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What is Alcohol Addiction?
Alcohol addiction is commonly referred to as alcoholism. The National Institute on Alcohol Addiction and Alcoholism defines alcoholism as "a primary, chronic disease characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking."
Risk factors for alcohol addiction include the age of onset of drinking and genetic factors. The earlier the onset of drinking the more likely the development of alcoholism becomes. Adolescents in particular appear to be more at risk of developing alcohol addiction by drinking.
Genes affecting the metabolism of alcohol are also a factor in alcoholism development. Addiction to Alcohol can be detrimental to the addict and their loved ones. Alcoholism or alcohol dependence is a disease that produces a powerful craving for alcohol, regardless of damaging costs to the individual mentally and physically. Alcohol abuse, which can lead to alcoholism, is a pattern of drinking that results in harm to one's health, and relationships. Addiction to Alcohol can start at any stage in a person's life. So, it is very important to seek help if you believe that you or your loved one is suffering from this disease. There are a number of ways you can tell if you or a loved one has an Alcohol Addiction: The unrelenting need for Alcohol, to feel the effect. Signs of Mental Dependency, Physical Dependency, and other Negative effects on the person's surroundings, from work to personal relationships. Using Alcohol more frequently and in higher doses even though you know it is hurting you. These symptoms can vary and a individual can have one or more symptoms. It is very important to seek help if you believe that they are suffering from the Addiction of Alcohol.
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A Dozen Interesting Facts About Alcohol - Alcohol is a drug! It is the most commonly used and abused by both adults and young people. Alcohol is considered America's drug of choice and although it can be expensive, is so because it is legal.
- Alcoholism is a disease! Alcoholism is the term used for the alcohol dependent individual. It is the strong craving for alcohol and even though they are aware of dangerous side effects, the alcoholic cannot stop drinking. Left untreated this incurable disease can be fatal.
- Ranging in age from 12 to 20, 65 percent of youth surveyed have drank or do drink alcohol regularly. The majority of those surveyed admitted to having received it from a friend or family member.
- Over 14 million Americans meet diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorder. This means that they are either regular alcohol abusers or alcohol dependent.
- Among current adult drinkers, at least 50 percent have a blood relative who is, or was, an alcoholic. Recent statistics show that adult abusers were raised in a home where either one or both parents were either alcohol abusers and/or alcohol dependent.
- Males are four times more likely to be heavy drinkers than females and twice as likely to have a drinking problem.
- More than 18 percent of all Americans experience some form of alcohol abuse or dependency at some point in their lives. In a survey conducted, most Americans admitted to using alcohol as a stress relief.
- 45 percent of all traffic fatalities are alcohol related with 32 percent of them having a child occupant or being a child pedestrian. Night time drivers were four times more likely to become involved in an alcohol related accident.
- Alcohol is the most commonly used drug among young people. According to recent studies, most Americans stated that they had tasted some form of alcoholic beverage by the age of 6.
- Underage drinking costs the United States $58 billion annually. This number is primarily due to motor vehicle accidents and illegal acts which involve some type of mandatory jail time.
- Alcohol kills 6 1/2 times more youth than any other illicit drug. Because alcohol is a legal drug, it is more easily accessable to young people and there is less fear of using it or getting caught with it.
- Problem drinkers average 4 times more days during a hospital stay than a non drinker and Most of these hospital admissions are due to alcohol related injuries and accidents.
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Alcohol Addiction Alcohol addiction is commonly referred to as alcoholism or alcohol dependency. The National Institute on Alcohol Addiction and Alcoholism define alcoholism as "a primary, chronic disease characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking."
