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Short And Long-Term Effects Of Alcohol Abuse

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Substance-Related Disorders
1. Describe a number of short- and long-term effects of alcohol abuse.
Some short-term effects of alcohol abuse are the reduction of tension, production of pleasurable affects, as well as slowed thinking and memory loss. Studies also show poor decision making to be a short-term effect of alcohol consumption. Some long-term effects are psychological deterioration as well as a physical deterioration. Just about every organ is adversely affected by the long-term consumption of alcohol. For example, a person who uses alcohol long term reduces the amount of food intake due to the calories consumed by alcohol that has little nutritional value. Over time this person can become malnourished. Long term use of alcohol can…show more content…
Describe therapy for alcohol abuse and dependence, with reference to Alcoholics Anonymous, couples and family therapy, and cognitive and behavioral approaches.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as a type of therapy for dependency is a community based and lead support group that functions under the guise of a 12-step program. These groups work best in conjunction with other therapies and are very helpful in helping to hold the person accountable for their drinking behaviors as well as feel that they are not alone in their plight to succeed in their sobriety.
Couples and family therapy can be helpful in that it focuses on the family system and their involvement in both the support of recovery and the possible contribution to the person’s dependency. Working on how the family contributes to the overall health of the individual can make recovery more possible.
Cognitive and behavioral approaches used are aversion therapy or contingency-management therapy. In aversion therapy a person dependent on alcohol is shocked or made nauseous when they reach for or consume alcohol. The person is asked to imagine that the drink is going to make them violently ill. This type of approach is not always supported as the evidence is not strong and can cause the person discomfort. Contingency-management therapy helps to provide the person with training to refuse drinks in situations they would typically indulge as well as to help develop life skills such as interviewing and social…show more content…
Distinguish between substance abuse and substance dependence. What are the DSM-IV-TR criteria for each?
Substance abuse is an intense desire to use increasing amounts of a particular substance to the exclusion of other activities whereas drug dependence relies on the body’s physical need for a particular substance.
The DSM IV-TR criteria for substance dependence requires the person to have three or more of the following; tolerance, characteristic withdrawal symptoms, substance taken in larger amount and for a longer period of time than intended, persistent desire or repeated unsuccessful attempt to quit, more time or activity to obtain, use and recover, important social, occupational, or recreational activities given up or reduced, and use that continues despite the knowledge of adverse consequences.
Drug abuse requires the person to have one or more of the following symptoms in a 12-month period; recurrent use resulting in failure to fulfill a major role or obligation at work, home, or school, recurrent substance related legal problems, continued use despite persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems or exacerbated by
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