The Symptoms of Alcoholism
The distinction between heavy drinking and alcoholism is typically based not on the quantity that is being drunk but on the way, the drinking is affecting the life of the drinker.
There are seven key signs of alcohol dependence:
1. The person develops a tolerance for alcohol. This means that it takes more and more alcohol to feel the same level of intoxication.
2. The person has withdrawal symptoms. This means that they feel sick when there is no alcohol in their body. These symptoms include nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety.
3. The person often drinks more than he does or she had originally intended to drink.
4. The person attempts to cut down or to stop drinking but all attempts on their own are failures and they just continue to drink more and more.
5. The person spends a lot of time and effort making sure he or she can get alcohol.
6. The person gives up opportunities for social, recreational, and professional activities because of their drinking.
7. The person continues to drink despite having physical and psychological problems because of the drinking. For the purposes of diagnosis among professional diagnosticians, if a person has three of these seven signs then they are considered alcohol dependent.
There are some other less official type signs that can be used to determine if someone is drinking too much. The person begins to miss work or is less successful at work. The person seems angry or sad a lot. The person hits or physically abuses members of the family. The person emotionally abuses members of the family. The person has blackouts (cannot remember what he or she did while drunk).
The person has hangovers (feels really sick the day after drinking). Alcoholism doe not go away by itself so it is extremely important for friends and family members who recognize any combination of these symptoms or signs to encourage the person to seek treatment. In the long-term alcoholism can cause cirrhosis and cancer of the liver, heart and central nervous system damage, memory loss, impotence and a high risk of over dosing. People who abuse alcohol may not want to admit that they have a problem because they are ashamed or embarrassed or maybe even they do not want to change their lifestyle.
Did You Know
|
For the alcoholic, quitting drinking is extremely difficult and something that takes time, patience, and dedication. Recovery is not a task that can be entered into lightly or without reservation. If you don't have access to an AA support group then you have 3 other options.
You can use self-help books where the alcoholic is taking responsibility for his own health. This can work well because once the person knows of the problem it becomes easier to resolve.
By putting together their own plan of action and choosing his own techniques, the alcoholic takes an active role in the recovery process. The more common techniques include examining the individual’s need for alcohol, decide whether to quit drinking altogether, or just to cut back, identify the reasons for quitting drinking and sharing the recovery plan with others. These are just a few steps that can be involved in self-recovery.
Another thing that someone with alcoholism can do to recover from it is to use a combination of approaches. This could involve working on self-help issues, going to AA meetings and involving other people in the process for support.
The benefit of this approach is that you can work on the issues behind the drinking while at the same time developing some kind of accountability to others. Plus you would be able to rely on support from people around you when you go through the tough times. |
Alcoholism can affect anyone and does not discriminate based on race, age, or circumstances. It is a treatable disease, but the person seeking treatment must be willing to give it up entirely. The treatment community for alcoholism typically supports a zero tolerance complete abstinence-based approach to treatment. Research has shown that very few alcoholics can simply cut down on their drinking and be able to know when they have had enough and can stop.
Interesting Facts
|
If a family member is worrying you with their behavor when they are drinking, make arrangements so that you have a safe place to go when their drinking gets out of hand. |
Once that tolerance is built up, the body craves the feeling of intoxication and the only way to rid the body of those cravings is through total abstinence. Alcoholism, most importantly, is a treatable disease. I cannot always be controlled but there are large success rates with treatment. The alcoholic must remember that they will still have the disease even if they are no longer drinking and they will always be considered to be recovering.
Alcoholism in the News
08/28/2008
Breaking the Bonds -- New Memoir Recounts the Author's Battle With OCD and Alcoholism (GlobeNewswire via Yahoo! Finance)
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 28, 2008 -- Do you keep checking little things over and over again? Are you caught up in routines you are compelled to do? Are there persistent thoughts that circle endlessly in your mind?
Breaking the Bonds -- New Memoir Recounts the Author's Battle With OCD and Alcoholism (GlobeNewswire via Yahoo! Finance)
08/29/2008
David Duchovny's sex disorder likened to alcoholism (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Did life imitate art when David Duchovny, who plays a sex-mad writer on the hit US TV show "Californication," seek treatment for sex addiction?
David Duchovny's sex disorder likened to alcoholism (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
08/29/2008
Jeannette Eyerly, Writer for Teenage Girls, Dies at 100 (New York Times)
Ms. Eyerly was one of the first writers for young adults to deal with themes like unwanted pregnancy, alcoholism and drugs.
Jeannette Eyerly, Writer for Teenage Girls, Dies at 100 (New York Times)
08/27/2008
Hawaii Has one of the Highest Rates of Alcoholism and Drunk Driving (KHON 2 Honolulu)
Hawaii has one of the highest rates of alcoholism and drunk driving in the nation and the legislature may take steps to correct that. The house health committee held a hearing today to listen to the experts.
Hawaii Has one of the Highest Rates of Alcoholism and Drunk Driving (KHON 2 Honolulu)
08/29/2008
Native American Battle Plan with Alcoholism (KQCD-TV Dickinson)
Alcohol kills thousands of people every year, through things like car crashes and liver disease. A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds Native Americans are four times more likely than the rest of the population to suffer an alcohol-related death.
Native American Battle Plan with Alcoholism (KQCD-TV Dickinson)
08/27/2008
Hawaii Has one of the Highest Rates of Alcoholism and Drunk Driving (KHON 2 Honolulu)
Hawaii has one of the highest rates of alcoholism and drunk driving in the nation and the legislature may take steps to correct that. The house health committee held a hearing today to listen to the experts.
Hawaii Has one of the Highest Rates of Alcoholism and Drunk Driving (KHON 2 Honolulu)
08/29/2008
Jeannette Eyerly, Writer for Teenage Girls, Dies at 100 (New York Times)
Ms. Eyerly was one of the first writers for young adults to deal with themes like unwanted pregnancy, alcoholism and drugs.
Jeannette Eyerly, Writer for Teenage Girls, Dies at 100 (New York Times)
08/29/2008
David Duchovny's sex disorder likened to alcoholism (Reuters via Yahoo! Philippines News)
By Jill Serjeant
David Duchovny's sex disorder likened to alcoholism (Reuters via Yahoo! Philippines News)
Click here to add this page to your favorites
Print This Page
| 