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ALCOHOLISM Alcoholism, chronic and usually progressive
illness involving the excessive inappropriate ingestion of ethyl alcohol,
whether in the form of familiar alcoholic beverages or as a constituent of
other substances. Alcoholism is thought to arise from a combination of a wide
range of physiological, psychological, social, and genetic factors. It is
characterized by an emotional and often physical dependence on alcohol, and
it frequently leads to brain damage or early death. Some 10 percent of the
adult drinkers in the United States are considered alcoholics or at least
they experience drinking problems to some degree. More males than females are
affected, but drinking among the young and among women is increasing.
Consumption of alcohol is apparently on the rise in the United States,
countries of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and many
European nations. This is paralleled by growing evidence of increasing
numbers of alcohol-related problems in other nations, including the Third
World. Development Alcoholism, as opposed to
merely excessive or irresponsible drinking, has been variously thought of as
a symptom of psychological or social stress or as a learned, maladaptive
coping behavior. More recently, and probably more accurately, it has come to
be viewed as a complex disease entity in its own right. Alcoholism usually
develops over a period of years. Early and subtle symptoms include placing
excessive importance on the availability of alcohol. Ensuring this
availability strongly influences the person's choice of associates or
activities. Alcohol comes to be used more as a mood-changing drug than as a
foodstuff or beverage served as a part of social custom or religious ritual. Initially, the alcoholic
may demonstrate a high tolerance to alcohol, consuming more and showing less
adverse effects than others. Subsequently, however, the person begins to
drink against his or her own best interests, as alcohol comes to assume more
importance than personal relationships, work, reputation, or even physical
health. The person commonly loses control over drinking and is increasingly
unable to predict how much alcohol will be consumed on a given occasion or,
if the person is currently abstaining, when the drinking will resume again.
Physical addiction to the drug may occur, sometimes eventually leading to
drinking around the clock to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Effects Alcohol has direct toxic
as well as sedative effects on the body, and failure to take care of
nutritional and other physical needs during prolonged periods of excessive
drinking may further complicate matters. Advanced cases often require
hospitalization. The effects on major organ systems are cumulative and
include a wide range of digestive-system disorders such as ulcers,
inflammation of the pancreas, and cirrhosis of the liver. The central and
peripheral nervous systems can be permanently damaged. Blackouts,
hallucinations, and extreme tremors may occur. The latter symptoms are
involved in the most serious alcohol withdrawal syndrome, delirium tremens,
which can prove fatal despite prompt treatment. This is in contrast to
withdrawal from narcotic drugs such as heroin, which, although distressful,
rarely results in death. Recent evidence has shown that heavy—and even
moderate—drinking during pregnancy can cause serious damage to the unborn
child: physical or mental retardation or both; a rare but severe expression
of this damage is known as fetal alcohol syndrome. Treatment Treatment of the illness
increasingly recognizes alcoholism itself as the primary problem needing
attention, rather than regarding it as always secondary to another,
underlying problem. Specialized residential treatment facilities and separate
units within general or psychiatric hospitals are rapidly increasing in
number. As the public becomes more aware of the nature of alcoholism, the
social stigma attached to it decreases, alcoholics and their families tend to
conceal it less, and diagnosis is not delayed as long. Earlier and better
treatment has led to encouragingly high recovery rates. In addition to managing
physical complications and withdrawal states, treatment involves individual
counseling and group therapy techniques aimed at complete and comfortable
abstinence from alcohol and other mood-changing drugs of addiction. Such
abstinence, according to the best current evidence, is the desired goal,
despite some highly controversial suggestions that a safe return to social
drinking is possible. Addiction to other drugs, particularly to other
tranquilizers and sedatives, poses a major hazard to alcoholics. Antabuse, a
drug that produces a violent intolerance for alcohol as long as the substance
remains in the body, is sometimes used after withdrawal. Alcoholics
Anonymous, a support group commonly used for those undergoing other
treatment, in many cases helps alcoholics to recover without recourse to formal
treatment. Despite these encouraging
signs, estimates of the annual number of deaths related to excessive drinking
exceed 97,000 in the United States alone. Economic costs related to
alcoholism are at least $100 billion a year. Additional data are needed on
various societal costs of alcoholism as well as on the costs of various modes
of treatment compared with their actual results. If you think you, a family member or friend might have a problem with alcohol, visit, Alcoholics Anonymous or Al-Anon Family Groups. For alcoholism and recovery related books, try visiting Amazon.com |
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