with the disease. The affects include health, financial, work-related and in regard to relationships.

The health affects of alcoholism are physical, mental and emotional. The treatment plan for someone suffering from alcoholism must address all three-health areas in order to be truly effective in treating the disease.

The excessive drinking that occurs when a person suffers from alcoholism can lead to many physical health issues including those that affect major organs of the body like the liver and brain. The liver can be affected by alcohol and cirrhosis of the liver can occur. The person can also develop hepatitis as a result of excessive alcohol consumption. Research studies have also been conducted on the matter of excessive alcohol consumption being connected to liver cancer. Doctors using imaging technology have been able to detect alcohol related damage to both the brain and the liver.

The brain can be damaged by alcohol in many ways including something called, "alcohol dementia. Alcohol dementia can affect memory, reasoning ability, ability to learn and other brain functions.

Those suffering from alcoholism often participate in binge drinking which has been shown to alter mood, and negatively affect cognitive performance.

The health-related symptoms of alcoholism include dizziness, blurred vision, unconsciousness and even coma and death. Long-term alcohol use can also have serious impact upon just about every organ in the person’s body.

Statistics show that there are more than 100,000 deaths each year that can be directed tied to alcoholism or excessive alcohol consumption that include both direct and indirect causes of death such as death caused by drunk driving, alcohol-related falls, liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, complications of diabetes that are related to alcohol consumption, and also stroke.

It appears that females have a faster progression of the symptoms of alcoholism then men which makes it critical that anyone, especially women who have a suspicion that they may be suffering from alcoholism be evaluated by a medical professional.

The illness spreads through family units as children of parents who suffer from alcoholism have a significantly higher risk for starting to drink during the teen years and then to develop alcohol related disorder because of the early drinking.

Alcoholism will follow a very predictable path that will become progressively worse over time. The disease makes the individual feel as if they can’t possibly function normally unless they consume greater and greater amounts of alcohol, leading to more severe symptoms of health related problems. The disease can progress to the point of being fatal.

The younger the individual starts the drinking habit the difficult the disease is to treat. Those that have a good deal of difficulty dealing with stressful situations or those who have mental issues tend to be at a higher risk for developing alcoholism.

Alcohol does not just affect the person’s health it can have devastating affects upon the person’s financial affairs due to the cognitive affects alcohol has on the ability to reason, remember or on cognitive abilities. Individuals who suffer from alcoholism often forget to record financial transactions resulting in overdrawn accounts, spend money without remembering they have done so, or use money needed for other budgeted items on alcohol instead that may deprive the family of food, clothing or shelter. Alcoholism can also have a negative impact on the individual’s ability to perform well at work or even to show up at work on a consistent basis which may lead to getting fired and the loss of income can be devastating to the individual and any other family members. Alcoholism can also put a huge strain on relationships as family members, especially spouses and children try to understand the symptoms of alcoholism and why the individual behaves the way they do while drinking or why they have such strong cravings or withdrawal symptoms as a result of the disease.

What is Alcoholism Intervention Like?

It is a serious matter when the family of someone undertakes alcoholism intervention. Intervention must be entered in with counsel from a professional who thoroughly understands the disease, alcoholism. Intervention includes family members and friends of the person as well as the person him/herself suspected of suffering from alcoholism. This individual is confronted with the evidence of alcoholism including the symptoms that others have witnessed the individual experiencing. Sometimes the legal process initiates the intervention if the individual was in trouble with the law and the incident was alcohol-related.

The intervention is a confrontation between those who are concerned about the individual and feel the need for medical diagnosis and treatment of the symptoms of alcoholism and the person with the alcohol problem. The goal of intervention is that the confrontation and evidence of symptoms of alcoholism along with the consequences of drinking is to convince the individual that help is needed in order to prevent further damage to his/her health, relieve the symptoms of alcoholism and to prevent further damage to finances, relationships or work-related issues, and possibly to stop further alcohol related violence or brushes with the law.

There are steps that can be taken that will facilitate a successful alcohol intervention that are outlined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism they include the following:

Those who care about the person with alcoholism need to stop making excuses for the individual (shielding him or her from the consequences of their alcohol-related actions) so that the individual can experience the full impact of the alcohol-related behavior.

Interventions to be successful need to be timed correctly usually immediately after a alcohol-related problem such as a traffic accident, major run-in with the law, or an incidence of domestic or other violence that is alcohol-related. The timing is important because the individual needs to feel the full impact of the consequences of his/her drinking and be able to relate the consequences with the drinking in an undisputable manner.

The individual should be sober when the intervention takes place. It is imperative that all persons remain as calm as possible during the intervention and that the intervention be done in private with those involved in the intervention meeting before the intervention to discuss the need for the intervention and to come with a plan for how to proceed with the intervention and who will be involved in the intervention.

There should be very specific examples of the alcohol-related incidents that caused problems with others, or with the law, finances, relationships etc., and facts should be discussed not opinions.

It should be made clear the steps that will be taken to protect all those who are involved if the person should decide not to seek professional help for the alcoholism.

It should also be made clear that the intervention and the necessary medical treatment are not punishment for having alcoholism but that the treatment is necessary to help the individual recover from the disease of alcoholism.

Those participating in the intervention should arrive at the intervention with information about available treatment programs in the area, preferably with an appointment already made at the treatment facility should the individual agree to get help for the alcoholism.

Those who care about the individual should offer to accompany the individual to the treatment program for the initial appointment.

It is important not to give up if the first attempt at an alcohol intervention is met with resistance or is unsuccessful.

Interventions are usually successful if they are conducted in a compassionate and nonjudgmental manner with clear, concise evidence of how the alcohol related behavior is harming the individual and/or others.

It is also imperative that interventions be planned and that they have the guidance of a professional who is experienced in substance abuse.

There are many support groups available for the individual and family members to utilize including Al-Anon, and Alateen.

Getting to Know the Alcohol Diagnoses

Are you painfully familiar with someone who has been diagnosed with an alcohol related diagnosis? Do you understand the diagnosis they have been given? There are two basic alcohol diagnoses that medical professional use to separate the health conditions and symptoms individuals with alcohol problems present with. The two basic diagnoses for alcohol related health problems are alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence (alcoholism). To understand more about these diagnoses read on.

The two alcohol-related health conditions alcohol abuse and alcoholism are described below:

Alcohol abuse is a diagnosis given to an individual when the drinker refuses to stop drinking alcohol even when the consequences to self, friends, co-workers and family are obviously negative including that the drinker is unable to honor commitments made to these entities. If not treated properly and in a timely manner, alcohol abuse can and often does lead to alcoholism.

Symptoms a person suffering from alcohol abuse may exhibit:

Health wise they may have started to see physical symptoms that drinking is having an impact on their health such as increased waistline, weight gain, increased blood pressure readings and other health related issues.

They may be receiving collection calls from creditors that are complaining about late payments due to money being spent on alcohol instead of being used to pay bills.

They may have been cited for one or more driving while under the influence (DUI) violation.

The drinker’s behavior is seen as risky behavior as it starts to put the drinker and others in danger especially if drinking and driving is the case.

The drinker may miss days of school or work because of hangovers or in order to drink, putting education or a job at risk.

The drinker will become annoyed easily when family members, friends or co-workers criticize their drinking habits. They feel guilty or remorse after drinking.

They start to have a social life that is centered on drinking alcohol foregoing past favorite pastimes or friends in order to be with drinking buddies or just to drink alone. They may even be drinking in secret.

Alcoholism or alcohol dependence is a chronic and progressive disease that has no cure and can be fatal if left untreated. A person suffering from alcoholism can exhibit dangerous behaviors including risky sexual behaviors that can have serious medical, psychological or social consequences. The drinker who is alcohol dependent (alcoholism) has an insatiable craving for alcohol, a progressively increasing tolerance for alcohol and an inability to control his/her drinking regarding the amount of alcohol consumption and if the person wants to quit they are unable to do so without support and professional help.

Symptoms a person may be suffering from alcoholism are:

They have very strong and overwhelming cravings for alcohol that they cannot ignore. They have drinking rituals or times that they must drink and if those rituals or times are disturbed they become very annoyed and irritable.

They can go into withdrawal if alcohol is not available at the times they usually drink.

They usually drink more alcohol than they initially intended to drink and are unable to limit consumption or stop drinking.

Alcohol is beginning to have an effect on memory and motivation to do things they should by experiencing "blackouts" or periods of time when they can’t remember what they were doing, what commitments they made or what they said during these "blackouts". They lose interest in past favorite activities or hobbies.

There are many health and behavior effects caused by alcoholism including liver and kidney disease, complications for those with diabetes, certain cancers and an inability for the body to take in nutrition and to absorb it through the bloodstream depriving the body of necessary nutrients it needs to survive.

Alcoholism leads to suicide, vehicular homicide and death by alcohol poisoning.

What Complications Can Arise When A Person Suffers From Alcoholism?

Alcoholism is a serious disease, what makes it worse is that there are complications that can arise that puts the individual at grave risk for other body system failures that may even put their life at risk. These complications include birth defects, bone loss, cardiovascular problems, diabetes complications, gastrointestinal problems, liver disorders, menstruation problems, and neurological complications, sexual function and also puts the person at risk for certain cancers.

All of the above listed possible complications of the disease, alcoholism are possible because alcohol is a drug that depresses the central nervous system. Initially alcohol stimulates the individual who first begins the habit of drinking alcohol. As the individual continues the habit the drug, alcohol starts to sedate instead of stimulate and begins to lower your inhibitions and to affect your emotions, judgments and your ability to think. Alcohol can also impair your speech and your ability to coordinate your muscles. If you consume alcohol to an excessive amount over to short of a time period you can poison your system and severely depress your vital centers of the brain that control breathing and heartbeat which are vital to your survival putting the individual into a coma and possibly cause death.

Long-term alcohol use can cause physical fatigue and short-term memory loss. An individual who drinks alcohol to excess over a long period of time may also experience weakness or paralysis of the eye muscles.

As mentioned earlier there are other complications to your health if alcohol is consumed over a long period of time including:

Leading to alcoholic hepatitis, which involves inflammation of the liver. The symptoms for alcoholic hepatitis include loss of appetite, abdominal pain and tenderness, fever, nausea, vomiting, jaundice, and confusion can also occur.

Alcoholic hepatitis can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and an irreversible, progressive damage and scarring of liver tissue.

Those who suffer from alcoholism often have gastritis, which is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach.

Those who drink heavily can also damage the pancreas.

Drinking heavily can lead to high blood pressure, which in turn can damage the heart muscle, which can lead to heart failure, heart attack, or a stroke.

Alcohol over time will prevent the release of glucose from the liver, which will increase the risk of having low blood sugar known as hypoglycemia. If you happen to be a diabetic this can be a dangerous situation for you.

Those who suffer from alcoholism also report erectile dysfunction and interruption in menstruation, birth defects if drinking while pregnant, fetal alcohol syndrome for those unfortunate fetuses born to women who drink while pregnant, bone loss which can lead to an increased risk for fractures, nervous system disorders including dementia and an increased risk for breast cancer, mouth cancer, throat cancer, liver and colon cancer, and also rectum cancer.

Getting to Know the Ten Warning Signs of Alcoholism

Would you like to be aware of the ten most common warning signs of alcoholism? Could you benefit from knowing how to spot when someone may potentially be suffering from alcoholism? Alcoholism is a serious, chronic disease that can have dangerous health consequences when alcohol is consumed in excessive amounts over a long time. It can also become lethal if consumed in large amounts over a short period of time.

One common sign of alcoholism is that the individual will withdraw from friends and family members because they anticipate that friends and family members will disapprove of the amount of alcohol they are consuming or the time of day that they are consuming it and they wish to avoid arguments with these individuals.

A second common sign of alcoholism is that the person will lie about the amount of drinking or even that they are drinking and they will actually hide the fact that they are drinking by getting rid of evidence or by hiding the evidence of their drinking.

A third common sign is when they need a drink to "get up and going in the morning".

A fourth common sign is if they say that they need a drink just to "make it through the day". These are two very important comments that should clue others to the fact that they may be witnessing someone suffering from alcoholism.

A fifth telltale sign of alcoholism is when someone needs a drink to calm down after a stressful workday, or when dealing with other individuals or specific situations.

If alcohol disrupts ability to function at work or school this is a very important sign of alcoholism, sign number six.

If the individual is so impaired after drinking that they cannot make safe judgment calls and put themselves or others at risk such as drinking and driving, or by drinking and then operating dangerous machinery or heavy machinery or doing things like downhill skiing while drunk. This seventh sign of alcoholism is obviously a very dangerous situation.
A eighth sign of alcoholism is if they are building an obvious tolerance to alcohol by needing more and more to achieve the same "buzz" or intoxication level; then, they are likely to suffer from alcoholism.

