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Drinking and the problems it causes

By: David Peters

Because time and amount of drinking are uncontrollable, someone who is suffering from alcoholism addiction is likely to engage in such behaviour as breaking family commitments, both major and minor; spending more money than planned; drinking while intoxicated and getting arrested; making inappropriate remarks to friends, family, and co-workers; arguing, fighting and other anti-social actions. The alcoholic would probably wouldn't do such things, nor approve of them in others unless he was drinking.

Generally speaking, the signs of alcoholism are unclear to many people. It is not unusual to have questions as to what alcohol dependency is exactly, how is different from alcohol abuse, and when an individual should look for treatment due to their drinking problem. The following information will provide you with the answer to these questions and many others you many have. Alcoholism addiction (also known as alcohol dependence) is characterized by several signs: Cravings - A strong need, or compulsion, to drink. Loss of control - The inability to limit one's drinking on any given occasion. Physical dependence - Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, occur when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking. Tolerance - The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to "get high.

Stopping alcohol completely is usually best if you are, or have been, alcohol dependent. Also, if you have a condition due to alcohol such as liver damage. Otherwise, reducing to a safe level of drinking is an option. (A note of caution: do not stop alcohol suddenly if you are alcohol dependent. Some withdrawal effects can be severe. It is best to cut down gradually and then stop, or see your doctor about a 'detox'.) If you are trying to cut down, some tips which may help include the following: Consider drinking low alcohol beers, or at least do not drink 'strong' beers or lagers. Try pacing the rate of drinking. Perhaps alternate soft drinks with alcoholic drinks. Consider cutting back on types of social activity which involve drinking. Perhaps try different social activities where drinking is not a part. Perhaps reduce the number of days in the week where you go out to drink. Resist pressure from people who encourage you to drink more than you want to.

Other medication sometimes used for alcohol problems: Vitamins, particularly vitamin B1 (thiamine), are often prescribed if you are alcohol dependent. Especially during detox. This is because many people who are dependent on alcohol do not eat properly and can lack certain vitamins. A lack of vitamin B1 is the most common. A lack of this vitamin can cause serious brain conditions called Wernicke's encephalopathy and Korsakoff's psychosis. Acamprosate is a medicine which can help to ease alcohol craving. This may be prescribed to some people after a successful detox to help them stay off alcohol. Disulfiram is another medicine which is sometimes used following a successful detox. When you take disulfiram you get very unpleasant symptoms if you drink any alcohol (such as flushing, vomiting, palpitations and headache). So, in effect, the medicine acts as a deterrent for when you are tempted to drink. It can help some people to stay off alcohol.

Despite the fact that drinking is illegal for anyone under the age of 21, the reality is that adolescent girls drink. Research shows, for example, that about 41 percent of 9th grade girls-usually about 14 years old-report drinking in the past month. (This rate is about the same for 9th grade boys.) Even more alarming, a little more than 20 percent of these same young girls report having had 5 or more drinks on a single occasion during the previous month. Consequences of Unsafe Drinking Drinking under age 21 is illegal in every state. Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of teen death. Drinking makes young women more vulnerable to sexual assault and unsafe and unplanned sex. Young people who begin drinking before age 15 have a 40 percent higher risk of developing alcohol abuse or alcoholism some time in their lives than those who wait until age 21 to begin drinking. This increased risk is the same for young girls as it is for boys.

Research suggests that women who have trouble with their closest relationships tend to drink more than other women. Heavy drinking is more common among women who have never married, are living unmarried with a partner, or are divorced or separated. (The effect of divorce on a woman's later drinking may depend on whether she is already drinking heavily in her marriage.) A woman whose husband drinks heavily is more likely than other women to drink too much. Many studies have found that women who suffered childhood sexual abuse are more likely to have drinking problems. Depression is closely linked to heavy drinking in women, and women who drink at home alone are more likely than others to have later drinking problems.

Older women need to be aware that alcohol will "go to their head" more quickly than when they were younger. Also, caregivers need to know that alcohol may be the cause of problems assumed to result from age. These include depression, sleeping problems, eating poorly, heart failure, and frequent falls. An important point is that older persons with alcohol problems respond to treatment as well as younger persons. Those with shorter histories of problem drinking do better in treatment than those with longer-term problems with drinking.

Article Source: Main Articles

Drinking Causes problems. Learning the right info and the right sources can really make a difference. Start looking up alcohol treatment centers.

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