What is Alcoholism?

Alcoholism

Alcoholism can also lead to child neglect , with subsequent lasting damage to the emotional development of the alcoholic's children. For example, they can become afraid of their parents, because of their unstable mood behaviors. In addition, they can develop considerable amount of shame over their inadequacy to liberate their parents from alcoholism.

1. What Is Alcoholism?.
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6. What is alcohol abuse disorder, and what is the treatment?.

As a result of this failure, they develop wretched self-images, which can lead to depression. As with similar substances with a sedative-hypnotic mechanism, such as barbiturates and benzodiazepines , withdrawal from alcohol dependence can be fatal if it is not properly managed.

With repeated heavy consumption of alcohol, these receptors are desensitized and reduced in number, resulting in tolerance and physical dependence. When alcohol consumption is stopped too abruptly, the person's nervous system suffers from uncontrolled synapse firing. This can result in symptoms that include anxiety , life-threatening seizures , delirium tremens , hallucinations, shakes and possible heart failure.

Severe acute withdrawal symptoms such as delirium tremens and seizures rarely occur after 1-week post cessation of alcohol. The acute withdrawal phase can be defined as lasting between one and three weeks. In the period of 3—6 weeks following cessation increased anxiety, depression, as well as sleep disturbance, is common; [65] fatigue and tension can persist for up to 5 weeks as part of the post-acute withdrawal syndrome ; about a quarter of alcoholics experience anxiety and depression for up to 2 years.

These post-acute withdrawal symptoms have also been demonstrated in animal models of alcohol dependence and withdrawal. Individuals who have had multiple withdrawal episodes are more likely to develop seizures and experience more severe anxiety during withdrawal from alcohol than alcohol-dependent individuals without a history of past alcohol withdrawal episodes.

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The kindling effect leads to persistent functional changes in brain neural circuits as well as to gene expression. For example, the CIWA-Ar objectifies alcohol withdrawal symptoms in order to guide therapy decisions which allows for an efficient interview while at the same time retaining clinical usefulness, validity, and reliability, ensuring proper care for withdrawal patients, who can be in danger of death.

A complex mixture of genetic and environmental factors influences the risk of the development of alcoholism. It is not entirely clear whether this association is causal, and some researchers have been known to disagree with this view. Severe childhood trauma is also associated with a general increase in the risk of drug dependency. Cortical degeneration due to the neurotoxic effects increases impulsive behaviour, which may contribute to the development, persistence and severity of alcohol use disorders. There is evidence that with abstinence, there is a reversal of at least some of the alcohol induced central nervous system damage.

Alcohol is the most available, widely consumed, and widely abused recreational drug. Beer alone is the world's most widely consumed [77] alcoholic beverage ; it is the third-most popular drink overall, after water and tea. Males had higher rates than females for all measures of drinking in the past month: Genetic differences that exist between different racial groups affect the risk of developing alcohol dependence.

For example, there are differences between African, East Asian and Indo-racial groups in how they metabolize alcohol. These genetic factors partially explain the differing rates of alcohol dependence among racial groups. African Americans and Native Americans with this allele have a reduced risk of developing alcoholism. Misuse, problem use, abuse, and heavy use of alcohol refer to improper use of alcohol, which may cause physical, social, or moral harm to the drinker. According to the NIAAA, men may be at risk for alcohol-related problems if their alcohol consumption exceeds 14 standard drinks per week or 4 drinks per day, and women may be at risk if they have more than 7 standard drinks per week or 3 drinks per day.

It defines a standard drink as one ounce bottle of beer, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1. An inference drawn from this study is that evidence-based policy strategies and clinical preventive services may effectively reduce binge drinking without requiring addiction treatment in most cases. The term alcoholism is commonly used amongst laypeople, but the word is poorly defined.

The WHO calls alcoholism "a term of long-standing use and variable meaning", and use of the term was disfavored by a WHO expert committee. The Big Book from Alcoholics Anonymous states that once a person is an alcoholic, they are always an alcoholic, but does not define what is meant by the term alcoholic in this context. In , Bill W. In professional and research contexts, the term "alcoholism" sometimes encompasses both alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence, [97] and sometimes is considered equivalent to alcohol dependence.

Talbot observes that alcoholism in the classical disease model follows a progressive course: This will lead to harmful consequences in their life, physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. He looks at this in four phases. The first two are considered "normal" drinking and the last two are viewed as "typical" alcoholic drinking. They describe the process in three stages:. The terms they recommend are similar but not identical. In part, this is to assist in the development of research protocols in which findings can be compared to one another.

In , it was defined by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence NCADD and ASAM as "a primary, chronic disease characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking.