If the person is experiencing "blackout" or times in which there is memory loss that has occurred at the time that the person was drinking. They don’t remember things that they do or say while intoxicated. This is a very serious ninth sign of alcoholism.

Lastly, a sign that a person may be suffering from alcoholism is if they are involved in fighting or domestic violence while drinking alcohol or a change in the usual behavior.

Someone suffering from alcoholism will not necessarily suffer from all ten signs listed signs but just one of these signs could signal a problem with alcohol that should be explored by a medical professional.

The Causes and Risk Factors for Alcoholism

Is it important for you to know the causes and risk factors for alcoholism? Perhaps you have a teen daughter or son and want to know in advance what you may run up against regarding alcoholism and teens or perhaps you have a family history of alcoholism and want to know if you or your children are at risk for alcoholism. There are many reasons why individuals should know the causes and risk factors for alcoholism so no matter what your reason for making this inquiry, you should be able to find some good answers in this article.

Although the cause for alcoholism has yet to be established there has been a lot of valuable research done to try to determine what the cause(s) may be for alcoholism resulting in some good information that you can use. There is plenty of evidence that there may be some genetic or biological predisposition for developing the disease, alcoholism. The downside is that the research has sparked controversy between those that believe that there is an established connection between the increased risk for alcoholism among children with at least one parent suffering from alcoholism and the statistics that show raw data supporting the theory. Complicating the matter is that there are various factors that may contribute to an individual developing the disease of alcoholism.

The factors that contribute to the development of alcoholism include social factors such as family influence, peer pressure and society expectations as well as the availability of alcohol. There are also psychological factors that may contribute to the development of alcoholism including increased levels of stress, and inadequate skills at copping with the pressures of life that are reinforced by alcohol use in others. An individual may also have different factors that allow the behavior that contributes to the disease of alcoholism to continue.

Some chemicals in your brain contribute to the dependence on alcohol because of the alterations that take place the more alcohol you drink. One such brain chemical is gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which inhibits impulsiveness and also the chemical glutamate, which excites the nervous system. The chemical in the brain that triggers "feeling good" is also triggered when an individual drinks.

The physical addiction to alcohol occurs slowly over time as the individual continues to drink in increasingly greater amounts. The brain chemicals allow the individual to feel good while drunk and the individual likes “feeling good” and strives to bring back that feeling each time he/she drinks. They will require larger and larger amounts of alcohol in order to achieve the level chemicals that will allow that feeling to occur and the more alcohol the individual drinks the more intense the symptoms of alcoholism become.

The common risk factors that are associated with alcoholism are having a family history of alcoholism, experiencing high levels of stress, feeling anxious a good deal of the time, individuals who are always going through emotional turmoil and those who have low-self esteem or those who are suffering from depression as well as those who succumb to social pressures to "fit in".

How Could Knowing The Signs of Alcoholism Save Your Life?

The question is pretty simple, "how could knowing the signs of alcoholism save your life?" but for many there is a fine line between social drinking, and alcoholism especially if attending business luncheons, dinners and parties are not an option but part of the job. If your business life demands that alcohol be consumed in order to please the client or your boss, alcohol becomes a big part of your life. When does drinking for work turn into a disease called, alcoholism? What signs could tell a person when they are crossing the line between social drinking and alcoholism? Why would your life be at risk if you drink alcohol? These questions are all very important to have answered if you or someone you know drinks an excessive amount of alcohol.

How many people believe that getting drunk is a right that teens and young adults must indulge in as they travel into the world of adults? Why is binge drinking and alcohol at college parties an acceptable assumption by college students and parents? The availability of alcohol makes it a given that there will be those who abuse alcohol and those who will succumb to the disease, alcoholism, because of long-term drinking and what that does to certain brain chemicals and the effect alcohol has on organs of the body.

There are many health consequences of alcohol abuse and alcoholism including excessive caloric consumption leading to obesity, and obesity leads to many diseases including heart disease and diabetes. Drinking alcohol also can lead to vitamin deficiencies, loss of appetite, liver damage, increased risk of heart disease and complications to those with diabetes. If you have problems with alcohol and are pregnant you risk birth defects and fetal alcohol syndrome and developmental delays or mental retardation for the baby born to a mom who drank during her pregnancy.

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism is a huge problem according to a 2007 study done by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The study found that one in three Americans would either abuse alcohol or become dependent on alcohol (alcoholism) at some point in their lives. That is a scary statistic!

If you use alcohol repeatedly and it leads to negative consequences in relationships, at work, school or with the law or your finances you are probably abusing alcohol. Alcoholism on the other hand is a chronic and progressive disease that starts with cravings for alcohol that cannot be denied or controlled. The individual with alcoholism suffers withdrawal symptoms if alcohol is denied or unavailable.

There are many warning signs of alcoholism including if the person drinks alone or in secret, stashes alcohol in unusual places to hide the evidence of alcohol, suffers both cravings and withdrawal symptoms, becomes irritable when alcohol is unavailable or the normal drinking time is disturbed. They may have a problem if they prefer to drink over participating in activities and hobbies that they used to prefer to do before alcohol became important to them. Another sign of alcoholism is that they refuse to stop drinking even though alcohol has caused health problems, relationship problems, financial problems or problems with the law.

When signs of alcoholism are ignored and drinking continues the individual is likely to lose a job, lose one or more important relationship, get into serious trouble with the law, develop liver disease, complications of diabetes, alcohol poisoning, go into a alcohol-related coma or even die from alcohol poisoning or from a alcohol-related traffic accident. Knowing the signs of alcoholism can avoid these severe and often deadly consequences of drinking alcohol.

Using Acupuncture and AA 12-step program to Stop Relapses and Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome

It takes a lot of fortitude, support, and determination to overcome alcoholism. Using acupuncture, an alternative medicine and AA 12-step program to stop relapses and post acute withdrawal syndrome can sure stack the odds in your favor.

Acupuncture is a form of therapy based on Oriental Medicine that evolved from principles and philosophies that are unique to the Orient. The acupuncturist inserts thin needles into specific points on the skin to change the flow of qi (energy) in the Channels of the body to bring about rebalance in the body’s Qi and healing and a return to good health.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an organization that developed the set of guiding principals known as the twelve-step program. It was first published in a book, "Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism”, in 1939.

Alcoholics Anonymous (4th edition ed.). Alcoholics Anonymous World Services states the twelve steps as being:

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His Will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

What makes it difficult to fight going back into one relapse after another are the cravings for alcohol that are so difficult to ignore. Acupuncture treatments can take the craving for alcohol away when you follow a concentrated therapy session over a one-month time period (approximately 21 sessions) and then follow that up with a maintenance schedule of weekly follow-up sessions. Acupuncture relieves the cravings for alcohol, and also alleviates other symptoms of alcoholism such as fatigue and withdrawal symptoms such as tremors. It can also reduce the depression or anxiety that those going through detox or withdrawal from alcohol often feel. Acupuncture is safe when it is performed by a trained acupuncturist and has very few side effects.

The Common Disease Alcoholism

There is a disease that is common to many people, cultures and societies throughout the world, it is called, alcoholism. It is also a chronic and serious health problem that can lead to alcohol-related cirrhosis, cardiomyopathy, gastrointestinal problems, and pancreatitis. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a leading cause of mental retardation and results from alcoholism of the mother during pregnancy.

Just how common is alcoholism in the U.S.?

When surveying hospital patients you may find that 20% of all adult hospital inpatients suffer from alcoholism according to a U.S. National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Study. According to the study it is more common for the disease to be seen in lower income families that are less educated.

What about the rest of the world?

The World Health Organization (WHO) discovered that 1 in 3 patients in Britain were at risk for drinking behavior and that alcoholism is more common in France than it is in Italy and both countries have identical per capita alcohol consumption.

Did you know that alcoholism is the 3rd leading cause of PREVENTABLE death in the U.S.? A whopping 4% of the global burden of disease can be directly related to alcoholism and in North America, Australia, Europe and Japan with that figure is increased to 7% with the figure going even higher, to 12% in Central Asia and Eastern Europe.

Alcoholism is also responsible for a number of complications or consequences including 20% of all motor vehicle accidents involve alcohol, 19% of all mouth and oropharyngeal cancers are related to alcohol consumption, 24% of all homicides have a alcohol connection, and alcoholism is the cause of 32% of all cirrhosis.

Half of all violent crimes are connected to alcoholism. Individuals who abuse alcohol are less likely to quit smoking so alcohol increases another health risk – smoking tobacco products.

The disease, alcoholism is twice as prevalent in males as it is in females in fact it is 2.5 times as likely in men than it is in women. Women who are diagnosed with alcoholism are more likely to develop alcoholism later in life as opposed to males who tend to develop alcoholism earlier in life.

Just because the statistics show how common alcoholism is doesn’t mean that there is the understanding about the disease. Many individuals including those who employ those with the disease, spouses, other family members, friend’s even doctors have a difficult time understanding the difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism. This misunderstanding creates a greater hardship on the individual who is suffering from alcoholism because treatment is dependent on getting the diagnosis and accepting it.

The fact that alcoholism is a chronic disease means that the disease will never go away, even when the symptoms are being managed and the patient is in treatment; the disease can rear its ugly head and create havoc in the life of the individual who has the disease, his/her family, friends and others such as employers, co-workers, and community members.

The Consequences of Alcoholism

Alcoholism is the preoccupation or compulsion towards consuming alcohol and an impaired ability to drinking despite the knowledge that alcohol has caused serious health problems and that the individual will continue to drink alcohol because he/she is unable to ignore the cravings for alcohol even in the face of withdrawal symptoms should alcohol not be readily available, the desire to drink will still persist. Alcoholism being a disease has symptoms, causes and consequences.

The consequences of being an alcoholic are many and involve physical, emotional and mental effects of drinking. Alcohol is a drug as as such there are documented effects of alcohol. Those who have been diagnosed with alcoholism and those who have been misdiagnosed or those who have yet to be diagnosed with alcoholism but who suffer just the same feel the consequences of alcoholism. A recent study concluded that medical doctors miss the correct diagnosis of alcoholism 94% of the time. It would seem that education is in order for the medical community as well as for consumers regarding alcoholism. Alcohol is a universal cellular toxin and the toxic effects of alcohol are frequently still being felt years after the drink has been downed.

Alcohol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant and the individual’s behavior may change drastically from what is normal behavior. Effects of alcoholism touches the entire body including the central nervous system (CNS), psychiatric issues, lymph and immunological, skin, eyes, cardiac, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, liver, urinary, pancreas, sexual dysfunction, endocrine, pancreas, muscle issues, reproductive problems, bone, peripheral nervous system, and joint problems.

Alcoholism can have the following adverse effects:

• Aggressiveness
• Anxiety
• Cognitive disabilities
• Depression
• Delusions
• Euphoria
• Hallucinations
• Irritability
• Memory disturbances
• Panic
• Restlessness

CNS effects that include headaches, atrophy of the cerebrum, ataxia, seizures, subdural hematoma, blurred vision, loss of vision, and color vision abnormalities. Other physical effects include, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, edema, hypertension, risk of stroke when heavy drinking incurs, pneumonia, asthma and other acute respiratory distress, gastritis, ulcers, diarrhea, constipation, liver problems, pancreatitis, electrolyte imbalances, urinary tract infections, sexual dysfunction, myalgias, cramping, joint inflammation, gout, bone ischemia, necrosis iron deficiency anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, dermatitis, flushing, urticaria, bruising, sweating, altered glucose tolerance, unstable diabetes, menstrual cycle irregularities, immune system impairment, neoplasms, upper digestive or respiratory tract irregularities, liver disease, and increased risk of breast and colon cancers.

Alcoholism can also effect the way medication works by altering the effect medications have certain drugs like those prescribed for gastric emptying can be adversely affected. Those who binge drink can lead to toxicity on the cellular level. Alcohol can also have an adverse effect on drugs such as benzodiazepines and older antihistamines and other serious adverse drug events, even serious ones.

Alcohol can create a dependency that increases adverse effects. Severe withdrawal from alcohol can result in death. In an effort to prevent withdrawal symptoms the person suffering from alcoholism may drink small amounts of alcohol in the morning to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

How Do You Prevent Cope or Support Alcoholism?

Alcoholism is a serious chronic disease that has a huge impact on the person with the disease as well as all family members, friends and co-workers observing the symptoms and consequences of the alcoholism. It is especially difficult for spouses and children to deal with the many emotional financial and mental consequences of alcoholism. If a person could prevent this disease like any other disease, they would probably elect to do so. Family members and friends would most likely wish to cope with the consequences of what alcoholism does to them and the person they love instead of not being able to cope. How do you support a loved one suffering from alcoholism?

