Alcoholism treatments
cause of alcoholism
a hereditary reaction to
alcohol that leads to excessive drinking of beer, wine, or liquor, or long term
regular use of large amount of these drinks, can produce the disease
alcoholism. Alcoholism may involve dependence on alcohol, amounting to
addiction in many cases, or patterns of alcohol abuse. Alcohol poisoning is
a different problem, caused by drinking too much in a short period of time;
this can lead to coma or death within a few hours.
no one knows for certain
the number of alcoholics, partly because many people prefer to hide excessive
drinking, the most common estimate is that there are 19 million adults with
alcohol problems in the united states, 7% of the total population, and that 11 million
of these are alcoholics. Adult men in the United States are 3 times a likely to
be alcohol abusers as women. alcohol is a contributing factor in perhaps
100,000 deaths each year, making it third on the list of preventable causes of
death, proceed by tobacco and a lifestyle combining poor diet and no exercise. About
half the alcohol related deaths are accidents.
In another
country alcoholism tends to be present in direct ratio to the use of alcohol by
the general public. For example, alcoholism is common in France, where people
drink wine with almost all meals, and in Russia, where alcohol is part of most
social occasions.
Long-term effects of alcohol on the body
Drinking to relieve
stress or to "feel normal" as often an early sign of alcoholism. Tolerance
to alcohol that is, the ability to drink more than other people without obvious
impairment is often a danger sign. Many drinkers find alcohols becoming
excessively important in their lives, activities or associations that interface
with regular drinking are avoided. Such people take great care to make certain
that they have enough alcohol available mats the times during which they are
used to drinking. This obsession may lead to secret drinking or to maintain a
hidden supply, or both.
Another common symptom
is a change of personality for example excessive anger after drinking alcohol. After
recovering from drinking large amounts of alcohol, there may be an inability to
remember what was done or said (a blackout).
Many drinkers develop a
tremor or shaking, usually of the hands. The whites of the eyes may redden or
the skin become flushed, in later stages both eyes and skin turn yellow. Bleeding,
especially of the esophagus, is common, as is stomach irritation. Seizure may
occur or pain in arms or legs as a result of nerve irritation.
Diagnosis of alcoholism
A blood test will reveal
chemicals produced when the liver is damaged and changes in blood cells. The
liver itself may be noticeably enlarged; a healthcare worker can feel this
condition through the wall of the abdomen. An abdominal examination can also reveal
enlarged veins below the navel, fluid in the abdominal cavity, and in men,
unusually small testicles.
Treatments for alcoholism
Most experts believe
that the only effective treatment is to stop drinking alcohol completely. Rehabilitation
programs in which a person learns about the disease in a controlled environment
are helpful, followed by lifelong participation in alcoholics anonymous, a self-group
that provides support and aids in personality redevelopment. If alcoholism is
advances of if there is alcohol poisoning, hospitalization is needed. Vitamins
may be administered. A common withdrawal symptom is delirium tremens.
Tranquilizers are sometimes used to reduce the hallucinations and shaking that
go with delirium tremens, which can lead to death if untreated.
Stages of alcoholism
Some people seem to
develop alcoholism, or become alcoholics, with their first drink. From the
beginning they drink to excess, suffer blackouts, and get in trouble because of
personality changes. other begin by drinking only at parties or with meals, but
gradually extend the time at which they drink and the amount taken in. such
drinkers may not have the personality changes of other alcoholics but may
eventually develop physical symptoms, such as liver dysfunction. A surprisingly
large number of people who have never had any of the indications of alcoholism
suddenly begin to drink steadily and often secretly.
However it begins,
alcoholism gradually affects the organs of the body the brain and nervous
system, liver, stomach, blood, and heart. In later stages of alcoholism the
drinker may experience hallucinations or develop symptoms of psychoses,
especially paranoia. Cancer risks increase, especially in organs directly
involved with alcohol processing, including the mouth, esophagus, stomach,
liver and pancreas.
If drinking continues,
eventually one or more of the affected organs will become too damaged to
function. There may be death from liver failure. Heart damage may lead to the
swelling of hands or feet and eventual heart failure. If enough brain cells are
killed, the alcoholic will suffer irreversible dementia, but this may be
preceded by reversible memory loss caused by depletion of B vitamins.
Death from alcohol
related events often occurs before other physical symptoms show up. Accidents
are common because of the poor judgment and poor coordination produced by
drinking, even without alcoholism. for reasons less well understood, suicide is
also common, risky behaviors of all kinds brought on by alcoholism, including
drug abuse, can also lead to death.
Risk factors of alcoholism
Although no specific
gene for susceptibility to alcoholism has been found, there seems to be a
hereditary tendency. Often alcoholism affects whole families, more commonly, if
one or the other parent is alcoholic, one or more of the children may have the
disease as well.
Drug abuse and
alcoholism often occur together, and it is not clear which problem is the more fundamental.
Amphetamines and cocaine may be used by alcoholics to allow mare waking time
and energy for drinking
