Alcohol Dependence

Alcoholism (sometimes called Alcohol Use Disorder in the technical literature) is, essentially, defined as a dependency on alcohol for an individual to function in his/her daily life. The condition is related to but distinct from "alcohol abuse". In the latter case, an individual may be said to have a drinking problem, but s/he is not dependent on alcohol, i.e. alcohol is not a required part of that person 's life. This is an important distinction to make as often

There are many places to get information about treatment for alcohol dependency. There are programs to help cure this disease and get help. Some examples are as follows. One is Al-Anon/Alateen. This program helps families and friends of alcoholics deal with and recover from the effects of living with an alcoholism. Another is the National Drug and Treatment Referral Routing Service. This program provides treatment referral and information about treatment facilities. Lastly, there is the National Clearinghouse for alcohol and Drug Information. It provides information about alcohol and other

Alcohol abuse has become one of the principal causes of mortality and morbidity in the United States causing more than 200,000 deaths every year (Hendey, Dery, Barnes, Snowden, &

Some treatments that could be given to people who have alcoholism would be a cleansing of the body by having a withdrawal or getting rid of alcohol in order to clean the

Usually when people write about an influential person or a person who inspires them, they talk about someone who has done greatly in life. But I want to talk about someone who made mistakes in their life that has inspired me to do something about it. It was only a couple years ago when I lost my grandmother to an alcohol addiction. She knew she was sick with liver disease but her addiction always took the better of her. Watching her desperate for a drink regardless of how much pain she was in made me realize how depressing an alcohol addiction really is. Her addiction and the disease took the better of her. I was there the day she died in the hospital. She couldn't move, she couldn't talk, her face pale, and fingers so cold.

At the beginning of the 21st century, it was estimated that the annual number of deaths related to excessive drinking exceeded 100,000 in the United States alone (“Alcoholism”). In fact, in 1995, 140 million Americans were using alcohol is an abusing way (Ammerman, Ott, and Tarter). “It is a chronic and progressive illness that involves the excessive inappropriate ingestion of ethyl alcohol” (“Alcoholism”). Equally, it can be characterized as an emotional and many times, physical dependence on alcohol. It is thought to come from a combination of a wide range of physiological, social, and genetic factors (“Alcoholism”). Even

Physical symptoms also occur after within an individual addicted to alcohol. Such symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, trembling, and loss of appetite. Signs of physical withdrawal after a period of not drinking, such a waking up in the morning, start occurring because their body builds up a tolerance and then can’t function properly without the alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms begin within 6 to 48 hours and peak about 24 to 35 after the last drink of a person with alcoholism. (Alcoholism, 2010).

Alcohol-dependent people are often unable to stop drinking once they start as alcohol dependence is characterized by tolerance or the need to drink more to achieve the same "high", in addition, serious withdrawal symptoms if drinking is stopped suddenly. The sooner that the individual begins to receive help for the treatment of their alcoholism means that, the shorter period that they will be able to stop use. Individuals who receive treatment

Have you ever thought alcoholism is a serious disease and thousands of people die each year due to excessive use of alcohol. Alcoholism is a chronic disease characterized by uncontrolled drinking or inability to manage drinking habits. It is also commonly referred as an alcohol use disorder. An estimated 88,000 people (approximately 62,000 men and 26,000 women) die from alcohol-related problems, Annually, making the alcohol third leading preventable cause of death in the united states(National institute of alcohol abuse and alcoholism). Alcoholism

Alcohol dependence is known to be the most severe form of alcohol abuse. A person becomes so dependent on alcohol consumption that he/she loses sight of all the other important things going on around him/her. Family matters and social responsibilities become secondary worries to his/her primary concern for existence, which is drinking (Stephens, 2007). Nearly fourteen million Americans are somewhat dependent on alcohol. Alcohol dependence is more prominent in men, and young adults ages 18-29 (Stephens, 2007). According to a study done by Saitz “85,000 deaths, along with substantial disability from medical and psychiatric consequences, injuries and “secondhand” effects (ex: motor vehicle crashes) are attributed to the use of alcohol” (Saitz, 2005).

The alcoholic beverage has remained an established element to society’s social world and has grown into a way of living. As alcohol continues to flourish in its prevalence among citizens of the United States, so does the concept of alcohol addiction. A person becomes addicted to alcohol when they “drink excessively and develops a dependence that results in noticeable mental disturbance, or an interference with bodily and mental health, their interpersonal relations, and their smooth social and economic functioning” (Calahan, 1970, pp. 3). In 2009, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that about 52% of Americans used alcohol at least once within 30 days of their survey. As the percentage of Americans who consume alcohol

Additionally, like many other drug abusers, alcoholics often drink hoping to "drown' anxious or depressed feelings. Some alcoholics drink to reduce strong inhibitions or guilt about expressing negative feelings.

Before one can begin the process of remaining abstinent from alcohol, the individual must first accept that there is a problem stemming from drinking alcohol. Admitting that there is something wrong about consuming too much alcohol, enables the individual to take action. Although the alcohol abusers peers may highlight the problem to the user as well, he or she is more likely to commit to quitting if the problem is acknowledged by the individual. First, the alcohol users assess his or her situation regarding alcohol abuse. Next, the individual will need to take steps to ensure his or her peers are aware and supportive of the situation. If the users, peers all abuse alcohol it may be difficult or embarrassing to acknowledge your plan to change. Now that the alcohol user has acknowledged the substance abuse problem, it’s

People drink in many ways, for many different reasons. We drink socially, to gain acceptance into a group. We drink alone to ease stress, to cope with our problems, or we “drink because we like the taste or how it makes us feel”#. Often drinking is a learned behavior, starting out as a social drinker; you quickly become psychologically and physically dependent. When someone reaches this stage they are often classified as an alcoholic. To an alcoholic, drinking becomes a compulsion; they cannot stop themselves from having another drink, like a social drinker can. In many cases alcoholics don’t even have to drink continuously in order to be an alcoholic. One the problems of alcohol addiction is that it’s something that doesn’t just effect the individual but it effects, friends and family as well. Spouse abuse, child abuse and dysfunctional family relationships can all be influenced by alcohol abuse.

Alcohol dependence (alcoholism), occurs when the body cannot function without the effect of alcohol. Alcohol affects specific neurotransmitters in the brain and when the brain becomes accustomed to the alcohols affects it can no longer function properly signals without the help of the alcohol. Once someone has developed a dependency on alcohol, they will continue to drink regardless of any serious physical complications that are caused by alcohol.