Prevention is the key to stopping future suffering if at all possible. Prevention is all about knowing and recognizing the risk factors as well as the signs and symptoms of alcoholism. Knowing that family history plays a significant role in alcoholism tells other family members who are not yet alcoholics to be diligent when it comes to avoiding the use of alcohol. It also means understanding the other risk factors such as peer pressure, an environment where alcohol is abundant and is an acceptable way of life. Preventing alcoholism means understanding the grim statistics that can protect future teens from repeating the same mistakes of present and past teen that become involved in drinking and driving. Teens who drink are more likely to become involved in alcohol-related vehicular accidents and are also more likely to become sexually active as well as to engage in risky and unprotected sex than teens who do not drink alcohol. When you know how vulnerable teens can be, it should become clear that speaking to teens that are important to you about the risks of drinking alcohol should be a priority to everyone.

How do you cope with alcoholism if prevention failed and someone you know or love has been diagnosed with alcoholism?

Coping means managing and skills and education are needed in order to cope with any disease that is chronic or progressive like alcoholism is. Thank goodness there are many organizations that are prepared to educate and support families that are dealing with alcoholism through organizations like AA, Al-Anon and Alateen. There are also many community programs based in hospitals and clinics that are also set up to help those who are struggling to cope with alcoholism. Finding a good support group is just as essential for family members as it is for the individual that has been diagnosed with alcoholism. Coping can also be made easier when you have an understanding doctor willing to take the time to explain your disease, or explain to a family member what the patient is going through. Just like any other chronic or progressive disease family members need medical answers, and need to know how to give emotional, mental and spiritual support to the patient. Coping requires being honest about feelings and being willing to deal with the reality of the situation.

Understanding What Alcoholism Is

Many individuals are misinformed when it comes to alcoholism. Alcoholism is a chronic disease in which the individual is dependent on alcohol. The person becomes obsessed with the need for alcohol and is unable to control the amount of alcohol they drink, not even being able to stop when they realize that alcohol is causing them to experience serious health problems. Alcohol can also cause relationship, financial and work-related problems.

What can be confusing is that individuals can have a problem with alcohol but not outwardly show the characteristics of the disease, alcoholism. When someone has a problem with alcohol but does not crave it or have it become something they need to have it is said that they are suffering not from alcoholism but from alcohol abuse because they merely drink too much, which can cause problems but they do not crave alcohol. The excessive drinking that a person does that is abusing alcohol can also cause problems with health or relationships but the difference is that when a person has the disease, "alcoholism" they have an uncontrolled need to consume alcohol and when alcohol is denied them or not available they experience physical withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, being anxious, or experience trembling or they can feel waves of nausea.

Because alcoholism is a chronic disease, it is handled just like other diseases in that it has symptoms, causes, risk factors, complications, treatments and preventions.

Symptoms:

There are recognizable symptoms that can be experienced and observed and which are utilized by doctors to help make the diagnosis of alcoholism. The symptoms of alcoholism include drinking in secret or often drinking alone, not being able to limit the amount of alcohol consumed or to stop drinking, experiencing "blackouts", making ritual times to drink such as before or after dinner and becoming irritable or greatly disturbed if these ritualistic drinking times are disrupted, having a strong compulsion to drink that can not be ignored, drinking large quantities of alcohol in order to become intoxicated intentionally so that a feeling of "normalcy" or "feeling good" can be achieved, encountering legal problems or relationship or financial problems as a result of alcohol, building up a tolerance for alcohol that is ever increasing in order to feel the same level of intoxication, experiencing withdrawal symptoms if alcohol is withheld or unavailable.

Individuals who abuse alcohol and are not alcoholics can also experience some of the same symptoms as listed above. The difference is that a person who suffers from alcoholism as symptoms along with the ability to not be able to ignore the craving for alcohol and is unable to control the amount of alcohol they are consuming or to stop drinking alcohol even when they are experiencing serious health issues because of the alcohol.

There are four causes of alcoholism:

• Cultural or social factors such as strong media pressure to drink
• Emotional state including anxiety, emotional pain or stress
• Genetics
• Psychological factors such as low self-esteem or depression

Risk Factors:

There are several risk factors for alcoholism including:

• Age (those who started drinking before age 16)
• Emotional disorders may increase the chance for the need for alcohol such as being severely depressed, or having attention-deficit disorder or hyperactivity
• Family history such as being raised in an environment where alcohol is accepted as a norm of life
• Genetic makeup may predispose a person to being susceptible to alcoholism
• Men are more likely to become dependent on alcohol than women

Complications:

There are quite a few medical complications that can arise when a person suffers from alcoholism including birth defects (when mom is an alcoholic), bone loss, cardiovascular problems, divorce and domestic violence, gastrointestinal problems, diabetes complications, poor work performance or poor performance at school, sexual function, problems with menstruation and also a higher rate of suicide and homicide.

Treatments:

Counseling and drugs are the two most commonly used treatments for alcoholism and treatment can be dispensed in a detoxification program where psychological support and psychiatric treatment is available and emphasis is placed on abstinence and acceptance of the disease. Drug treatments include the use of a alcohol-sensitizing drug "disulfiram" (Antabuse). and other medications such as naltrexone, and acamprosate.

Preventions:

Education is the best prevention for alcoholism and it must start with the youth so that they are taught and encouraged to avoid situations that will put them at risk for alcoholism.

How Does Alcoholism Effect Women?

Women drinkers can face many health risks that men may not necessarily face. Women drinkers are more likely to face brain damage, heart disease, and liver disease as a direct result of the alcohol they consume. Statistics show that women are twice as likely as men to die from alcohol-related causes such as accidents, diseases and suicide then men who drink.

Women who drink are also at risk for menstrual problems and infertility issues. They can also experience early menopause. Women who drink in the teen years can experience problems associated with puberty, growth problems, and poor bone health. When a woman drinks heavily she is more vulnerable to sexual assault, and violence as well as to have unprotected sex with makes her vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies.

The chemical makeup of her body is very different from the male body because her body has more fat and less water; alcohol that she consumes is less diluted and becomes more highly concentrated in her blood. Women also do not process alcohol in the stomach as well as males do which means more alcohol reaches her bloodstream causing her to become intoxicated faster then males. Researchers have also discovered that women while menstruated can become intoxicated more easily.

Women are told not to drink when pregnant or nursing for good reason. Alcohol is a drug, a teratogen to be exact which is a substance that can harm a fetus during pregnancy because it can cross the placental barrier and enter the bloodstream of the fetus. The alcohol content of the fetus’s blood can actually exceed that of the mom’s. If a woman drinks alcohol it can harm her fetus at anytime during the pregnancy even early in the pregnancy before she even knows that she is pregnant which is why women who are trying to conceive or those who think they may be pregnant should not drink alcoholic drinks.

Women nursing a baby should also not drink any amount of alcohol because the alcohol can pass through the breast milk to the baby.

Women have many reasons not to drink including safety reasons, health reasons, to protect their unborn children and to protect their fertility (ability to have children) as well as to protect a nursing baby. Unfortunately advertising today makes drinking seem glamorous or in style and to many women image is important. Women should educate themselves about the danger of alcohol so that they can protect not only themselves but also their children from the dangers of alcohol. Every young girl should be taught about alcohol and how alcohol can effect her differently because she is a female so she understands how alcohol can effect her life now and in the future should she chose to drink alcohol.

Causes and Effects of Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a disease in which an individual has the inability to control the strong craving for alcohol. Individual who suffer from alcoholism often need the aid of alcohol in order to feel "normal". They crave alcohol much like any other drug addict craves a "fix". The cravings can be so severe that the individual can feel as if the need for alcohol is greater than the need for food or for water. It may become so severe that they feel that they cannot go a day without consuming alcohol.

The Character of alcoholism:

The disease alcoholism is not characterized by the type of alcohol or even by the amount of alcohol that is consumed by the individual but rather by the need to satisfy the craving for alcohol. It is characterized by the loss of control that is felt by the individual when the craving for alcohol is not satisfied. Alcoholics (individuals who suffer from alcoholism) often build up a tolerance to alcohol over time so that they need more and more alcohol in order to feel "normal". They thus consume more and more alcohol, and this is what puts the individual at risk for serious health problems. There is also a psychological manifestation of the illness (alcoholism) as well as the physical symptoms of the disease.

The Difference between Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are two different things entirely. When a person abuses alcohol they do not display a loss of control over their need to drink. An individual who is abusing alcohol acts irresponsibly while under the influence of alcohol, even putting themselves and others at risk when they drink and drive or drink and operate machinery. Alcohol abuse is also a serious alcohol-related problem because it can lead to job loss, loss of property and can lead to relationship problems and encounters with the law due to alcohol related traffic accidents or property destruction. Alcoholism is a disease where alcohol abuse is not drinking responsibly. Both can lead to serious consequences that are alcohol related.

The symptoms of alcoholism:

The disease alcoholism has many symptoms including drinking in secret, hiding the evidence of alcohol consumption, memory loss (blacking out), ritualistic drinking and becoming irritable if the ritual times of drinking are interrupted, craving a drink in order to feel "normal", loss of interest in relationships or activities that would otherwise still hold interest if alcohol was not involved, financial or relationship or legal problems instigated by alcohol, the building of a tolerance to alcohol that requires a higher level of alcohol consumption in order to achieve the same effects, and also experiencing withdrawal symptoms if alcohol is not available for consumption.

Causes of alcoholism:

Scientists believe that there may be some genetics involved in whether or not a person is likely to experience alcoholism at some point in their life. Children of parents who suffer from alcoholism have a higher risk for developing alcoholism at some point in their lives than children of parents who do not suffer from alcoholism.

Studies also show that individuals suffering from psychological problems such as attention deficit disorder, bipolar disorder, and depression are at an increased risk for developing alcoholism in order to ease the suffering they may encounter dealing with their psychological problems. This need to ease their suffering can turn into dependency on alcohol.

Effects of alcoholism:

There are many effects of alcoholism some are physical in terms of illnesses and other are the effects alcoholism has on the ability of the individual to secure and maintain employment, function at work, home or school, have meaningful relationships with spouses, family members, coworkers, or friends.

Alcoholism depresses the central nervous system and over time this can cause fatigue, muscle paralysis of the eyes and short-term memory loss. Serious health issues that are alcoholism related are bone loss, cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal problems, neurological disorders, sexual dysfunction, and also stroke. There is also increased risk for certain cancers such as cancer of the colon, esophagus, larynx and liver.

The Dangers of Alcohol

There are many serious and dangerous consequences of the disease alcoholism including alcohol poisoning, alcoholic coma and death. Alcohol poisoning can occur when you abuse alcohol even if it is your first time drinking. This is why anyone should be aware of the dangers of alcohol. Those who have the disease, alcoholism are at more risk because of the ever-increasing amounts of alcohol they consume in order to continue to feel intoxicated. This pattern can easily lead to alcohol poisoning.

If you intend to drink or be around those who drink you should learn to recognize the signs of alcohol poisoning. Learning the signs can save a life. A person suffering from alcohol poisoning can go into a coma and die

Alcohol poisoning signs:

• Loss of consciousness can occur after someone has been drinking. When you are unable to wake a person who has fallen asleep after drinking it can signal something more serious than just "sleeping it off".
• Confusion
• Cold, clammy skin
• Pale skin or skin that has a bluish tint to it
• Hypothermia (low body temperature)
• Vomiting that is repeated and uncontrolled
• Slow respirations (breathing pattern) that is less than 13 breaths per minute. If no breathing occurs for 8 seconds or more, call 911 immediately
• Seizures

A person does not have to have all of the above signs in order to have alcohol poisoning. If they lose consciousness for instance they can be suffering from alcohol poisoning and need immediate medical attention.

These signs may be difficult to recognize in yourself because the signs themselves will make it almost impossible for you to have the cognitive ability to recognize what is happening to you.

Alcohol poisoning is serious and anyone exhibiting any of the signs of the condition should receive immediate medical attention. If untreated alcohol poisoning can lead to death. Never leave a person alone when you suspect that the person may be suffering from alcohol poisoning.

Binge drinking is a common cause of alcohol poisoning and is commonly seen at parties.

You can develop signs of alcohol poisoning after you have stopped drinking, so don’t feel that you are someone you know is safe from alcohol poisoning just because they finished drinking for the day/night because your blood alcohol concentration can continue to rise after you have stopped drinking. It can even rise after you have passed out because your stomach will continue to absorb what you drank and then it will enter your blood.

A person who has been diagnosed with alcohol poisoning will be supported and monitored carefully while the body gets rid of the alcohol. The airway will be maintained to prevent choking or difficulty breathing and IV fluids may be given to prevent the person from becoming dehydrated.

The first 24 hours of hospitalization are the most critical. Survival depends on the volume of alcohol consumed and the speed at which the individual receives medical attention.