AA describes alcoholism as an illness that involves a physical allergy []: Morton Jellinek is considered the foundation of the modern disease theory of alcoholism. The modern medical definition of alcoholism has been revised numerous times since then. The American Medical Association uses the word alcoholism to refer to a particular chronic primary disease. Attitudes and social stereotypes can create barriers to the detection and treatment of alcohol abuse.

This is more of a barrier for women than men. Fear of stigmatization may lead women to deny that they are suffering from a medical condition, to hide their drinking, and to drink alone. This pattern, in turn, leads family, physicians, and others to be less likely to suspect that a woman they know is an alcoholic.

This pattern, in turn, leads family, physicians, and others to be more likely to suspect that a man they know is an alcoholic. Several tools may be used to detect a loss of control of alcohol use. These tools are mostly self-reports in questionnaire form. Another common theme is a score or tally that sums up the general severity of alcohol use.

The CAGE questionnaire , named for its four questions, is one such example that may be used to screen patients quickly in a doctor's office. Other tests are sometimes used for the detection of alcohol dependence, such as the Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire , which is a more sensitive diagnostic test than the CAGE questionnaire. It helps distinguish a diagnosis of alcohol dependence from one of heavy alcohol use. Like the CAGE questionnaire, it uses a simple set of questions — a high score earning a deeper investigation.

There are reliable tests for the actual use of alcohol, one common test being that of blood alcohol content BAC. With regard to alcoholism, BAC is useful to judge alcohol tolerance , which in turn is a sign of alcoholism. However, none of these blood tests for biological markers is as sensitive as screening questionnaires.

The World Health Organization , the European Union and other regional bodies, national governments and parliaments have formed alcohol policies in order to reduce the harm of alcoholism. Increasing the age at which licit drugs of abuse such as alcohol can be purchased, the banning or restricting advertising of alcohol has been recommended as additional ways of reducing the harm of alcohol dependence and abuse.

Credible, evidence based educational campaigns in the mass media about the consequences of alcohol abuse have been recommended. Guidelines for parents to prevent alcohol abuse amongst adolescents, and for helping young people with mental health problems have also been suggested. Treatments are varied because there are multiple perspectives of alcoholism. Those who approach alcoholism as a medical condition or disease recommend differing treatments from, for instance, those who approach the condition as one of social choice.

Since alcoholism involves multiple factors which encourage a person to continue drinking, they must all be addressed to successfully prevent a relapse. An example of this kind of treatment is detoxification followed by a combination of supportive therapy, attendance at self-help groups, and ongoing development of coping mechanisms.

The treatment community for alcoholism typically supports an abstinence-based zero tolerance approach; however, some prefer a harm-reduction approach. Alcohol detoxification or 'detox' for alcoholics is an abrupt stop of alcohol drinking coupled with the substitution of drugs, such as benzodiazepines , that have similar effects to prevent alcohol withdrawal. Individuals who are only at risk of mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms can be detoxified as outpatients.

Individuals at risk of a severe withdrawal syndrome as well as those who have significant or acute comorbid conditions are generally treated as inpatients. Detoxification does not actually treat alcoholism, and it is necessary to follow up detoxification with an appropriate treatment program for alcohol dependence or abuse to reduce the risk of relapse. Various forms of group therapy or psychotherapy can be used to deal with underlying psychological issues that are related to alcohol addiction, as well as provide relapse prevention skills.

The mutual-help group-counseling approach is one of the most common ways of helping alcoholics maintain sobriety. While most alcoholics are unable to limit their drinking in this way, some return to moderate drinking. This group, however, showed fewer initial symptoms of dependency. The study found abstinence from alcohol was the most stable form of remission for recovering alcoholics. In the United States there are four approved medications for alcoholism: Evidence does not support the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs , tricyclic antidepressants TCAs , antipsychotics , or gabapentin.

Alcoholism | Signs, symptoms, advice & treatment | Drinkaware

Alcoholics may also require treatment for other psychotropic drug addictions and drug dependences. These drugs are, like alcohol, depressants. Benzodiazepines may be used legally, if they are prescribed by doctors for anxiety problems or other mood disorders, or they may be purchased as illegal drugs.

Benzodiazepine use increases cravings for alcohol and the volume of alcohol consumed by problem drinkers. Dependence on other sedative-hypnotics such as zolpidem and zopiclone as well as opiates and illegal drugs is common in alcoholics.

Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol itself is a sedative-hypnotic and is cross-tolerant with other sedative-hypnotics such as barbiturates , benzodiazepines and nonbenzodiazepines. Dependence upon and withdrawal from sedative-hypnotics can be medically severe and, as with alcohol withdrawal, there is a risk of psychosis or seizures if not properly managed. The World Health Organization estimates that as of there are million people with alcoholism worldwide 4. Within the medical and scientific communities, there is a broad consensus regarding alcoholism as a disease state.