Risk factors for alcohol addiction include the age of onset of drinking and although not completely proven scientifically, it is believed that genetic play a role. Its also been determined that environment in which a child is raised may have a larger factor in the individual who becomes alcohol dependent than any other factor. If the child has one or more parents in the home who are alcohol abusers or alcohol dependent then there is a greater chance that he/she may become alcohol dependent. The age of onset of drinking also weighs some...the early the onset of drinking, the more likely the individual will become dependent on alcohol. Addiction to Alcohol can be detrimental to the addict and their loved ones. Alcoholism or alcohol dependence is a disease that produces a powerful craving for alcohol, regardless of damaging costs to the individual mentally, physically and/or socially. Alcohol abuse, which can lead to alcoholism or alcohol dependency, is a pattern of drinking that results in harm to one's health, and relationships. Addiction to Alcohol can start at any stage in a person's life. So, it is very important to seek help if you believe that you or your loved one is suffering from this disease. There are a number of ways you can tell if you or a loved one has an Alcohol Addiction: The uncontrolable need for Alcohol to subside physical cravings or to feel the effect of it. Mental and Physical dependency are normally present. Interference with an individuals ability to perform normal every day duties such as work or school, or the inability to maintain a healthy relationship with family, friends and loved ones. Tolerance level increases to reach the results they are looking for and denial about how the amount of alcohol consumed.These symptoms can vary from individual to individual but the person with three or more symptoms should seriously consider examining themselves to see if they could possibly be alcohol dependent. It is very important to seek out help if you or a loved one believes there could be a problem of alcohol addiction!
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According to recent studies, the answer to that question still raises a question mark for most researchers and scientists. Studies show that children of alcohol-dependent parents show a greater risk of developing a problem with alcohol. In fact, one study showed out of 987 individuals from 105 families, there were at least three first degree relatives with alcohol dependency. Other studies have concluded that 20-25% of sons and brothers of alcoholic parents, become alcoholics themselves with only 5% of daughters and sisters. But there are more factors to consider than just genetics. Although there was a slight link between chromosomes 1 and 7, which could possibly play a role in genetics, environment seemed to be the number one reason for the child of alcohol dependent parents becoming alcohol dependent themselves. Reasons given were the sadness they experienced in their home life as a child as there was little attention left for the child past the alcohol; they lived their lives as adults based on the examples they were given in their observation of their own parents, so the vicious cycle continues. Personality characteristics, which are partly inherited, were another factor considered and possibly an influence in the child that grows up to become alcoholics. Those seeking excitement in life, the anxious or antisocial had the highest risk. Here again, these personalities are partly inherited by our genes and partially by what we observe from our parents. There is a growing suspicion that genetics do play a larger role than we are currently aware of in alcoholics that come from alcohol dependent parents. Researchers have discovered a unique gene expression that is more prevalent in alcoholics and among alcoholic families than the general population, and this gene expression also seems to make us more vulnerable to depression and anxiety. However, at this time there is no hard scientific evidence to prove that there is a link between the gene pool and the alcoholic.
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Alcoholism is a disease! It is considered a progressive disease because over time and years the drinking becomes more intense and the results more severe. It also takes its toll on the body and breaks it down to cause damage to different organs over this time of abuse. Alcoholism, like many other known diseases, can range in severity from mild to life threatening with alcohol dependency being the most severe form. Alcoholism can be very difficult to diagnose due to the fact that most individuals with a drinking problem are in denial about it. Although friends and family can answer honestly about whether or not there is a problem, most of the time the affected individual will not be so willing to admit it. By the way, denial is one of the most common symptoms of alcohol dependency. Unlike other diseases, it can be very difficult for a medical professional to diagnose, so the willingness of the individual to be honest about how much they drink plays a critical role in that diagnosis. Symptoms include three or more of the following: - Inability to complete work or school activities
- Needing larger amounts of alcohol to achieve the high associated with drinking
- Uncontrolable desire to drink and unable to say no
- Continue to drink knowing what the dangers are
- Experience withdrawals such as nausea, vomiting, shakiness, headaches, sweating, anxiety...after you've stopped drinking
- Drinking more excessively than you did in the past
Alcoholism can be diagnosed, however, that diagnosis is best determined by the individual who is dependent on alcohol. Diagnosis, or the admission there is a problem is the most important step to begin the recovery process.
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Alcoholism