Concerning Alcoholism Facts That Impact Men Women and Children

Alcoholism is one disease that everyone should be concerned about because the facts show that the disease alcoholism affects the lives of men, women and children all over the world. There certainly are safe and responsible drinkers but those that do not drink responsibly have an impact that encompasses them but their families, co-workers, friends, and even the communities that they live in. This fact is included in publications by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). These facts about alcoholism are very concerning because there are an abundance of facts that point to alcohol impacting the health and well-being of those who drink alcohol to excess and also has an impact on family members and others they know too.

There are many statistics and facts about alcoholism floating around such as the fact that there are 100,000 or more U.S. deaths each year that are a direct result of excessive alcohol consumption. There are both direct and indirect causes of death due to alcohol including drunk driving, diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver, falls that cause injury as a result of intoxication, heart disease and stroke as a result of high blood pressure caused by alcohol.

Another sad fact is that more than half of all adult Americans can say that they know of a family member that currently suffers from alcoholism or that did suffer from the disease.

Children are also impacted by alcoholism as one in four children in America alone under the age of 18 has had some experience with a family member who has either abused alcohol or suffers from alcoholism in his or her family. Statistics show that family history of alcoholism plays a huge role in whether or not children will follow in the footsteps of parents and other family members and become alcoholics too. Each and everyday, 7000 children under age 16 will take their first sip of alcohol. Young people have the highest occurrence of binge drinking or heavy drinking (ages 18 – 25) with a peak age of 21. By the time it is legal for a person to begin drinking many have already achieved a record for binge and heavy drinking. 35% of all adults with an alcohol problem developed symptoms such as binge drinking by the time they were age 19. Children are not even out of high school and already they are developing symptoms of alcoholism.

Women who drink not only risk their health but the health of future children because alcoholism makes it more difficult to conceive, can lead to alcohol related problems with the fetus when the woman drinks during pregnancy and can even have an impact on a nursing baby if the mom decides to drink while nursing. Women drinkers are more likely to develop liver disease, heart disease and cancers associated with alcohol consumption. Women who drink are more vulnerable to violence and unprotected sex, which can lead to sexually transmitted diseases or unplanned pregnancy.

Men, who drink to excessive amounts can lose their jobs creating financial hardships, jeopardize relationships including breaking up the family unit leaving children without dads.

Alcoholism has a direct and indirect impact on everyone no matter your age, or sex.

What Causes or Risk Factors Contribute to Alcoholism?

Those whose lives have been touched by alcoholism often wonder what causes or risk factors contributed to the problem of alcoholism? Was it something that could have been avoided, was it anyone’s fault? Are they at risk for alcoholism? It is important for individuals to be able to get answers to questions about a disease that is as serious as alcoholism is.

Alcoholism has both physical genetic and environmental causes and you can sum up the possible causes for anyone’s alcoholism in the following factors:

Certain genetic factors can make a person vulnerable to the possibility of succumbing to the effects of alcohol and individuals with a family history of alcoholism should be especially careful around alcohol.

A person’s emotional or psychological state can also make them vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. If a person is under high levels of stress, are overly anxious, or in long-term emotional pain they may turn to alcohol or other addictive drugs to ease the stress or pain of their situations. Scientist is exploring the possibility that certain stress hormones may be associated with the disease of alcoholism. Individuals with low self-esteem or those who have suffered from depression may also be at risk for alcoholism especially those who suffer from mental issues like bipolar or depression.

There are also social or cultural factors that may put individuals at risk for alcoholism including living in an environment in which alcohol is a staple, or is made to be a vital part of coping with life by those in close proximity of a young person growing up in such an environment and in which this person learns that alcohol is an accepted way of life. Alcohol is also portrayed in media and advertising to be glamorous and exciting and the accepted thing to do in social situations such as parties, and during downtime or during the holidays. Messages that it is ok to drink to excess can be interpreted as an acceptable way of life especially a life full of stress and pressure.

Individuals can be at risk for developing a dependence on alcohol if they are male and drink more than 15 alcoholic drinks a week or if they are female and drink more than 12 alcoholic drinks a week. The amount of alcohol consumed is just one risk factor for alcoholism other risk factors are age, genetics, sex, family history, and emotional and psychological influences. When one or more of these risk factors combine with consuming large quantities of alcohol in a short time so that dependence is established for alcohol the combination is strong for the development of alcoholism.

If you or someone you love exhibits any of the causes or risk factors for alcoholism and you suspect that they may have problems with being able to limit or stop drinking alcohol, it is important to encourage them to seek professional diagnosis and help.

Complications, Treating and Coping With Alcoholism

Alcohol is a drug and depresses the central nervous system. A person who suffers from alcoholism may initially have a reaction that is of a stimulating nature but as drinking continues the alcohol will have more of a sedative nature. Alcohol also lowers your inhibitions and can also affect your thinking processes which means that judgment can be faulty and individuals under the influence of alcohol may behave in ways they would not otherwise behave which often gets those who drink into trouble. Alcohol also affects your emotions making you feel depressed. If you drink a lethal amount of alcohol it can depress the vital centers of your brain and you can go into a life-threatening coma.

Excessive alcohol use over a long time can cause fatigue and short-term memory loss, can weaken or cause paralysis of your eye muscles and cause other severe health effects such as liver disorders, yellowing of the skin (jaundice), confusion, hepatitis which may lead to cirrhosis and also gastrointestinal problems, cardiovascular problems, complicates the disease diabetes if you have the disease and also drink to excess, it can create sexual dysfunction and have negative impact on menstruation, can cause birth defects if a woman drinks when pregnant, can cause bone loss, neurological complications and can also increase your risk for certain cancers too. As you can tell, there are many complications that are possible when a person has alcoholism. Treating the disease and learning how to cope with alcoholism is possible. Those are just the medical complications of alcoholism. There are also many non-medical complications that can occur when a person suffers from alcoholism.

The non-medical complications of alcoholism include the person having a greater susceptibility to causing accidental injury to him or herself and to others especially while under the influence of alcohol and driving a vehicle or operating machinery. There is an increased risk for domestic abuse (physical or emotional) and relationship problems that often end in divorce. The individual will also most likely have poor performance at school and at work and be unable to handle responsibilities like raising kids or managing a household. There is a higher incidence of both suicide and homicide for those who are alcoholics.

Fortunately despite what many people believe alcoholism is treatable. Typically those who enter alcohol treatment programs do so reluctantly or under strong persuasion from others even from the law. Health problems and legal problems often precipitate the individual getting treatment. Intervention from those who love the individual can also help to get the person into treatment.

There are various treatments that are possible and the best treatment plan will be formulated that will fit the situation and the individual. Treatment usually involves a combination of evaluation, medication, professional counseling, a residential or hospital stay and outpatient treatment programs.

The individual’s medical condition and the level of dependence will determine the severity of the treatment needed and where the treatment will take place. As stated earlier alcoholism can have severe health related consequences and if there are any serious health issues that are alcohol related they will also have to be attended to during the treatment phase as well as addressing the dependence on alcohol which will carry with it often severe withdrawal symptoms.

There are residential treatment programs that specialize in detoxification and help with withdrawal symptoms, can assess medical needs, and give psychological support as well as any needed psychiatric treatment. The treatment will include acceptance of the disease and abstinence from alcohol.

It takes many people to help the individual cope with alcoholism including family, friends, co-workers, and organizations in the community such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon and Alateen.

The Effects of Alcoholism are Short-Term and Long-Term

The effects of alcoholism can be serious even life-threatening and they are both short-term and long-term. There are physiological effects and psychological effects of alcoholism.

The short-term effects of alcoholism can occur as soon as ten minutes after the alcohol hits the lips. The longer the individual drinks the more severe the effects become. The consequences of your drinking may involve events and occurrences that you will later regret. While under the influence of alcohol inhibitions are loosened and individuals do what they might not otherwise do such as engaging in unprotected sex exposing themselves to sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies and date rape.

Those who practice binge drinking (drinking a large amount of alcohol in a short time) can lead to unconsciousness, vomiting while unconscious, which can lead to death by suffocation. Another short-term effect of drinking alcohol is blurred vision.

Physiological effects of alcohol consumption for short-term use include loss of muscle control, leading to slurred speech, falls, and stupor, which pretty much mean that the individual is unable to function, and will be disoriented. A person in this shape is not safe to be behind the wheel of a vehicle and when drunks drive innocent persons are injured even killed. If enough alcohol is consumed over a short period of time the individual can even go into a coma. The coma can be serious, even fatal.

Long-term effects of alcoholism (drinking over a long period of time) can lead to hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver.  It can also lead to digestive problems including gastritis, which is an inflammation of the stomach lining. Pancreatitis is another long-term effect of drinking. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. Long-term drinking can lead to high blood pressure, which can lead to stroke. Alcoholics are also at risk for certain cancers of the mouth and throat and damage to the brain. They can experience heart failure and neurological problems like epilepsy.

Alcoholism can lead to other medical problems such as obesity, sexual difficulties like erectile dysfunction, infertility, skin problems, and muscle disease.

Psychological effects of alcoholism include becoming overly anxious, depressed, developing problems sleeping, developing mood-swings, and becoming violent or suicidal.

Alcohol and the effects of the drinking behavior for the person suffering from alcoholism reach farther than the individual because the family members are also impacted by the drinking in many ways including financially, emotionally, and mentally because alcoholism damages relationships. The effects on children can lead to living without a parent (the alcoholic) or because of the family history of alcoholism they are at risk for becoming alcoholics themselves someday. The violent behavior seen in some alcoholics often leads to spousal abuse or violence towards others including co-workers, neighbors and friends.

Natural Remedies and Herbal Treatments For Those Suffering From Alcoholism

If you or someone you know suffers from alcoholism you know that alcoholism can affect the entire body especially the brain, heart, kidneys, and liver. Alcohol can also dull the senses over time creating sensory losses that can become permanent. Alcohol can also interfere with the digestive process, starving the body of necessary nutrients.

Knowing the serious consequences of alcoholism creates an immediate need for treatment that is effective yet gentle on an already ravaged body. This type of treatment can be natural remedies and herbal treatments.

Herbal treatments:

Aloe Vera can strengthen the liver and help to prevent liver cirrhosis.

Ashwagandha can stimulate natural physical coordination.

Using the herb, gotu kola can revitalize the brain of the alcoholic.

Musk, or jatamansi can also help your body recover from the effects of alcoholism through its cooling effect.

Natural treatments:

Ayurvedic treatments include eating cold food, using cold packs of mud for the body and if the symptoms of alcoholism are more severe ayurvedic medicines to aid in digestion are necessary. Citrus fruit juices are excellent for hangovers, and apples and bananas help to remove toxins from the bloodstream. Drinking carrot juice can help to curb the cravings for alcohol.

When trying to recover from being an alcoholic it is easier to stop drinking slowly rather than all at once (cold turkey). Here are some tips for slowing down:

Switch from hard liquor to beer or wine

Participate in an active sport to curb your urge for alcohol

Join a support group like Alcoholics Anonymous for support from those who understand your cravings.

Apples also help to reduce the cravings for alcohol. Did you know that grapes contain a pure form of alcohol? Someone wishing to stop the craving for alcohol should eat grapes every 4 to 5 hours for the first 4 weeks of abstinence from alcohol.

If your liver has already sustained some damage from alcoholism, make a drink of 3 teaspoons of the juice from bitter gourd leaves and place in a glass of buttermilk and drink up to your good health.

Biochemical repairs include detoxification, repairing the damage to the body. During detoxification the individual should also avoid other illegal drugs, caffeine, sugar and nicotine because nicotine is also a drug that perpetuates the addiction cycle.

It is vital that the person who is trying to avoid alcohol stay away from others who are drinking alcoholic drinks.

Taking supplements during the detoxification stage can be very helpful. Your doctor should approve supplements before starting them.

The following are helpful supplements for the recovering alcoholic:

• Amino Acids
• Calcium
• Essential Fatty Acids
• Glutamine
• Multivitamins
• Mineral supplements
• Pancreatic Enzymes
• Vitamin C

Severity Determines Alcoholism Treatment

If you or someone you love will be entering alcohol treatment, the severity of the disease will determine the course of the treatment and the medications and therapies used. The severity is often impacted by other substance abuse disorders in particular an addiction to nicotine, or anxiety or mood disorders, or antisocial personality disorder. The sad fact is that many individuals suffering from alcoholism go undiagnosed because even medical professionals do not recognize the disease. The disease is chronic getting progressively worse over time if treatment is not started. Eventually the severity of the symptoms will necessitate a diagnosis and treatment will finally begin. The treatment plan for the alcoholic is commensurate with the severity of the symptoms that the client presents with at the time of hospitalization or enrollment in the treatment program.

It is vital that when treatment plans is devised for the alcoholic client that the underlying cause for the alcoholism be treated also. If stress if a factor than it must be determined what is causing the stress and how can the cause be alleviated? If other medical conditions are contributing to the severity of the health condition of the client, these too must be addressed when devising the treatment plan.