For example, the American Medical Association considers alcohol a drug and states that "drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite often devastating consequences. It results from a complex interplay of biological vulnerability, environmental exposure, and developmental factors e. Under the DSM 's new definition of alcoholics, that means about 37 percent of college students may meet the criteria. Alcoholism often reduces a person's life expectancy by around ten years.

Approximately 3—15 percent of alcoholics commit suicide, [] and research has found that over 50 percent of all suicides are associated with alcohol or drug dependence. This is believed to be due to alcohol causing physiological distortion of brain chemistry, as well as social isolation. Suicide is also very common in adolescent alcohol abusers, with 25 percent of suicides in adolescents being related to alcohol abuse. Historically the name " dipsomania " was coined by German physician C.

Hufeland in before it was superseded by "alcoholism". Biblical, Egyptian and Babylonian sources record the history of abuse and dependence on alcohol. In some ancient cultures alcohol was worshiped and in others, its abuse was condemned. Excessive alcohol misuse and drunkenness were recognized as causing social problems even thousands of years ago. However, the defining of habitual drunkenness as it was then known as and its adverse consequences were not well established medically until the 18th century.

In a Greek monk named Agapios was the first to document that chronic alcohol misuse was associated with toxicity to the nervous system and body which resulted in a range of medical disorders such as seizures, paralysis, and internal bleeding. In the effects of alcohol abuse and chronic drunkenness boosted membership of the temperance movement and led to the prohibition of alcohol in the United States , a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages that remained in place until ; this policy resulted in the decline of death rates from cirrhosis and alcoholism.

The various health problems associated with long-term alcohol consumption are generally perceived as detrimental to society, for example, money due to lost labor-hours, medical costs due to injuries due to drunkenness and organ damage from long-term use, and secondary treatment costs, such as the costs of rehabilitation facilities and detoxification centers. Alcohol use is a major contributing factor for head injuries , motor vehicle accidents due to drunk driving , domestic violence , and assaults.

Beyond the financial costs that alcohol consumption imposes, there are also significant social costs to both the alcoholic and their family and friends. Stereotypes of alcoholics are often found in fiction and popular culture. The " town drunk " is a stock character in Western popular culture. Stereotypes of drunkenness may be based on racism or xenophobia , as in the fictional depiction of the Irish as heavy drinkers. In Asian countries that have a high gross domestic product, there is heightened drinking compared to other Asian countries, but it is nowhere near as high as it is in other countries like the United States.

It is also inversely seen, with countries that have very low gross domestic product showing high alcohol consumption. They also believe alcohol is necessary at any social event as it helps conversations start. Caucasians have a much lower abstinence rate Also, the more acculturation there is between cultures, the more influenced the culture is to adopt Caucasians drinking practices. Topiramate , a derivative of the naturally occurring sugar monosaccharide D-fructose, has been found effective in helping alcoholics quit or cut back on the amount they drink.

Evidence suggests that topiramate antagonizes excitatory glutamate receptors, inhibits dopamine release, and enhances inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid function. A review of the effectiveness of topiramate concluded that the results of published trials are promising, however, as of , data was insufficient to support using topiramate in conjunction with brief weekly compliance counseling as a first-line agent for alcohol dependence.

Topiramate effectively reduces craving and alcohol withdrawal severity as well as improving quality-of-life-ratings. Ondansetron , a 5HT3 antagonist, appears to have promise as a treatment. According to a retrospective analysis of six studies from the s and s LSD-assisted psychotherapy has potential as a treatment for alcoholism. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. For alcoholic beverages, see alcoholic drink. For the song by Starsailor, see Alcoholic song. Short-term effects of alcohol. Long-term effects of alcohol consumption.

Archived from the original on 18 May Retrieved 9 May Archived from the original on 4 April Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: Archived from the original on 3 June Archived PDF from the original on 13 April Archived from the original on 10 May Retrieved 10 May Understanding and Treating Alcoholism Volume I: Archived from the original on 20 July Archived from the original on 18 March Retrieved 28 February Archived PDF from the original on 20 March The AMA reaffirms its policy endorsing the dual classification of alcoholism under both the psychiatric and medical sections of the International Classification of Diseases.

Archived from the original on 23 May Clinics in Liver Disease. Journal of Addictions Nursing. The New England Journal of Medicine. Archived from the original on 5 February MD; Lipsky, Martin S. Complete Medical Encyclopedia First ed. Journal of Women's Health. Archives of Women's Mental Health. Archived from the original on 30 November Retrieved 11 January Alcohol and psychiatric comorbidity. Recent Developments in Alcoholism. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. Journal of Social Work. Alcohol, Addition and Early Recovery. Archived from the original on 21 November Demystifying Monetary and Fiscal Policy 2nd ed.

