What Is It?
Alcoholism (alcohol dependence) is the most severe type of drinking problem. There is no absolute number of drinks per day or quantity of alcohol that defines alcoholism. Rather, it is defined by how a person's body reacts to alcohol and how the person behaves and thinks when he or she drinks.
People with alcohol dependence:
Symptoms:
Alcohol dependence can involve any of the following symptoms or behaviors:
When to get help.
Call your doctor whenever you or someone you love has an alcohol-related problem. Remember, alcoholism is an illness that can be treated, not a sign of weakness or poor character. The sooner treatment begins, the easier alcoholism is to treat.
Treatment:
Only a minority of people can regain control of their drinking. More often, once a person has lost control of his or her drinking, it is difficult to go back to drinking moderate amounts. Therefore, the goal of treatment of alcohol dependence is usually to stop drinking alcohol completely.
The first step in this process is recognizing the problem. The well-known phenomenon of denial, which is a common part of the illness, often turns the illness into a chronic one. Unfortunately, the longer the illness persists, the harder it is to treat.
A doctor or substance abuse expert may be able to help the person look at the consequences of drinking. If an individual is beginning to think about alcohol as a problem, educational groups may provide support for weighing the pros and cons of drinking.
It is never easy for family members and friends to confront the problem. A professional may have to help loved ones — kindly, but firmly — talk to the drinker about the painful impact drinking has on them.
The next step is to stop drinking and get treatment to prevent dangerous withdrawal symptoms, a process called detoxification (or simply "detox").
Alcoholism..
Alcoholism (alcohol dependence) is the most severe type of drinking problem. There is no absolute number of drinks per day or quantity of alcohol that defines alcoholism. Rather, it is defined by how a person's body reacts to alcohol and how the person behaves and thinks when he or she drinks.
People with alcohol dependence:
- Develop tolerance — They need to drink more and more alcohol to feel the same effects. They can also drink more than other people without getting drunk.
- Develop withdrawal symptoms — If they stop or cut back on drinking, they can experience anxiety, sweating, trembling, trouble sleeping, nausea or vomiting, and, in severe cases, physical seizures and hallucinations.
- Want to stop drinking, but they can't.
- Lose control over the amount of alcohol they drink.
- Become preoccupied with drinking.
- Payless attention to other life activities.
- Ignore problems.
Symptoms:
Alcohol dependence can involve any of the following symptoms or behaviors:
- Having long episodes of intoxication
- Drinking alone
- Having work problems or financial problems caused by drinking
- Losing interest in food
- Being careless about personal appearance
- Having blackouts
- Driving drunk
- Hurting oneself or someone else while intoxicated
- Hiding liquor bottles and glasses to hide the evidence of drinking
- Experiencing mood or personality changes
- Morning nausea or shaking
- Signs of malnutrition due to a poor diet
- Abdominal pain or diarrhea
- A flushed red color to the face and palms
- Numbness, weakness or tingling in the arms or legs
- Unusually frequent accidental injuries, especially falls
When to get help.
Call your doctor whenever you or someone you love has an alcohol-related problem. Remember, alcoholism is an illness that can be treated, not a sign of weakness or poor character. The sooner treatment begins, the easier alcoholism is to treat.
Treatment:
Only a minority of people can regain control of their drinking. More often, once a person has lost control of his or her drinking, it is difficult to go back to drinking moderate amounts. Therefore, the goal of treatment of alcohol dependence is usually to stop drinking alcohol completely.
The first step in this process is recognizing the problem. The well-known phenomenon of denial, which is a common part of the illness, often turns the illness into a chronic one. Unfortunately, the longer the illness persists, the harder it is to treat.
A doctor or substance abuse expert may be able to help the person look at the consequences of drinking. If an individual is beginning to think about alcohol as a problem, educational groups may provide support for weighing the pros and cons of drinking.
It is never easy for family members and friends to confront the problem. A professional may have to help loved ones — kindly, but firmly — talk to the drinker about the painful impact drinking has on them.
The next step is to stop drinking and get treatment to prevent dangerous withdrawal symptoms, a process called detoxification (or simply "detox").
Alcoholism..