There are many signs that should be watched for and addressed that can help determine the severity of the alcoholism including:

The amount and frequency of alcohol consumption

Are there other addictions involved such as amphetamines, anxiolytics, cocaine, heroin, hypnotics, sedatives, and tobacco?

Are there signs of personal neglect or poor nutrition?

Have there been incidents of accidents, burns, suicide attempts, and violence including domestic violence?

Is there a history of antisocial personality disorder, childhood conduct disorder, or an alcoholic parent?

Have there been brushes with the law?

Have there been any negative life events within the last few years such as a death of a family member, loss of a job, loss of a serious relationship?

Not only is the severity of the alcohol problem key to treatment but the client’s motivation to change behavior, and pattern of drinking that should influence the doctor’s choice in how severe the intervention and treatment plan should be. The number of interventions and the length of each intervention will also be determined by the severity of the alcoholic problem as well as the willingness of the alcoholic to participate and take an active role in alcohol recovery.

How severe the problem is will determine how long it will take to clear the 3 major hurdles of alcoholism treatment. The 3 hurdles include overcoming physiologic dependence and the handling of symptoms of withdrawal, psychological dependence on alcohol including treatment for anxiety, depression and stress and lastly, the severity and scope of the alcohol habit (how involved in life are the patterns of alcohol consumption)?

Progression of Alcoholism

The disease alcoholism progresses by three stages, the early, middle and end-stage. It is possible to drink alcohol and not be in any of the three mentioned stages of alcoholism but only if you are a male and drink responsibly which means no more than a drink or two in a 24-hour period or if a non-pregnant woman drinking just one drink in the same period of time. When the frequency of alcohol consumption or the amount of alcohol increases for a male or non-pregnant female so does the risk for developing alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence (alcoholism). Physical and mental health deteriorates as the individual increases the amount of alcohol consumed or the frequency at which it is consumed. As a consequence of irresponsible alcohol consumption the individual may advance into the early-stage of alcoholism.

Early-stage alcoholism starts when an individual begins to rely on the drug, alcohol in order to enhance mood or to escape from problems they are facing. The individual begins to look forward to the next alcoholic drink, even planning when that will be. The love of alcohol begins to replace time spent with loved ones and friends. It is at the early stage of alcoholism that the drinker begins to build a tolerance level that gradually keeps increasing, as greater amounts of alcohol are required to achieve intoxification. Typically the person is still able to function without appearing to be alcohol-impaired so it may not be obvious to the individual or to those around him/her that there is a drinking problem at least until the individual moves on to the middle-stage of alcoholism.

In the middle-stage of alcoholism there is an increased need for more alcohol in order to maintain the same level of "feeling good" so the amount of alcohol that is consumed is increasing throughout the day and the drinker is beginning to lose control over how much he/she is drinking. Relationships, work and even finances may be suffering at this point and there may be some brushes with the law that are alcohol-related. The drinker typically outwardly denies having a drinking problem but it is generally quite apparent to everyone around that there is indeed a drinking problem.

The disease of alcoholism has progressed to the end-stage and it is in this stage that hangovers, blackouts, and health-related problems occur. Physical and mental health issues begin to take a toll on the organs of the body, which become increasingly damaged and functionally impaired over time as the drinking continues. The individual is quite often malnourished due to the large quantities of alcohol consumed that interfere with the normal digestive process and nutrients are not able to be absorbed into the bloodstream.  Even if nutrients were to make it to the bloodstream the liver is usually too damaged to be able to convert them into usable forms for the body. Diseases such as alcoholic cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, and steatosis are often diagnosed at this time and if the alcoholism is left untreated the body’s organs and systems begin to shut down and death follows. It is in the end-stage that alcoholics often commit suicide, or death comes from organ damage, disease

Defining and Understanding Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

If you or someone you know has a problem with alcohol you are likely to hear two common terms, "alcohol abuse" and "alcoholism". Sometimes these terms are used correctly and sometimes they are used interchangeably. It can be helpful to learn what really defines alcohol abuse and what defines alcoholism. It is a common practice even in the medical field to refer to any alcohol related problem as alcoholism. When, in reality those who are diagnosed with alcoholism are actually diagnosed with a disease and not just having a problem that is alcohol related but a very specific issue concerning alcohol. Continue reading to discover the difference between the two and what the true definition of each term really means.

The definition of "alcohol abuse" is a drinker of alcohol that refuses to stop drinking even when the consequences of his drinking have negative effects on his/her family, friends, ability to function at work or causes problems in his/her relationships. When someone is abusing alcohol this can lead to alcohol dependence if treatment is not started and followed through.

The definition of "alcoholism" is a chronic, progressive and potentially fatal disease that involves a craving for alcohol that cannot be ignored that leads to withdrawal symptoms if alcohol is not available. The disease leads to serious and often dangerous behaviors with real consequences that can lead to serious health issues, psychological or social negative implications. The cravings spur the individual on to having to drink greater amounts of alcohol, which increases his/her tolerance and thus an inability to reduce his/her consumption of alcohol in a way that he/she cannot limit or stop the drinking habit.

The person who is abusing alcohol has an ability to make decisions about whether or not to drink and how much to drink. The habit of abusing alcohol may lead to alcohol dependence but not necessarily. The person who suffers from alcoholism has no choice but to drink because of the cravings. This person cannot reduce or stop the drinking unless he/she receives a diagnosis and is put into a treatment program where he/she will learn how to manage the disease of alcoholism.

So how is it decided which definition a drinker falls into? The American Psychiatric Association has a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders called the DMV-IV that has some diagnostic criteria for medical professionals to follow when diagnosing patients who present with alcohol problems.

The DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Alcohol abuse describes a pattern of alcohol abuse that leads to a significant clinical impairment of function, or an occurrence of the following over a 12-month period of time:

Alcohol use that is recurrent and results in failure to meet the major obligations of work, home or school such as having repeated absences from those places, poor performance that is related to drinking alcohol, consequences such as suspensions, expulsions from school, etc., or if at home the occurrence of neglect of children or neglect of caring for the home and those who live in it. Legal consequences such as arrests for alcohol-related violence or breaking the law and or alcohol-related traffic violations including alcohol-related homicides have happened.

Alcohol is repeatedly used despite these above listed consequences and occurrences and despite the financial, personal, or work-related negative consequences that occur (relationship breakups, arrests, school expulsions, loss of job etc.)

The symptoms the individual is having do not meet the criteria for alcoholism.

The DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Alcoholism describes a

Pattern of alcohol consumption that includes significant impairment of function that includes at least 3 out of 7 of the following criteria:

·    Tolerance or an obvious increase in the amount of alcohol necessary to consume in order to achieve a level of intoxication that will allow for a "good feeling", or "high". This level increases at a regular rate and that at each level there is a time when the desired effect no longer occurs.

·    The individual takes a larger amount of alcohol or drinks over a longer period of time than he/she originally intended

·    Even when there is a desire to decrease the amount of alcohol consumed or to stop drinking the efforts are unsuccessful

·    The individual spends a lot of time in the effort to secure alcohol or in recovering from the after effects of drinking alcohol

·    Important activities are missed that is normally important to the individual because of drinking alcohol.

·    The individual continues to drink despite being faced with the knowledge that the drinking creates consequences that are undesirable including health issues, relationship break-ups, problems at work or school

Spotting the Many Signs of Alcoholism

Did you know that there are millions of individuals walking around the world today who consume alcohol on a daily basis and suffer from the disease alcoholism? These individuals suffer the many negative effects of alcoholism and what is even more devastating is that million of individuals suffering from alcoholism have a negative impact on the lives of those around them making alcoholism a disease that impacts more than a million lives everyday.

Every alcoholic starts out as an occasional drinker, a social drinker, someone who thought they could handle alcohol. Alcoholism may have been sneaking up on them but others may have witnessed the physical, physiological, personal and professional effects that alcohol has had on their life for some time. How do we spot those individuals who walk among us and are alcoholics?

There are many signs of alcoholism that are easy to spot and some that are easily disguised and may take a little investigative work in order to uncover these not so obvious signs of alcoholism. It is important to distinguish the difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism when looking for signs. Someone who is abusing alcohol is not using alcohol responsibly by drinking in excess or by drinking and driving or drinking and operating machinery. The person suffering from alcoholism has a disease that makes them crave alcohol in order to feel "normal" they are not in control of their great need for alcohol and suffer withdrawal symptoms when alcohol is not available.

The general rule is that on average a healthy male can consume one or two alcoholic drinks per day, and a non-pregnant woman can consume one alcoholic drink per day without having any adverse health risks associated with that level of alcohol consumption. An alcoholic will build up a tolerance for alcohol and will need to consume more alcohol in order to maintain the same level of "influence" and so with higher levels of consumption come more health risks and signs of consuming alcohol become more evident. Some of these signs are the result of the alcohol-related illnesses that are a result of the drinking others is signs associated with psychological ramifications of the effects of alcohol.

General signs of alcoholism:

• Abusive behavior towards fellow drinkers, family members or strangers
• Becoming angry when being confronted about drinking habits
• Daily or frequent drinking is necessary in order for the individual to feel "normal"
• Drinking in secret
• Failing to care for physical appearance
• Found looking for excuses to drink
• Frequently drinks alone
• Inability to reduce or stop alcohol consumption
• Loss of ability to function at work, home or school
• Loss of memory
• Poor dietary habits
• Trembling of hands in the morning
• Violence associated with drinking such as getting into fights

What is Alcoholism Withdrawal?

There is a serious condition that is associated with the disease alcoholism that is called, alcoholism withdrawal. This condition occurs after a person with the disease alcoholism drinks excessively over a long period of time and then suddenly alcohol is not available or alcohol is denied. There are physical and psychological symptoms of alcoholism withdrawal that range from mild to severe and can even be life threatening. A person should not go through alcoholism withdrawal without medical monitoring as not monitoring the health condition of the individual going through alcoholism withdrawal could result in serious health situations that could end in death.

These withdrawal symptoms usually begin about twelve hours after the last drop of alcohol has been consumed. Alcoholism withdrawal symptoms will peak in two to three days and may last for as long as a week or more in duration. The individual may undergo sleep disturbances, fatigue, mood changes and others that may last for up to twelve months or even longer. Alcoholism withdrawal is serious business and must not be undergone alone or without medical assistance and monitoring. If you know someone who is experiencing withdrawal symptoms it is best to get them to an emergency room or alcohol treatment center where they can receive the medical assistance they need to go through the process safely.

Mild to moderate physical symptoms of alcoholism withdrawal may include:

• Headache
• Pulsating
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Tremors

Mild to moderate psychological symptoms may include:

• Anxiety
• Bad Dreams
• Depression
• Difficulty thinking
• Fatigue
• Feeling Jumpy
• Feeling Shaky

Severe Symptoms:

The severe symptoms of alcoholism withdrawal include abnormal loss of skin color, blackouts, confusion, clammy skin, convulsions, and dilated pupils in the eye, hand tremors, involuntary eyelid movements, and also rapid heartbeat. These severe symptoms can occur anytime after 12-hours from the last alcoholic drink.

It is important to call 911 or contact emergency help if the person is having seizures, is hallucinating, has an irregular heartbeat or a rapid heartbeat, or is severely confused.

Medical treatment:

While in the hospital heavy sedation may be required to lessen the severity of the symptoms. It may take a week or longer for the person to be under sedation in order for the withdrawal symptoms to be over.

If the individuals suffered from hallucinations antipsychotic medications may be administered. If the person had seizures anticonvulsant medication may be given.

Long-term preventative treatment will start to begin a period of time known as detoxification where alcohol is to be avoided and this usually involves the individual being placed in an alcoholism rehabilitation facility or treatment center if not already in one.

Alcoholism withdrawal is a serious condition for a serious alcohol problem and must be treated with the care that is required in order to insure the safety of the individual going through the alcoholism withdrawal.

What Questions to Ask to Determine if You Or Someone You Love Has An Alcohol Problem?

There are screening questions that professions use to determine if an individual may have a problem with alcohol including alcohol abuse or alcoholism. These questions are geared to focus on alcohol habits, behavior and consequences of drinking alcohol. The answers to these questions are often used in order to make alcohol-related diagnoses (alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence also known as alcoholism).

Answering yes to one or more of the alcohol abuse screening questions may indicate to a medical professional that you do have a problem with alcohol if the occurrence happened within a 12-month period of time.

One question has to do with whether or not you have ever driven a motor vehicle after having more than two drinks if a male or more than one drink if a female.

Another question concerns whether or not you have been in situations that may be dangerous to be in if you are drunk such as swimming, using dangerous machinery, being in a dangerous area or going into areas of heavy traffic.

A question may be asked concerning whether or not you have ever been involved in a fight while drinking or directly after you have been drinking.

It will be determined if you have ever had a period of time in which your drinking has had a negative impact on your ability to function at work or school or if your drinking has caused any problems with family members or friends.

