Facts About Alcohol Addiction You Should Know

For many people, drinking alcohol is a pleasant way to relax. However, some people drink excessively and cause damage not only to themselves but also to those around them.

For most adults, moderate alcohol use (no more than the equivalent of two glasses of wine a day for men and one for women and older people) is relatively harmless. However, alcoholism, or being addicted to alcohol, will affect a person’s physical well-being and mental health.

Because alcohol abuse and alcoholism are often considered signs of weakness, many people hide or deny their drinking problems. Alcoholism is a disease that is no more a sign of weakness than asthma or diabetes.

Alcohol abuse

Alcohol is by far the most commonly abused drug in many countries. It is readily available and socially acceptable. Alcohol abusers consistently drink excessively, to such an extent that their drinking can cause repeated damaging effects. Alcohol abusers often fail to meet their educational, work, or family responsibilities. They may have drinking-related legal problems, such as drunken driving convictions, and drinking can also lead to problems with personal relationships.

Alcoholism

People with alcoholism or alcohol dependence are compulsive drinkers of alcoholic drinks. Alcoholism is not about what kind of alcohol someone drinks or even how much, but rather the ability to control one’s drinking. People dependent on alcohol have lost the ability to control their drinking.

In general, problem drinking qualifies as alcoholism when the person:

• Drinks compulsively
• Keeps drinking despite adverse effects
• Becomes upset when alcohol is not readily available
• Experiences physical and psychological discomfort when the person stops alcohol abruptly

Not everyone who gets drunk is an alcoholic. Many people drink to experiment, to be sociable, or to gain attention. However, alcoholics do not plan to get drunk; their drinking is an uncontrollable urge.

Although they can sometimes control their drinking, alcoholics often cannot stop once they start. As their tolerance to the effects of alcohol increases, they may need to drink more and more to produce the same effect. Some people become physically dependent on alcohol and suffer withdrawal symptoms when they stop after a period of heavy drinking. This can include nausea, sweating, restlessness, irritability, tremors, hallucinations, and convulsions.

Statistics reveal that as many as one in ten people are alcohol abusers or alcoholics. Drinking problems are common among younger people, even though many countries have legal drinking age limits. The incidence or occurrence of alcohol problems tends to be highest among adults between 18 and 29 and lowest among those older than 65.

What causes alcoholism?

Several factors play a significant role. For some people, personality traits such as impulsiveness, low self-esteem, and a need for approval may lead to inappropriate or excessive drinking. Some people drink to cope with emotional pain, and others use alcohol to medicate for other mental disorders. When people start drinking excessively, they may become physically dependent, meaning drinking becomes the only way to avoid discomfort.

Genetic or inherited factors mean that some people are more likely to become dependent on alcohol. Being able to ‘take a drink’ probably means that the person is more at risk, not less.

Children of alcoholics are about four times more likely to become alcoholics themselves than other children. However, a family history of alcoholism does not mean the child will inevitably become an alcoholic. Other factors, such as social pressure and the easy availability of alcohol, can be significant. Poverty and the experience of physical or sexual abuse also increase the risk. The younger a person starts drinking, the greater the chance that an individual will develop an alcohol disorder.

Alcoholism is also often associated with mental disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and adult AHDH. Treating this underlying mental problem and the addiction issue is essential in this case. Such cases are managed effectively by professionals with experience managing dual-diagnosis patients.

Surveys indicate that one in ten people who drink develops alcohol addiction.

Effects of excessive alcohol use

Alcohol slows down some of our brain functions. This can result in many problems. For example, inhibited speech centres in the brain cause slurred speech; affected vision centres produce distorted vision; and depressed coordination centres result in loss of balance and limb control. These effects last a few hours after drinking, but alcohol also produces increased agitation or irritation of the nervous system, which lasts much longer. In more severe cases, we only have to think of the hangover and shakiness. This effect often makes heavy evening drinkers start drinking the following day again because of the highly uncomfortable agitation. They can temporarily subdue the discomfort with more alcohol. A vicious circle is set in motion, and drinking patterns emerge.

Moderate drinkers are less likely to develop heart disease than people who do not drink or those who drink larger amounts. It is not advisable to start drinking only to benefit your heart. Regular physical activity and changing to a low-fat diet would be wiser. Even for those who can drink safely and choose to do so, moderation is the key. Heavy drinking can increase the risk of heart failure, stroke, and high blood pressure.

