Explain Alcoholism
Surprisingly, many people wonder what an alcoholic is and what is alcoholism. There is much information to be covered on the subject of alcoholism. The coverage here of this disease will be but a glimpse of the condition.
The term alcoholism is given to a disease which creates a strong craving for alcohol. The person that has this condition is considered to be an alcoholic. These people seem to have varying degrees of need in their drinking desires. While some seem to need the alcoholic beverage constantly others only seem to crave a drink when something goes wrong for them or causes them a degree of stress which is more than they feel they can handle on their own.
Still, others are what are known as a social drinker. While the medical world does not know the exact causative factor in alcoholism there is a suggestion that social factors, genetic factors and psychological factors all contribute to the development of this condition. Additionally, the term alcoholism is not simply equivalent to excessive drinking of any magnitude.
It is more a relationship of severity and to the extent of the disorders related to alcohol use along a progressive course. And while the person with a drinking problem might even realize they could harm their health or circumstances in their life caused by excessive drinking, they seem to not have the ability to control the drinking and cravings for the alcohol. They can grow to depend on that alcoholic drink as a means to support their psychological well being.
They have become dependent on alcohol. But to what magnitude? Well, the magnitude of a drinking problem varies with each affected person. As such, there have been some terms created to signify to what degree a person is affected by the need for alcohol.
What are these terms or levels of disorder?
* Social Drinker
* Heavy Drinker
* Problem Drinker
* Alcohol Dependent
The least severe of the alcohol disorder is: Social and the most severe is a dependent drinker. Furthermore, with each increase in drinking needs, the health risks also will increase. Lets look at what these levels basically mean...
* A social drinker is defined as a person who drinks to enhance their experience at a social gathering but the drinking is not the focus of their activity.
Did You Know
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Women process alcohol differently than men. Women who are alcoholics or even occasionally drink too much alcohol face much greater health risks than men who drink the same amounts.
Women who drink will get drunk faster than men get and become addicted to alcohol faster than men become. Although men are more likely to drink alcohol and drink in larger amounts, gender differences in body structure and chemistry cause women to absorb more alcohol, and take longer to break it down and remove.
In other words, upon drinking equal amounts, women have higher alcohol levels in their blood than men, and the immediate effects occur more quickly and last longer. These differences also make women more vulnerable to alcohol’s long-term effects on their health.
Research has shown that they also suffer the consequences of abuse-related illnesses a lot quicker than men do. The effects on the liver are more severe for women than for men and women have a higher risk of having alcohol-related liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatitis. Proportionately, more women die of alcohol related cirrhosis than men do.
Some alcohol-related illnesses that female alcoholics are at risk for include heart disease, ulcers, reproductive problems, pancreatitis, memory loss, and osteoporosis.
In the late stages of alcoholism, women can develop hypertension, anemia, and malnutrition faster than men according to the Centers for Disease Control. Several recent research projects have determined that excessive alcohol consumption in women can result in breast cancer and different cancers of the digestive tract.
A recent study showed that women who drink two to five alcoholic drinks per day have a 41 percent increase in their risk of getting breast cancer.
Research has shown that excessive drinking in women actually causes the brain to shrink. |
* A heavy drinker is basically defined as a person who incorporates alcoholic drinking into more and more activities with the focus being on drinking.
* A Problem drinker is basically defined as a person who does not recognize that drinking alcoholic beverages and getting the resulting intoxicating effects have become a goal in itself. They often will deal with a problem by drinking even if it was originally caused by having too much to drink.
Interesting Facts
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Drinking steadily and consistently over time can cause a physical dependence on alcohol as well as withdrawal symptoms when going without alcohol for very long.
Physical dependence will not lead to alcoholism by itself. There must first be issues involved that cause the person to abuse alcohol and to abuse alcohol in an effort to deal with painful emotions and/or experiences.
Many factors lead to alcoholism and alcohol abuse. These things are important to recognize when the alcoholic goes through recovery and quits abusing alcohol.
Any factors that can be removed or solved need to be addressed as part of the alcoholism treatment. |
* An alcohol dependent person is a drinker that can not control or resist the urge to drink an alcoholic drink period. This is the stage or level that a doctor considers a serious disease. So, there you have a brief explanation of what qualifies someone as an alcoholic and a brief look at alcoholism.
Alcoholism in the News
09/06/2008
Times Celebrates Alcoholism [Happy Hour Servicey!] (Gawker)
Today's New York Times wants you to know about a lovely-sounding new intoxicant that just might be worth braving the Lower East Side for. For centuries people in many parts of South America have been...
Times Celebrates Alcoholism [Happy Hour Servicey!] (Gawker)
09/06/2008
Performer gets 3-year probation in sex case (The Buffalo News)
Steven M. Cooper, one of area's best known theatrical and advertising personalities, was spared a jail term Friday but ordered to continue the sex offender and alcoholism treatment he has been undergoing in recent months.
Performer gets 3-year probation in sex case (The Buffalo News)
09/06/2008
Sarah Palin: An Apostle of Alaska (Newsweek)
We know the outlines—the moose-hunting mom who juggles BlackBerrys and kids. But what does she believe? The real Sarah Palin.
Sarah Palin: An Apostle of Alaska (Newsweek)
09/06/2008
College presidents vow to curb drinking (The Ohio University Post)
Students buy more booze than books The average college student on a typical campus spends more money annually on alcohol - $466 - than on books, soda, coffee, juice and milk combined, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Web site.
College presidents vow to curb drinking (The Ohio University Post)
09/06/2008
Marmalade looking to be the toast of Irish racing (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien hopes his all-conquering Duke of Marmalade lands the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.
Marmalade looking to be the toast of Irish racing (AFP via Yahoo! News)
09/06/2008
Veterans on TV: 'It's not horrible.' (Orange County Register)
'Generation Kill' and 'Army Wives' draw praise for accuracy.
Veterans on TV: 'It's not horrible.' (Orange County Register)
09/06/2008
Clarissa Dickson Wright: Fat fighter (Independent)
Clarissa is having her breakfast. What do you think it might be? She is one of the Two Fat Ladies, television cooks famous for loving butter and cream and big, big food. We are in the dining room of her favourite London hotel, where the Full English is on offer: eggs, bacon, sausages, black pudding, the lot. So, what is her choice?
Clarissa Dickson Wright: Fat fighter (Independent)
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