Alcoholism

[Mel]

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 7 (January 2010).

Alcoholism
by Maria (Gidig)

Alcoholism is a disease that can easily affect anyone and everyone, regardless if you’re the one drinking or not. How are we supposed to handle this along with the struggles of everyday life? Perhaps you or a loved one thinks you have a problem with drinking. You are not alone.

Alcoholism is a more common problem than you think. It’s also known as alcohol dependency, and it really is just that, being dependent on alcohol. There are four ‘symptoms’ of alcoholism that are generally recognized:

Cravings, or the need or urge to drink. This could happen all the time for no reason, or something could trigger the alcoholic. This is much more than a simple desire. The urge can make one do things you wouldn’t expect just to get their next sip of alcohol. Loss of control or not being able to resist the urge to drink. When it’s all you can think about, and alcohol has taken over your life. Physical dependence, literally when your body needs alcohol to function. When you have a physical dependence, to stop drinking suddenly can result in withdrawal symptoms that can sometimes be deadly. Tolerance, or being able to drink more without feeling the normal effects of the alcohol. This can cause someone to drink a lot of alcohol, trying to get the normal drunk that some people feel just after a night at the bar.

Fact: 1 out of every 12 adults abuse alcohol or are alcohol dependent, this is about 17.6 million people, just in the United States!

Causes and treatment.

Alcoholism doesn’t necessarily ‘come from’ anywhere in particular. Mental disease is often a common factor amongst alcoholics, though you can still suffer from alcoholism even if you do not have a mental illness.

It’s a disease, even though you can’t ‘catch’ it from someone. It affects both your body and mind in ways you wouldn't even think about. Like any other disease, it has symptoms and usually follows a very predictable course.

There are studies saying that children of alcoholics are four times as likely as others to become an alcoholic themselves (source, PDF 72.5 KiB), but this does not mean you’re doomed to a life of alcoholism! It may be genetic, but lifestyle also greatly affects how prone you are to becoming an alcoholic.

The other things that play a huge role in alcoholism are your friends, your family, the amount of stress in your life, and how much access you have to alcohol. So just because no one in your family has become an alcoholic, does not mean you will not be! Hopefully you won’t, but you have to be just as careful as everyone else about watching your alcohol consumption. You are at a higher risk for becoming alcohol dependent if you start drinking at a younger age.

Whilst there is no set cure, there is treatment out there for people who need it. There are a variety of options, but the alcoholic will have hard days up ahead. These are in no way meant to deter you from getting help, but a general idea about what to expect and why not to get caught up in this vicious disease. There are two main types of treatment, inpatient and outpatient.

Inpatient is for those who feel they don’t have the support they need through family or friends, who have tried to quit drinking before, have had serious alcohol problems for many years, or just want the extra support and care. Usually you go and stay at a center, and they equip you with life skills to help you keep sober, and help you through times where you have a lot of trouble not drinking. They can also administer medication to keep withdrawal symptoms under control.

Outpatient treatment is better for those who have a lesser problem with drinking problems, as in aren’t drinking too much, or have only been drinking for a few years. People will also choose outpatient programs when they don’t have the time to stay in an inpatient facility, or feel that they have all the right tools to get better right around them.

No matter your choice, either of these can be beneficial, depending on the person you are, and the severity of your problem. Call ahead to treatment centers, ask around for recommendations, and visit the facility before you decide where you’d like to go. Look at statistics, the ones who have the most people stay sober, are going to be the best ones. Picking the right treatment and treatment center is important, but don't take your time in deciding if you feel you need help immediately. The sooner you get in, the better.

Detoxing, which comes for the physical dependency that many people get, is probably one of the worst parts of battling alcoholism. This means getting rid of the effects of the alcohol and is is normally the first step in working to get through any kind of drug addiction, including alcoholism.

Detoxing from alcohol has some of the most extreme, possibly fatalistic symptoms out there. This is the dangerous part of trying to stop on your own. If following up with a doctor either at an inpatient or outpatient facility, you can get proper medical care, and sometimes even medication to help get you through the days of symptoms.

What symptoms you’ll get, and how bad they will be, all depends on your body, the severity of the alcoholism, and how long you’ve been drinking. Alcohol detoxification can last anywhere from 3-10 days on average.

Alcoholics have to work hard for themselves to be able to overcome this in order to lessen the chances of relapse. However, as long as the alcoholic tries really hard, keeps their support system up, and asks for help when they need it, they can keep sober.


I think my friend/family member/I have a problem with alcohol abuse, what should I do?

Some questions you should ask yourself are: Have you or anyone one else felt that this person should cut down on their drinking? Does this person get annoyed when someone approaches them about their drinking habits? Has this person ever had a drink in the morning to calm nerves or cover a hang-over?

If you answer yes to any of these, now is the time to look into help and see what your options are. Now may be a good time to speak to a professional as there are multiple long and short term effects of drinking.
Short term effects include loss of inhibitions, blurry vision, trouble speaking, loss of muscle coordination, coma, and possibly even death, to name some. Long term effects include impaired mental functioning, liver disorders, gastrointestinal problems, heart disease, stroke, lung disorders, cancer, and skin, muscle and bone disorders, among others


Is it ever okay to drink?

While it’s socially acceptable once you are of age, it is your choice. Anyone pregnant or trying to become pregnant, planning to drive or do something requiring alertness, taking certain medications, recovering from an alcohol addiction, or younger than the legal drinking age should not be drinking at all. However, please keep in mind that these are only a few guidelines. If you are unsure or are on any prescription drugs you should ask your doctor before drinking.


Seeking help.

Alcoholism is a disease that you can find so much for. Though it may be hard to deal with now, you don't have to live with it forever. Please reach out and get help for this. You are not alone.

There are many places you look for information about alcoholism and support for it. Here are just a few:

Al-Anon/Alateen (http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/) – A support group for family and friends of alcoholics, using the same twelve step program adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous.

Alcoholics Anonymous (http://www.aa.org/?Media=PlayFlash) – A support group using a twelve step program for recovering alcoholics.

NCADI (http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/) – Information about drugs and alcohol.

Also look at http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/showthread.php?t=22 for various hotlines that may be of assistance to you.

Sources:
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/FAQs/Genera...ult.htm#whatis
http://www.treatment-centers.net/detox.html
http://www.alcoholtreatmentclinics.c...tment-programs
http://alcoholismtreatment.info/effe...lcoholism.html