You will be asked about any arrest records you may have within the last 12 months that involve the use of alcohol or if you have had any other legal problems as a direct result of your drinking such as destroying property, accusations of violence or abuse while drunk.

An individual can graduate from abusing alcohol to being addicted to or dependent upon alcohol over time and in that case different questions may be helpful in determining if the individual is suffering from alcohol dependence (alcoholism) which is a chronic and progressive disease involving the craving for alcohol and the inability to stop drinking alcohol despite serious consequences to self, family, finances or health.

Questions that may help to determine if the person has a problem with alcohol and is dependent on it are:

Have you ever ended up drinking more alcohol than you intended to drink originally?

Have you ever tried to stop drinking but were unsuccessful?

Do you have to drink a larger quantity of alcohol to receive the same buzz as previous lower amounts of alcohol?

Have you ever taken a drug, medicine, or other beverage in order to avoid the bad after-effects from drinking or from experiencing a hangover?

Have you ever continued to drink despite the fact that it makes you anxious, depressed, experience "blackouts" or you have noticed that your drinking is resulting in a health problem but you continue to drink anyways?

Has your drinking habit forced you to give up favorite activities, being with family or friends or doing things that once brought you pleasure just so you could drink instead?

Answering yes to one or more of the above screening questions for alcohol dependence (alcoholism) during the last 12-month period may indicate that you have a problem with alcohol that could be diagnosed as alcoholism.

It is important that if you or someone you love can answer yes to any of the above questions within the last 12-month period that you seek medical advice immediately; your health may depend on it.

Distinguishing the Signs and Symptoms of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

There is certain social acceptance when it comes to the signs and symptoms of alcoholism or alcohol abuse. There is a certain expectation of alcohol use especially around the holidays. Take those same symptoms and signs and apply them to the consequences such as fatalities from drunk driving or a infant suffering from the impact of mom’s alcoholism during pregnancy that may lead to brain damage and mental retardation and it becomes evident that what may be acceptable at a holiday party, even amusing can be deadly and devastating to families all over the world. It is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of alcoholism and alcohol abuse for what they are and for the serious consequences attached to them.

Alcoholism carries with it a widespread and costly addiction that causes individuals of all age groups, sexes and races to abuse alcohol and to become dependent on alcohol. The act of regular social drinking can lead to alcohol abuse and to the seriously chronic disease, alcoholism.

Individuals who have a physical addiction or dependence to the drug alcohol may very well have the disease, alcoholism. If they crave alcohol to the point that they become irritable and distraught when alcohol is not available and if they are denied alcohol or alcohol becomes unavailable to them and they exhibit signs of withdrawal such as nausea, sweating or tremors they very well could have the disease alcoholism.

It is not always easy to detect the signs or symptoms of alcohol abuse (drinking alcohol to excess but being in control of how much has been consumed) or the signs that a person is suffering from alcoholism but a professional medical doctor can diagnose the alcohol problem (abuse or alcoholism) by examining the individual taking a medical and symptom history and by using an assessment tool called the "CAGE test". There are four short questions that are designed to help professionals detect alcohol abuse or alcoholism. If the individual answers yes to any of the four questions indicates the need for further investigation. The CAGE test and other assessment tools are available on the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) site.

Signs and symptoms that may offer a clue that the individual may have an alcohol abuse or alcoholism issue are:

Cravings for alcohol

The need to drink alcohol at particular times like after dinner

Loss of control over the amount consumed or the ability to stop drinking

The body and brain have developed a dependence on the drug, alcohol evidenced by the presence of withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, anxiety about alcohol discovery, tremors, irritability, sweating, even seizures

If you notice these signs and symptoms in yourself or someone else and you suspect that the individual is not able to control how much they drink it is important to encourage the individual to seek professional guidance so that a diagnosis and treatment can be initiated. Doing so just may save the life of that person or someone you love because alcohol abuse and alcoholism touches many lives many of them innocent.

Family Intervention Alcoholism Style

Intervention is when the person is confronted with the direct evidence of the consequences of his/her actions and how those actions has affected others and in the case of family intervention, how those actions have negatively impacted the other family members. When the intervention involves alcoholism, the actions are directly related to drinking alcohol. Generally the intervention takes place when the alcoholic’s behavior or drinking has reached a crisis level and there have been dire or very serious consequences such as a traffic violation that had serious results such as a injury or death to a innocent victim, or the alcoholic abused a family member, or the alcoholic ended up in the hospital for a serious alcohol-related health issue that is serious.

Interventions are usually planned and developed by professionals who are experienced in substance abuse counseling and are experienced in alcohol interventions. Most alcohol and drug treatment centers are prepared to help families to plan and conduct interventions. Interventions can take place at the workplace, at home, or at the hospital if the individual is hospitalized. Typically the purpose of the intervention is to convince the alcoholic of the need to enter a treatment facility in order to learn how to manage the alcohol problem.

Not all interventions are successful. An unsuccessful intervention can actually tear a family further apart creating further damage in a family that has already suffered at the hands of the alcoholic.

Because alcoholism is a disease that has no cure, the individual with the disease will approach the intervention attempt from whatever stage of the disease he/she is in at the moment. To be successful at recovery, an alcoholic has to want to manage the alcohol problem and for many suffering from alcoholism the toughest step is admitting that they have a problem with alcohol. Without a cure, the best an alcoholic can hope for is to be able to successfully recover from and then manage the disease without suffering relapses.

Intervention can be a life-saving choice when the alcoholic is at the point where the drinking is putting him/herself in danger or putting others in danger. The recovery from being an alcoholic is not just a 28-day treatment it is a life-long program that the alcoholic must be committed to.

As in most things that are important in life there are no guarantees or certainties in conducting an intervention for someone suffering from alcoholism. There are several outcomes that those anticipating doing an intervention must consider. The intervention can result in:

The individual accepting the fact that alcohol recovery and treatment are needed and submits to the treatment facility.

The individual is forced unwillingly to agree to go to the treatment center and begins recovery and treatment but is not committed to managing the disease and therefore returns to old drinking habits.

The individual flatly refuses recovery and treatment and the situation worsens for everyone involved and family members are forced to protect themselves or make good on threats of what would happen if the alcoholic did not seek recovery and treatment.

You Are Going To An Alcoholic Treatment Center for the First Time What Can You Expect?

You may have just gone through an intervention, or been court-ordered to attend, or just received the diagnosis of alcoholism. No matter how you arrived at this time in your life you are about to enter an alcoholic treatment center for the first time. Life is full of first times from the moment we take our first breath until we take our last. Not everyone has to face this particular first, but here you are facing entering a treatment center for alcoholics for the first time. You are nervous and just a little unsure about what to expect. You may have heard stories or read about celebrities in treatment centers but what is it really like for someone like you?

There are several important sections that you will be encountering once you enter the treatment center they include the checking-in process, the psychological assessment, the medical assessment, detoxification, individual therapy sessions, group therapy sessions, family counseling, aftercare and then there is the encouragement to join a local Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group for continued support.

The checking-in process:

A staff member of the admissions department will meet you in the lobby of the facility and have you fill out paperwork. Your insurance information will be assessed.

You will be shown to your room in the treatment center. Be prepared to have someone go through your personal belonging. This will be done to be sure that you did not bring anything that you shouldn’t have in the treatment center. You should have been given instructions about the things you are allowed to bring and the things you should not bring when you registered for admission to the treatment center or when someone registered you on your behalf. Unless you were told to bring prescription medications it is never appropriate to bring any medications or herbal remedies into the facility. You are obviously never allowed to bring in any products that contain alcohol such as certain mouthwashes.

You will be given a tour of the treatment center so that you can begin to become familiar with the layout and where to locate certain areas that you will be using.

You will start to be introduced to other treatment staff members and others.

The rules of the treatment center will be explained to you and you will be given a copy of these rules.

The psychological assessment involves a counselor whom will take your complete history, and information specific to your alcohol other drug usage. This counselor will assess your mental and emotional states and you may be referred to a staff psychiatrist for additional treatment. It will be determined at this time what if any additional mental health or medical treatment that you require.

A medical assessment is when you are seen by a medical doctor at the treatment center who is responsible for getting a complete medical history from you, completing a physical, prescribing any necessary medications and caring for any physical health needs you may have that are related to your drinking alcohol or any other medical conditions that you have at the time.

Detoxification is when the staff of the treatment center will monitor your withdrawal symptoms you will go through as you go through the period of time when you are not able to consume alcohol in order to recover from your alcoholism symptoms. Your withdrawal symptoms may include anxiety, nausea, shakiness and tremors, sweating and other symptoms.

There are several therapies available while you are in the alcohol treatment center including individual therapy, group therapy, educational sessions to complement the therapy and family therapy. All of these sessions are designed to support you as you learn how to manage alcoholism. You will be learning how to cope with new skills to avoid situations where alcohol is present so that you can manage your disease. The family counseling will be done with you and with the family alone and is geared not to embarrass you but to help your family understand alcoholism and what it will be like for you as you learn how to manage your disease.

What is aftercare?

After you are discharged from the alcohol treatment center you will be enrolled in an aftercare program that will most likely consist of weekly sessions. These sessions are designed to continue to support your efforts to control your disease. The staff of the aftercare program will also monitor your efforts. This program is very important to your ongoing success in being able to manage your disease.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA):

Your local chapter of AA may be offered as a complement to your treatment program you are about to arrive at and is there to also help you to have continued success handling and coping with all the events and situations you will encounter in your life after being diagnosed with alcoholism and life after the alcoholic treatment center.

You Suffer From Alcoholism and the Holidays are Upon You

One of the hardest survival tests for someone suffering from alcoholism is to survive the holidays and stick to a treatment plan for alcoholism.

There are many dangers and temptations that present themselves over the holidays when alcohol causes big trouble. If you are trying to avoid the issues surrounding alcohol and your cravings for it being invited to office parties, family gatherings and intimate get-togethers can be rough because you know alcohol will be invited too.

You can have fun and enjoy the holidays if you suffer from alcoholism with the following survival tips:

Tips to keep you sober when going to a holiday office party include ask if non-alcoholic beverages will be served before the date of the party. If you forget to ask or it is inconvenient to ask, bring your own non-alcoholic drink. Make a point to stay clear of the part of the room where alcohol is being served, eat before the party and while you are at the party so that you are not hungry and feel satisfied and full during the party. If you feel that craving for alcohol leave the party immediately. Have a plan for your departure arranged ahead of time between you and a friend so that if you become weak in your resolve a friend can lend a hand and give your the confidence to leave the party without drinking.

If the opportunity presents itself at the party when you are offered an alcoholic drink be prepared to just say no politely, there is no need to explain your response. Keep busy while at the party by dancing, talking with others, helping the host or hostess with food or entertainment but stay away from where the alcohol is being served.

No matter what the temptation, do not succumb to the urge to drink. The party and the holidays will soon be over and you will have great memories of fun and celebration that did not include giving into your cravings for alcohol.

It is always helpful to arrive fashionably late for the party and then just leave early so that you have less time to be tempted to drink.

Just assume that any holiday eggnog is spiked and stay clear.

In order to attend an office party where alcohol will be served over the holidays when you suffer from alcoholism you will need a strong desire to quit drinking and a plan beforehand that includes the above tips.

Surviving family gatherings where alcohol will be served:

In contrast to the holiday office party where the flow of conversation is usually small talk, crazy talk or loud; the family gathering can be full of psychological pressure from those who know your most intimate moments of failure with alcohol and at usually one family member who never fails to remind you about your alcoholic shortcomings. These holiday family gatherings can be stressful for the individual going through treatment for alcoholism. Not everyone at the family gathering is likely to understand that alcoholism is a disease and that you are in treatment for the disease but not cured. Alcoholism is a chronic condition, which means long-term. You will always have to be careful of situations that may trigger a relapse into the behavior that feeds your addiction for alcohol. There are many triggers that are often present at these family gatherings such as stress, anxiety-producing memories evoked by the family members present at these holiday functions.

When dealing with relatives who may give you a difficult time set ground rules between you and your spouse or who ever you bring with you to the dinner concerning what is safe to talk about and what to avoid mentioning or how to steer other family members away from alcohol-related topics. Choose how you are going to behave before arriving and don’t let anyone at the family gathering change your mind for the worse, acknowledge criticisms and other comments directed at you and anything that is hurtful or makes you feel uncomfortable choose to ignore it or just acknowledge that you heard them, but change the subject by bringing up the holiday and if they insist say something like, "this is not the time or place to discuss this, instead let’s be grateful for family and this holiday" or something like that.

Surviving the intimate holidays moments without drinking:

Studies show that alcohol is a significant ingredient when opposite-sex friends become intimate so how can you enjoy intimate holiday moments when you are in treatment for alcoholism? Alcohol can also prevent you from actually remembering to be present (physically or mentally) at a pre-arranged intimate date so the fact that you are in treatment may guarantee that you will actually show up and be conscience of what is happening enough to enjoy the intimate moments.