Short-term effects of alcohol include memory loss, hangovers, and blackouts, but often these problems are not recognized until they become serious. In the long term, heavy drinking can cause impotence, stomach problems, heart problems, cancer, severe memory loss, and brain and liver damage.

Alcohol abuse can make existing mental illnesses worse, especially in the case of depression or schizophrenia. Alcoholism can also cause new problems, such as severe memory loss, depression, or anxiety. The risk of death because of drunken driving, homicide, and suicide is also increased. Even for people who are not alcoholics, abusing alcohol can cause such problems. Moderate drinking can have unwanted effects too, and drinking should be avoided before driving, during pregnancy, and when taking certain medications.

Sleeping pills, antipsychotics, antihistamines, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and some painkillers all slow down the central nervous system, which exacerbates the effects of alcohol. For example, suppose you are taking antihistamines for a cold or allergy and drink alcohol. In that case, the alcohol will increase the drowsiness that the medication produces, making driving or operating machinery more dangerous. Drugs for certain illnesses, including diabetes and heart disease, can become hazardous with alcohol. When taking any over-the-counter or prescription medications, check with your doctor or pharmacist whether it is safe to drink alcohol.

How alcohol impacts others

People with alcohol-related disorders do not only damage themselves. The effects on families and friends can be devastating. Excessive consumption of alcohol is commonly cited as a reason for family or marriage problems. These may range from drunken violence directed toward a spouse or children to financial difficulties caused by the compulsive purchase of alcohol.

Children are more likely to develop emotional issues, suffer physical and sexual abuse and neglect, and grow up to be alcoholics themselves when living with an alcoholic parent. Most children of alcoholics have experienced some form of neglect or abuse. They also suffer long-term emotional and psychological damage.

Women who drink during pregnancy run a serious risk of damaging their babies. Even strangers can be affected as innocent victims of traffic accidents or homicides.

That is why affected family members also need to initiate a healing process for themselves.

Drinking and driving

A tiny amount of alcohol can impair the ability to drive. It is well known that blood alcohol concentrations as low as 0.02% can impair driving skills, such as steering a car while reacting to traffic changes. An 80-kg man will have a blood alcohol concentration of about 0.04% one hour after consuming two standard beers or two other drinks on an empty stomach. The more alcohol you consume, the more your driving skills will be impaired. Impairment of driving skills begins at very low levels compared with those set as the legal limits in some countries.

Treatment

Alcoholics usually can’t stop drinking through willpower alone. Most alcoholics need professional support. Some may need medically supervised detoxification to avoid life-threatening withdrawal symptoms like seizures.

Once people are stabilized, they will need help to resolve the psychological issues that may have led to their drinking problem. To sustain abstinence, they must also discover and resolve their personality and attitudinal issues.

Hope Trust’s holistic treatment program addresses the physical, mental, emotional, social, and emotional areas for long-term and meaningful recovery.

Psychological treatment

Several psychological methods or talking treatments help deal with the problem of drinking. These methods can help boost an alcoholic’s motivation to stop drinking, identify circumstances that trigger drinking, learn new approaches to cope with high-risk drinking situations and develop social support systems within the community.

Because families influence drinking and recovery, marital and family therapy is also helpful. Therapists can educate families about alcoholism and advise on supporting the person during recovery. Hope Trust has a team of over 25 verified therapists to help you.

Family and friends

Alcoholism treatment is effective in many cases, but treatment does not end when the drinking stops. People need ongoing support to avoid relapse. Even after formal treatment ends, many people seek additional support through continued involvement with self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

Only a minority of people will manage a year after treatment without relapsing. More often, people relapse one or more times before achieving long-term recovery. Relapses do not mean that a person has failed or cannot eventually recover. If a relapse occurs, the person needs to try to stop drinking again and get the help they need. Support from relatives and friends can be very helpful for long-term recovery.

Self-help support groups such as Al-Anon are beneficial for providing appropriate insight and support to family and friends.

Convincing people to accept help when they do not want it can become difficult. Relatives often protect their loved ones by making excuses for the drinking and helping them out of alcohol-related difficulties. Alcoholics develop denial and think they do not need treatment. It is essential not to give in and try to hide a relative’s alcohol problems or come to their rescue in tricky situations. That way, the person experiences the harmful effects of their drinking and will likely become more motivated to stop. Family and friends can also help by locating information about treatment options and encouraging treatment.

If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction problem, click www.hopetrustindia for an online or in-clinic appointment with an expert.