Alcoholism Biographies of Disease. The Complete Encyclopedia of Medicine and Health. Archived from the original on 16 November Retrieved 27 November American Psychiatric Publishing Inc. Medical Toxicology 3rd ed. The Journal of General Psychology. Archived from the original on 1 December Archived from the original PDF on 10 August Retrieved 25 October NCADD also reports that long-term use of alcohol can damage every single organ in the body as well as emotional and mental health, financial status, employment, and social interactions.

Additionally, assault, abuse, and homicides very commonly occur when one or both parties are under the influence of alcohol, according to the CDC. This means that it is not just alcohol-related car accidents that can cause death. A range of fatal diseases, including certain cancers, homicide, and addiction itself, make alcohol abuse the third leading cause of death in the United States.

Though it can feel as if you are hiding a unique or embarrassing problem, the fact is that families across the country are experiencing the exact same thing you are. You are not alone with the disease, and you will not be alone as you seek the treatment necessary to begin to heal and start a new life in recovery.

There are 11 criteria listed to help clinicians determine if their patient has AUD and how serious the problem is. A mild AUD involves experiencing two or three of the 11 symptoms for one year; a moderate AUD involves four or five of the symptoms; and a severe AUD involves six or more of the listed criteria.

Alcohol dependence and AUD are not the same condition, but people who struggle with AUD typically are dependent on alcohol. This leads to compulsively drinking, which escalates rapidly. Studies suggest that certain individuals are more likely to become alcoholics. People with a history of alcoholism in their family have an increased chance of becoming alcoholics.

People who start drinking at an early age are also at a greater risk of developing alcoholic tendencies than those who begin drinking later in life. Men are more prone to become alcoholics, but women are much more likely to develop harmful medical effects that are linked to drinking such as liver disease. Although all forms of problem drinking are getting worse in the US, not everyone who drinks too much meets the criteria for AUD. The CDC found, in , that 90 percent of those who drink too much alcohol, even frequently, are not physically dependent on the substance to feel normal.

Although one in three adults drink to excess, meeting the criteria for heavy or binge drinking, nine out of 10 do not meet the criteria for AUD from the DSM Still, it is possible for excessive social drinking or consistent drinking to become an addiction. Signs that a person struggles with AUD include:. Two drinks for men, and one drink for women, a few times per week is moderate drinking. While any alcohol consumption is not specifically safe, moderate drinking is less risky compared to problem drinking. Drinking more than this per day can involve binge drinking, and drinking every day may display a pattern of abuse and addiction.

Alcohol addiction is a gradual process that occurs within the human brain. When alcohol is consumed, it alters the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, mainly gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, and dopamine. GABA monitors and controls a person's impulsivity, and frequently drinking copious amounts of alcohol alters this chemical's production, often making people more impulsive and less aware of what they are doing.

Dopamine is one of the chemicals in the brain that, when released, causes pleasurable feelings like happiness, joy, or even euphoria. As more and more alcohol is consumed on a frequent basis, the brain begins to grow accustomed to this chemical imbalance. If an alcoholic tries to stop drinking, then the brain is deprived of the alcohol's effect, which results in unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, shaking, tremors, or even hallucination. Alcohol is legal in the US for people ages 21 and older to consume, but as an intoxicating substance, it is dangerous and can lead to addiction.

These behaviors indicate higher risk for AUD. Of the over 16 million people in the country who have a potential AUD, 9. About 10 percent of children in the US have at least one parent who struggles with problem drinking, and about 31 percent of driving fatalities in the US involve a drunk driver. Unfortunately, very few people every year seek treatment for AUD despite physical, mental, social, financial, and legal ramifications.

Most of these individuals are young adults, between the ages of 18 and However, adolescents and young adults, both with and without mental illnesses, can struggle with compulsive behaviors around alcohol, and many adults in the US are dependent on alcohol to stabilize their emotions.

These conditions, too, indicate a potential AUD. If alcohol abuse remains unaddressed, it can lead to severe health consequences, both acute and chronic. The first few sips of an alcoholic beverage can lead to pleasant feelings. When alcohol is metabolized into the bloodstream and enters the brain, it binds to the gamma-aminobutyric acid GABA receptors , which are involved in the stress response. If a person has active production of GABA, which is absorbed by receptors rapidly, they may experience several conditions, from anxiety to seizure disorders.

Alcohol slows this neuron firing down, so even people without anxiety or stress feel relaxed. The substance also inhibits glutamate absorption, which further reduces stress or anxiety. However, as the individual continues to drink, they are likely to experience negative effects associated with alcohol, including: A person who continues to drink past being intoxicated is at risk of experiencing alcohol poisoning, which can be deadly if not treated by emergency medical professionals.

If a person appears to suffer from alcohol poisoning, it is important to immediately call They require emergency medical attention.

Signs of alcohol poisoning include:.