You can create the atmosphere of intimacy by using mood music, candles, intimate food and non-alcoholic drinks.

Alcohol Dependence Syndrome

Alcohol dependence syndrome also known as alcoholism is a chronic disease that has the following characteristics: a strong craving or compulsion to drink alcohol, a loss of control when it comes to the ability to limit or stop drinking, and a physical dependence upon alcohol marked by withdrawal symptoms that include anxiety, nausea, shakiness, and sweating and also a increasing tolerance for alcohol in order to feel the same level of "high".

The disease alcoholism, is not determined by the type of alcoholic beverage that you consume or even by the amount of alcohol that the individual has consumed it has more to do with the inability of the individual to control the need for alcohol and the ability to control how much alcohol is consumed or the ability to stop drinking if the desire to do so arises.

When others understand the disease, alcoholism, and that the person is really not in control of the disease it then becomes easier to stop blaming the person and start having compassion for them.

The need for alcohol is just as strong if not stronger than the need for food or water for the person who is suffering from alcoholism.

Some researchers believe that the vulnerability to succumb to alcoholism is an inherited trait that the person has little control over. Exposure to alcoholism is what triggers this trait and when the individual takes that first drink, the disease becomes apparent and the individual is often afraid to show his or her dependence on alcohol. Many suffering from alcoholism do so in private until the symptoms from the disease start to give them away to others close to them such as family members, friends and co-workers.

A few lucky individuals manage to recover from alcoholism without outside help but the majority of those who suffer from alcoholism are in desperate need of intervention and outside assistance and support in order to recover from the grips of alcoholism. As long as others who lend them the support they need to stop drinking and to rebuild their lives surround those suffering from alcoholism, they can successfully break the hold that alcohol has on their life.

There are many influences that contribute to alcoholism including peer pressure, the easy availability of alcohol and social influences that make inherited and environmental risk factors too strong to resist or overcome for the individual with the tendencies towards alcoholism.

It is important to understand that just because an individual may be at risk for alcoholism based on family history or environmental factors it does not necessary mean that alcoholism is not avoidable because the risks for alcoholism can be overcome especially if those risks are understood from a young age and alcohol is avoided.

Alcohol Signs and Symptoms That Signal A Problem

Many people drink responsibly and the drinking they do does not lead to any health or other problems. These people are able to handle the drug alcohol in recommended quantities and to enjoy alcohol in the manner in which it was intended. There are however millions of individuals that experience the negative impacts associated with not being able to handle alcohol in a responsible manner and suffer the addictive after-effects of the drug in ways that have a negative impact on their health, on finances, their jobs, family and relationships. They can experience physical, mental, and emotional side effects that are negative and may lead to serious health problems, mental problems like dementia and even coma and death. Some of these individuals are not aware of the negative effects alcohol is having on them even if it is obvious to those around them. Innocent individuals can become harmed by the drinking habits of those who cannot handle the drug alcohol. The alcohol problem is extensive and touches millions of lives each day all over the world. There is a huge impact on society from alcohol abuse and the disease alcoholism. Society suffers from exacerbating violent crimes and cases of domestic violence directly related to alcohol problems. The problem is not just an individual one it belongs to society as a whole. This is why it is so important for everyone to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse and alcoholism so that help can start before it is too late.

Some of the signs and symptoms of alcohol problems are easy to spot but others are hidden and not so easy to detect. Some of the signs and symptoms are physical in nature and others are psychological or emotional.

Many people drink and do not have any problems associated with their drinking habit because they drink responsibly. That is because they have learned to establish a responsible measure of control over their drinking that they can maintain every time they drink. They know how much they can safely drink and they know when to stop and are able to stop drinking when they need to. It is the lack of this kind of control that creates alcohol-related problems.

Alcohol abuse signs and symptoms involve health issues, financial issues, legal issues, the immergence of risky behavior, problems at work or school that are alcohol-related, problems with family or friends that are caused by alcohol, and a change in social life related to drinking. Someone who abuses alcohol drinks in excess of what is considered to be responsible drinking levels for their sex and body weight. Typically responsible drinking for males includes one or two drinks in a 24-hour period of time and responsible drinking for non-pregnant females include just one drink in a 24-hour period of time.

Alcoholism signs and symptoms include cravings for alcohol that cannot be denied, an inability to stop drinking, drinking greater amounts of alcohol than originally intending to consume, and not being able to stop drinking alcohol even if they say they want to. A person suffering from alcoholism will experience withdrawal symptoms if alcohol is unavailable or denied.

Alcoholism and the Twelve Steps

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has a twelve-step program for those suffering from alcohol abuse or alcoholism. Individuals with the disease alcoholism benefit from the twelve steps because it gives them a plan for making the disease manageable and to help them accept the reality of the disease that they will have for life. Yes, alcoholism is a chronic disease, there is no cure and the individual must learn how to live with the disease or it can and will end the life they have. The process of recovery from your disease begins with admitting that you have alcoholism and that you can overcome the consequences of the signs and symptoms of alcoholism.

Although the AA twelve step program is not the only treatment program available it is a program that is often recommended to complement other programs. It is also a well-known program so there is an instant feeling of confidence.

When you first begin the 12 step program at AA, you are required to humble yourself and admit to yourself and others that you have indeed joined countless others as an alcoholic suffering from a chronic disease called alcoholism. Once you admit where you are in life and that you have a need to recover from your addiction to alcohol you can then start the process of learning how to manage your disease.

You will be told that following the twelve steps will not be easy but that all twelve steps are an essential part of your recovery.

One of the steps to recovery is recognizing that there is a power bigger than you in the universe, namely, God and that you are in need of improving your relationship with God, as you understand "God" to be within your culture. This is because the recovery program at AA has a very strong spiritual component. This component though is non-denominational. In other words you will not be pushed to follow any particular denominational thinking or to join any religion. You are simply asked to recognize that part of managing your life understands where your life comes from and that there is a higher power that effects you in a powerful way.

This is a program that you are encouraged to continue with long after you have completed going through all twelve steps of the program. Those who run your local AA program of twelve steps are just like you, dealing with a disease, alcoholism. They understand where you are coming from and where you are headed if you do not learn how to manage your disease. They can support you better than anyone because they understand you. The AA twelve-step program has the belief that when an individual alcoholic accepts that there is a higher power it is the key to overcoming alcoholism and learning how to manage the symptoms of the disease.

Alcoholism Common and Serious

Did you know that alcoholism is a serious and common disease? Physicians associate cancers with alcoholism they also see many examples of disease related to alcoholism including alcohol-related cirrhosis, cardiomyopathy, gastrointestinal bleeding and pancreatitis. What more, even those who didn’t actually put the alcohol to their lips suffer the consequences of alcoholism including innocents that suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome, which is a leading cause of mental retardation. There are other serious consequences of alcoholism including the traffic accidents that drinking and driving cause, depression and dementia suffered by those with the disease, suicide, and homicide linked to alcoholism and the risk to children of alcoholic parents that they too might suffer someday the same illness.

Did you know that alcoholism has an affect on every organ in the body? High doses of alcohol can even cause coma and death. Individuals with long-term alcoholism are also prone to experiencing withdrawal syndrome and brain excitability as well as alcohol ingestion, which then leads to cell death and cerebellar degeneration, alcoholic hallucinosis, delirium tremors, and withdrawal seizures.

At risk are those with a family history of alcoholism, those in lower income brackets and those who do not have higher educational achievements. The World Health Organization found that at risk for mental disorders were those who had alcohol dependence.

Alcoholism according to statistics is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. with 85,000 deaths being linked to alcoholism each year in the United States. Another statistic shows that a large percentage of global disease is linked to alcoholism including 7% of breast cancer, 32% of all cirrhosis, 10% of hemorrhagic strokes, 19% of mouth and oropharyngeal cancers, and 25% of liver cancer.

Statistically according to the U.S. National Comorbidity Survey and the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Survey alcoholism in African Americans is higher than it is for those who are Americans and Caucasian as well as higher for those who are Hispanic Americans, Native American or Asian American. Alcoholism is also twice as likely to occur in males than females.

Despite the known danger of alcoholism and how common the disease is, medical doctors fail to make the correct diagnosis of alcoholism in almost 50% of the cases. Patients make diagnosing alcoholism by denying they have a problem when asked, fear of job loss if employer finds out about a diagnosis of alcoholism or too ashamed to admit they have a problem with alcohol.

Sometimes the diagnosis is missed because medical professionals may be unaware of the proper way to screen for and to diagnose alcoholism. It is difficult to have accurate testing to make a diagnosis of alcoholism because blood tests and liver function tests as well as mean corpuscular volume are not always effective. Even the gamma glutamyl transferrin levels test are only 50% accurate.

Alcoholism Facts That Are Beneficial For Everyone To Know

Alcoholism touches not only the one with the disease, but those they live with, and those they work with and others that have lives that are affected by the person suffering from alcoholism.

There is a dramatic impact felt by millions of people worldwide because of the serious illness known as alcoholism. There are those who consume alcohol (a drug) on a regular basis that crave the alcohol, are dependent on the drug and suffer consequences from the disease. The consequences are health-related, financial and can even have a devastating effect on spouses or other family members. Someone with alcoholism can also impact strangers when the disease causes them to make poor judgments like drinking and driving.

There are well-known facts about the disease alcoholism that contributes to the impact that the disease has on others including the fact that alcohol-connected deaths claim the lives of 100,000 individuals each year in the United States. The causes of these alcohol related deaths come from drinking and driving, diseases such as cancer of the liver, cirrhosis of the liver, and stroke. Falls are also included in causes of alcohol-related deaths. There are an estimated 109 million individual who drink alcohol in the United States aged 12 and up with 18 million of them fitting the diagnostic criteria for alcoholism or alcohol abuse.

Alcohol is a drug and is the one drug of choice that children and teens turn to making alcoholism a reality for individuals in any age group. Approximately 7,000 children in the U.S. will take their first drink of alcohol. Kids born to at least one parent suffering from alcoholism are more likely to start drinking at a young age. This makes them at a high risk for alcohol-related disorders including alcoholism.

Like most chronic diseases there are stages to alcoholism. There is an early, middle and late stage to the disease of alcoholism. In the early stage the individual comes to rely on alcohol to get through the day and catches him or herself thinking about when they can have that next drink. The tolerance level gradually increases until it becomes obvious to everyone that the person has a problem with alcohol.

Middle-stage alcoholism occurs when the alcohol consumption includes drinking early in the day and late into the night, effects relationships, ability to function properly at work, school or at home. Alcohol had had an impact on finances and the ability to positively maintain relationships with significant other or other family members.

End-stage alcoholism is when the individual becomes obsessed with alcohol to the point that not much else is more important, they experience blackouts where they do and say things while drinking that they cannot remember doing later have damaged body organs or impaired functionality including cognitive ability to reason or think clearly or by making poor judgments.

Alcoholism is a Disease

Like other diseases, alcoholism has signs, symptoms, causes and effects. The hallmarks of alcoholism are cravings for alcohol and withdrawal symptoms when alcohol is not available. When an individual has alcoholism they drink until there are negative consequences and typically they ignore the consequences in favor of another drink. Although there are those who criticize that alcoholism is a disease, medical doctors and scientists agree that alcoholism is a disease.

Alcoholism is a chronic, life-long disease and just like other chronic life-long diseases if the patient does not manage the disease, there are health consequences that can be severe. The individuals diagnosed with alcoholism have impaired and compulsive thoughts and behaviors towards alcohol that includes distorted thinking, a physical dependence upon alcohol, the inability to control the amount of alcohol consumed and an inability to cut back or to stop drinking alcohol. Alcoholism that is not managed properly can develop into cirrhosis of the liver, and heart disease.

Individuals with the highest risk for developing the disease, alcoholism are those with a family history of alcoholism and those with mental illnesses and those who are exposed to alcohol on a regular basis. Studies indicate that 40 to 50% of alcoholism is the result of environment factors and 50 to 60% is caused by genetics (family history) a very small percentage is due to personal choice.

Doctors typically diagnose alcoholism based on three or more symptoms occurring within the same 12-month period of time out of a seven possible signs or symptoms:

·    A need for increasingly higher amounts of alcohol to give the same intoxicated effect.

·    Withdrawal symptoms when alcohol is unavailable

·    Frequently the individual consumes more alcohol that originally intended at the time to drink

·    There are unsuccessful attempts to slow down or to stop drinking

·    Substantial time is spent on obtaining alcohol or in being able to get to where the alcohol is.

