Alcoholism

Alcoholism: The Basics

Alcoholism, a disease that makes one’s body dependent on alcohol, is a serious health concern in today’s society.  It is classified by the following four symptoms:

• Craving: the urge or need to drink
• Loss of control: inability to stop drinking once one has started
• Physical dependence: withdrawal symptoms
• Tolerance: a greater amount of alcohol must be consumed to get to the same state of “high” as before

Alcoholics may be unable to control their drinking habits even though these habits can have serious negative impacts on that person’s work, relationships, and health.  Alcoholism is a disease that gets worse with time and can be developed after a month or years of drinking.  It can not be cured, but there are many treatment options available for alcoholics.  These are just some general facts about alcoholism.

 Alcoholism: Genetics

Alcoholism may have strong links to a person’s genetics.  For instance, research has shown that the body’s enzyme that metabolize alcohol may be influenced by genetic factors.  Other research has shown that there are two type of genetic predisposition to alcoholism.  Type I is found mostly in males, that have a tendency to get in trouble, and fights.  Type II can be found in male or females and is triggered by stressful events.  All of these genetic factors do not guarantee that someone will become an alcoholic, they simple increase their risk factors.  Additionally, genetics can affect risk factors for alcoholism as shown by the CSF Family Alcoholism Study which states, “20-25% of sons and brothers of alcoholics become alcoholics” and “5% of daughters and sisters of alcoholics become alcoholics”.  Alcoholics are also six times more likely than nonalcoholics to report a positive family history of alcoholism.  These are the current arguments supporting the idea that genetic factors can influence the risk factors for developing alcoholism.

Alcoholism: Symptoms

The symptoms of alcoholism can vary from person to person.  A few or all of the symptoms of alcoholism listed below may be present in an alcoholic.
Early Stages:

• Activities are planned around drinking
• Sneaking drinks or hiding alcohol usage
• Drinking occurs to relieve stress
• Blackouts, the inability to recall or remember events or parts of time that happened while drinking
• More and more thoughts about alcohol
• More and more alcohol is required to feel drunk

Middle Stages:

• Lack of ability to keep promises
• Refusal to admit a drinking problem
• Drinking more than planned
• Drinking immediately after awakening from sleep
• Personality changes or mood swings
• Attempting to control drinking with mind games (ex. Telling one’s self not to drink prior to noon)

Late Stages:

• Severe withdrawal symptoms, such as delirium tremens

 Alcoholism: Risk Factors

There are many risk factors that can increase the likelihood that someone will become an alcoholic.  Steady drinking over time can increase the chance of physical dependence on alcohol.  Men that drink in excess of 15 drinks a week and women that drink 12 or more drinks a week are at risk for developing dependence.  Drinking is itself is only one of the many risk factors of alcoholism; some of the other risk factors are:
Age – Those who start drinking at an early age (16 or earlier) are at a higher risk of developing alcohol dependence or abuse.
Genetics / Family History – Your genetics / family history may increase or decrease the chance that you become an alcoholic.
Gender – Men are more likely to become alcohol dependent than women are.
Emotional State – Having severe depression or aniexty increases the chance of abusing alcohol; adults that are diagnoised with attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also have a greater risk of developing alcoholism.
Alcoholism: Complications
Alcohol depresses the central nervous system; for some people this means that the initial reaction may be stimulation.  As you continue to drink, the effect becomes sedated.  Alcohol lowers a person’s inhibitions and affects emotions, thoughts, and judgment.  Additionally, a heavy drinking binge can even cause a life threatening coma.  Over time, continuous alcohol use can cause fatigue and short term memory loss, as well as, weakness and paralysis of the eye muscle.  Other server effects of alcohol include:

• Liver disorders: Heavy drinking can cause alcoholic hepatitis and inflamation of the liver.  Signs and symptoms can cinlude a loss of appatite, nausea, vomitting, fever, yellowing of the skin (jaundice), abdominal pain, and confusion.  If a person continues to drink for years, hepatitis may lead to cirrhosis, an irreversible and progressive disease that destroys and scars the liver tissue.
• Cardiovascular issues:  Drinking excessively may lead to high blood pressure and damage to the hear (cardiomypathy).  These conditions increase the risk of heart stroke of failure.
• Birth defects: Alcohol use during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome.  This condition causes birth defects, such as small head, heart defects, shortening of the eyelids, and an array of other abnormalities.
• Gastrointestinal problems: Alcohol can result in the inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis) and an interference with the absorption of the B vitamins, especially with folic acid and thiamin.  Furthermore, drinking heavily can damage the pancreas, which is responsible for producing the hormones that regulate metabolism and the enzymes that digest proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
• Diabetes complications: Alcohol prevents the release of glucose from the liver; this can increase the risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).  If a person already has diabetes, this can be quite dangerous as that person is already taking insulin to lower their blood suagr level.
• Bone loss: Alcohol can interfere with the production of new bone; this can result in the thinning of bones and an increased risk of bone fracture.
• Increased risk of cancer: Continued alcohol abuse has been connected to a higher risk of various cancers, such as cancer of the pharynx, esophagus, larynx, mouth, rectum, colon, breast, and liver.
• Sexual function and menstruation: Alcohol abuse can result in erectile disfunction in men, and it can interrupt menstruation in women.
• Neurological issues: Heavy drinking affects the central nervous system; this can cause the numbing of the hands and / or feet, disorders thinking, and dementia.