Individuals suffering from alcoholism and alcohol abuse no longer have control over their drinking habits and have reached the state of addiction. When this happens, alcohol becomes the primary factor in a person’s life. Work, family, friends, education, and goals all become secondary when alcohol takes over. A certain set of phenomena will occur when alcohol has taken priority in someone’s life.
Some examples that alcoholism exists may be:
Not caring how clean or well groomed they are- Eating poorly
- Not taking part in activities
- Late to work
- Missing work
- Decreased performance at work
- Getting agitated more easily
- Being hostile toward those who ask about drinking habits
- Continuing to drink even though others are being harmed because of it
Activities where someone once had the desire to be successful, now no longer seem important. Sometimes addicts start drinking alone.
Difference between Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Alcoholism often involves chronic drinking in excessive amounts despite problems with work, family, physical health, mental health, and any responsibilities. All areas of life seem to go downhill, and everything that was once successful is now just barely surviving. There are many physical effects that alcohol can negatively have on the body. When people are not feeling well, they tend to upset others around them.
Alcohol abuse is when drinking leads to problems, but not physical addiction. Drinkers can abuse alcohol once a year, or once a day. That does not make them alcoholics. When people become dependent on alcohol and abuse it consistently, that is when it becomes a physical addiction.
Families with a history of drinking often have offspring that are more likely to drink. If someone has a parent that drinks, their chances of abusing alcohol are increased. People are influenced by their family members. How much alcohol an individual consumes can be the determining factor for dependency.
Side Effects of Drinking
Short Term: Other than having social problems, there are various physical side effects a person will have when suffering from alcoholism or even just one night of alcohol abuse. Nausea, headaches, dehydration, stomach pain, light headedness, clouded judgment, a vague sense of reality and loss of feeling. These side effects put the drinker in a situation where they no longer have complete control over their actions. Many statutory rape charges are filed over males taking advantage of females while they are under the influence of alcohol. These short term decisions can lead to events that are life-altering.
Long Term: Many different diseases, cancers and permanent damage to the body’s organs can be caused by alcohol. Many different long term effects that cause permanent damage to the body are caused by alcohol such as diseases, and even cancers. The heart, pancreas, liver, kidney along with other organs can get diseases associated with long term alcohol abuse. Alcohol harms virtually every organ in the body. Certain forms of cancer such as oropharyngeal, esophageal and pancreatitis can also be caused by alcohol abuse. Neurological impairments such as cardiovascular disease and liver disease can also occur with chronic alcohol intake. There are many psychiatric disorders associated to alcohol dependence including schizophrenia, suicide, personality disorders, anxiety disorder, phobias, panic disorder, hypomania, mania, dysthymia, and major depression. Brain impairments are also another noteworthy issue regarding health problems, some of which include working memory, emotions, and executive function abilities.
Different Ways to Overcome Addiction
Many help websites are available to give advice to people wishing to overcome their alcohol addiction. One of the very first steps to overcoming addiction is removing oneself from situations where they may be faced with the temptation of drinking alcohol. A sheltered environment is often sought after by drug addicts to get away from temptations and face their addiction. Inpatient rehabs are one of the more successful types of treatment. Inpatient drug rehabs have a wide variety of options from length, traditional and non-traditional. Inpatient treatment allows the drug addict to be free of people or places that may trigger relapse when trying to recover. These programs are very safe places with counselors that keep personal information confidential. Inpatient drug rehabs provide 24-hour care if the need is available. Drug users tend to be in a very catastrophic time of their life, and these situations are worked out by isolating the drug patient. Some rehabilitation programs do more than counsel students as they overcome their drug addiction. Along with disciplinary approaches, detoxification aspects are implemented to help both the human body and mind overcome the physical cravings for drugs. Inpatient drug rehabs have proven to be the most successful types of programs and have saved thousands of lives.
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References:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001940/
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.medicinenet.com/alcohol_abuse_and_alcoholism/article.htm
http://www.positivewayoflife.com/being-positive/5-ways-to-overcome-addiction/
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/alcohol_abuse_alcoholism_signs_effects_treatment.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholism
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