·    The individual is known to give up favorite activities in order to consume alcohol

·    Even after the negative consequences of drinking are pointed out to the individual, it is still important for that individual to continue his/her drinking

Alcoholism is a serious, life-long disease in which most alcoholics never achieve the ability to control the cravings for alcohol. Uncontrolled alcoholism leads to serious health problems such as cirrhosis of the liver, heart disease and high blood pressure. The American Medical Association declared alcoholism a disease in 1956. The American Bar Association declares that the principle of dependence on alcohol or other drugs is a disease. Although it is generally accepted by the scientific and medical communities that alcoholism is a disease, there is still some debate on the topic.

Alcoholism Recovery and Treatment

There are many factors to effective alcoholism recovery and treatment typically requiring intensive approaches to address the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of the disease. Effective treatment commonly includes intervention to get the individual into treatment, treatment at a residential facility, and later on treatment as an outpatient, psychosocial therapy, and support in peer groups and medication.

Medication is used to complement the other treatment factors and to help achieve treatment objectives quicker. The role of medication is not to cure alcoholism but to ease symptoms including withdrawal symptoms of the disease. Three drugs in particular are commonly used during the course of treatment for alcoholism and include acamprosate, disulfiram, and naltrexone. There is no medication that can be given that will help a person to stop drinking alcohol. The medication is only prescribed after the individual has been in a period of abstinence from alcohol and are currently in a treatment program that includes therapy.

Staying sober is paramount to the success of the medication to be effective in alleviating the symptoms experienced by the individual.

Acamproste helps to reduce the physical signs as well as the emotional discomfort that occur when the individual goes through the process of detoxification. Common physical distress and emotional discomfort includes anxiety, sweating, tremors and sleep disturbances.

Disulfiram is used as a deterrent for alcohol usage. If they drink while on the drug they will experience severe reactions including increase in blood pressure, facial flushing, increased heart rate, nausea, throbbing headache, and vomiting.

Naltrexone reduces the craving to drink alcohol by blocking neurotransmitters in the brain so that the person does not feel intoxicated or "high" while drinking alcohol.

Residential treatment programs include a detoxification in which the person will experience symptoms of withdrawal. This period usually lasts for 4 to 7 days. Medications may be used to prevent withdrawal seizures or delirium tremors. After the detoxification period comes the medical assessment and treatment phase. The individual suffering from alcoholism may have medical problems that are related to their alcohol consumption or non-alcohol related medical conditions. The most common medical problems are elevated blood sugar levels, heart and liver disease, and alcohol related high blood pressure.

Psychological support and psychiatric treatment is typically an essential part of the treatment program and continues through as part of the support for recovery. Many of the treatment programs in the larger communities also include therapy for couples and families because the support of the family is a critical part of successful recovery from alcoholism. When a spouse or other significant family member is involved in therapy and supports the individual in a positive manner it increases the chances for a successful recovery from alcoholism.

Alcoholism Uncovered

Uncovering a serious problem like alcoholism begins with defining what the problem is first. The problem is that alcoholism is more than just drinking too much, alcoholism is a disease. A disease in which a person becomes dependent on alcohol, which is a drug, is called alcoholism. Craving alcohol and the addictive pattern of behavior will cause serious health problems, financial and relationship problems even problems with the ability to earn an income if the disease is not managed properly. If a person is not dependent on alcohol but drinks in excess of what is considered to be normal for age and body weight and that the drinking is causing health or social problems but the individual is not dependent on alcohol and hasn’t yet lost control over the use of alcohol the person is said to be abusing alcohol but not suffering from alcoholism.

The good news is that despite what many people think, alcoholism is a treatable disease. Alcoholism can be treated by the use of medications, professional counseling and also by self-help groups and other professional therapies on an on-going support basis. It is possible to recover from alcoholism.

How do you know if you or someone you love suffers from alcoholism?

You would know if you or someone you loved was suffering from alcoholism because you or they would exhibit signs or symptoms of alcoholism. If you are someone suspected that you are someone was suffering from alcoholism because of recognizing the signs or symptoms of alcoholism a medical doctor could discuss the symptoms with the person, take a medical history and examine the individual so that a diagnosis of alcoholism can be confirmed or dismissed.

Signs or symptoms of alcoholism:

The person in question drinks alone or drinks in secret

The person is unable to limit the amount of alcohol they consume at one sitting

The person is unable to remember conversations they have with others, commitments they have made, and may even complain of having "blackouts" in which there are periods of time that they do not remember what they did or where they were.

The individual may make rituals of having alcohol before, with or after dinner or at other times and then becomes annoyed if the ritual is disturbed by anything or anyone or if someone questions the ritual or ridicules it

The person has lost interest in activities that they usually enjoyed and participated in prior to becoming obsessed with alcohol

There is a need or craving to drink that they cannot deny

When alcohol is not available and it is the usual drinking time the individual will become irritated or upset

Stashing alcohol in unusual places at home or work or in a vehicle

Needs to drink in order to feel "normal" or to feel good

Problems with finances, relationships or at work that can be connected to drinking

Has built up a tolerance to alcohol that requires an increase in amount of alcohol consumed in order to meet the same level of intoxication as previously achieved. It takes an increasingly greater number of drinks in order to achieve the desired feeling of "normalcy or have feeling good".

When alcohol is not available the individual will experience withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating or tremors (shaking) if they are unable to consume alcohol

Alcohol & Alcoholism Facts

1. The health-related symptoms of alcoholism include dizziness, blurred vision, unconsciousness and even coma and death. Long-term alcohol use can also have serious impact upon just about every organ in the person’s body.
2. Counseling and drugs are the two most commonly used treatments for alcoholism and treatment can be dispensed in a detoxification program where psychological support and psychiatric treatment is available and emphasis is placed on abstinence and acceptance of the disease. Drug treatments include the use of a alcohol-sensitizing drug "disulfiram" (Antabuse). and other medications such as naltrexone, and acamprosate.
3. An alcoholism intervention is a confrontation between those who are concerned about the individual and feel the need for medical diagnosis and treatment of the symptoms of alcoholism and the person with the alcohol problem.
4. Education is the best prevention for alcoholism and it must start with the youth so that they are taught and encouraged to avoid situations that will put them at risk for alcoholism.
5. There are quite a few medical complications that can arise when a person suffers from alcoholism including birth defects (when mom is an alcoholic), bone loss, cardiovascular problems, divorce and domestic violence, gastrointestinal problems, diabetes complications, poor work performance or poor performance at school, sexual function, problems with menstruation and also a higher rate of suicide and homicide.
6. The World Health Organization (WHO) discovered that 1 in 3 patients in Britain were at risk for drinking behavior.
7. Alcoholism is more common in France than it is in Italy even though both countries have identical per capita alcohol consumption.
8. Half of all violent crimes are connected to alcoholism. Individuals who abuse alcohol are less likely to quit smoking so alcohol increases another health risk – smoking tobacco products.
9. Alcoholism is twice as prevalent in males as it is in females in fact it is 2.5 times as likely in men than it is in women.
10. Women who are diagnosed with alcoholism are more likely to develop alcoholism later in life as opposed to males who tend to develop alcoholism earlier in life.
11. Alcoholism is a chronic and serious health problem that can lead to alcohol-related cirrhosis, cardiomyopathy, gastrointestinal problems, and pancreatitis.
12. The younger the individual starts the drinking habit the difficult the disease is to treat. Those that have a good deal of difficulty dealing with stressful situations or those who have mental issues tend to be at a higher risk for developing alcoholism.
13. Alcoholism will follow a very predictable path that will become progressively worse over time. The disease makes the individual feel as if they can’t possibly function normally unless they consume greater and greater amounts of alcohol, leading to more severe symptoms of health related problems. The disease can progress to the point of being fatal.
14. Statistics show that there are more than 100,000 deaths each year that can be directed tied to alcoholism or excessive alcohol consumption that include both direct and indirect causes of death such as death caused by drunk driving, alcohol-related falls, liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, complications of diabetes that are related to alcohol consumption, and also stroke.
15. The illness spreads through family units as children of parents who suffer from alcoholism have a significantly higher risk for starting to drink during the teen years and then to develop alcohol related disorder because of the early drinking.

What is Binge Drinking and How Does It Relate to Alcoholism?

Binge drinking is when an individual takes several drinks of alcohol in close succession, typically five drinks for males and four drinks for females. Studies show that individuals who regularly participate in binge drinking may drink alcohol twice a week and may or may not be addicted to alcohol. The peak age to be involved in binge drinking according to statistics is in the range of age 18 to 22 typically the time when young people are in college. High school students have also been known to participate in binge drinking. Other statistics show that binge drinking may start as early as age 13.

There are many health and other dangers that can occur when an individual participates in binge drinking.

Health problems that can occur as a result of binge drinking include:

• Alcohol poisoning
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome for those women who binge drink while pregnant
• High blood pressure, which may result in cardiovascular disease or stroke
• Injuries from falls, domestic abuse, intentional injuries and injuries sustained from use of firearms while drunk
• Liver disease
• Neurological damage caused by excessive alcohol consumption
• Sexually transmitted diseases as a result of risky behavior while intoxicated
• Unplanned pregnancies as a result of risky sexual behavior while drunk
• Perhaps the biggest danger individuals face when participating in binge drinking is that of alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning is a serious health condition in which the blood alcohol concentration risks too high. Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include severe vomiting, depressed respirations, and seizures. Alcohol poisoning can rapidly lead to coma and death and anyone suffering from alcohol poisoning must be taken to an emergency room immediately or call 911 for quick medical assistance. Binge drinking is the most common cause of alcohol poisoning.

Scary statistics about binge drinking:

When young people become involved in binge drinking they have a higher risk of alcohol dependency (alcoholism). Statistics show that 25% of young people who begin drinking before age 17 succumb to the disease alcoholism.

42% of all college students report some frequency of binge drinking

Two-thirds of all alcohol consumed on college campuses are consumed by those participating in binge drinking

Most of the problems that college police deal with such as injuries, and vandalism involve binge drinking, up to 60% of all problems involving security or police on college campuses are involving those who have been binge drinking.

Reality:

There is a lot of pressure to drink on college campuses as a way of dealing with the pressures of college and because for some this is a first taste of freedom away from parental control.

Preventing those you care about from participating in binge drinking:

1. Reduce the access to alcohol to high school and college students and those aged 13 – 20.
2. Educate youth while in Jr. High (Middle school), High school and college about the dangers of binge drinking.
3. Educate parents about the dangers of binge drinking
4. Make available physician screening and counseling for alcohol related problems including binge drinking.

Alcoholism The Disease

Do you are someone you know deny they have a drinking problem but all the signs say that alcohol is at the root of major problems in the life of the one doing the drinking? Cravings for alcohol and an inability to limit or stop the flow of alcohol are both earmarks that the individual is probably suffering from a disease called alcoholism, a disease that is chronic in nature and one that can have severe health, financial and relationship consequences.

There is typically denial on the part of the drinker that a true problem exists regarding alcohol and health issues, financial problems or relationship issues that stem from the drinking habits. Anyone with a disease that impairs thinking is going to make bad decisions, may try to cover up the problem out of embarrassment or for other reasons and is going to fight against getting help if doing so means doing without the thing they crave the most – alcohol. A person can actually want to stop or at least has a desire to limit the consumption but is unable to do so without help. If that person is a male, there is a higher probability that there will be a lag time between when he realizes he needs help and when he will accept the idea that he must actively accept the help. This is not unlike other scenarios when it comes to admitting that there may be a "disease" involved. Although it is more common in that males have a difficult time going for medical help, female drinkers can also have difficulty coming to terms with the fact that they may have a disease when it comes to alcohol consumption. Alcoholism involves a drug and the drug is alcohol. This is a very addictive drug and addictions can be very difficult to beat.

Individuals that associate with the drinker may find it far easier to blame the drinker for the problems that arise as a result of the drinking instead of being able to have compassion for a person suffering from a disease. If a person has physical symptoms like paralysis or an amputee it becomes easier to see why the individual is in need of medical intervention and healing. When the disease requires a little more investigative work in order to connect the health consequences or signs and symptoms of the disease then those who are in contact with the person suffering from alcoholism must look beyond the raised glass in order to see and understand the disease.

Alcoholism treatment begins with recognizing the signs and symptoms, getting past the denial stage, and realizing that the truth must be told in order to accept medical treatment and psychological counseling which are the usual combination that is involved when treating the individual with alcoholism.

Signs and symptoms of alcoholism:

• Strong Cravings for alcohol that cannot be denied
• A strong need to drink at specific times or after certain events (like after dinner)
• The experiences of needing to drink more alcohol than previously in order to achieve the same level of intoxication that brings with it a sense of "normalcy" or "good feeling". This is called tolerance.
• The ability to consume large quantities of alcohol rapidly without appearing to be intoxicated
• Having "blackouts" in which the individual is unable to remember conversations or commitments made while drinking
• A loss of interest in activities or hobbies that typically was important to the individual prior to the increase in alcohol consumption