Alcohol is a legal drug, but this doesn’t mean it isn’t the cause of widespread problems. Indeed, it is the most commonly abused drug in the Western hemisphere, and alcohol addiction is most likely to blame for destroying more lives and relationships and relationships than all other forms of drug-addiction combined together!
For most people who drink, alcohol is a pleasant accompaniment to community events. Moderate liquor use - up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older persons - is not harmful at all for most adults. (A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle or can of either beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.) Nonetheless, a significant number of persons get into considerable trouble because of their drinking.
Currently, almost 14 million Americans - 1 in every 13 adults - abuse alcohol or are alcoholic! Several million more adults engage in risky drinking that could lead to liquor problems. These patterns include binge drinking and excessive drinking on a steady basis. Furthermore, 53 percent of men and females in the United States admit that one or more of their close relations have a drinking difficulty.
The effects of alcohol misuse are serious - in many cases, life threatening. Heavy drinking can increase the risk for certain cancers, especially those of the liver, esophagus, throat, and larynx (voice box). Heavy drinking can also cause liver cirrhosis, immune system problems, brain injury, and harm to the unborn baby during pregnancy. In addition, drinking increases the risk of mortality from vehicle crashes as well as recreational and on-the-job accidents. Furthermore, both murders and suicides are more probable to be committed by persons who have been drinking. In purely economic terms, alcohol-connected problems cost our community approximately $185 billion per year. In human terms, the cost cannot be calculated.
Alcoholism, also identified as ‘alcohol addiction’ is a sickness that includes four symptoms:
* Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink.
* Loss of control: The inability to limit one’s drinking on any given occurrence.
* Physical dependency: Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, perspiring, shaking, and fear, occur when liquor use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking.
* Tolerance: The need to drink larger quantities of alcohol in order to ‘get high’.
Although some people are able to recover from an alcohol dependency without help, the majority of alcoholics need assistance. With care and support, many individuals are able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives and relationships.
Many persons question why some individuals can use alcohol without problems but others cannot. One important cause has to do with genetics. Scientists have proven that having an alcoholic family member makes it more likely that if you choose to drink you too may develop an alcohol dependency.
Genes, however, are not the whole account. In fact, scientists now believe that specific factors in a person’s background effect whether a person with a genetic risk for alcoholism ever develops the malady. A human being’s risk for developing an alcohol dependency can increase based on the person’s surroundings, including where and how he or she lives; loved ones, friends, and cultural values; peer pressures; and even how easy it is to get liquor.
Alcohol abuse is different from an alcohol dependency in that it does not include an extremely strong longing for alcohol, loss of self control over drinking, or physical dependence. Alcohol abuse is defined as a pattern of drinking that ends in one or more of the ensuing situations within a 12-month stint:
* Failure to perform critical work, college, or home responsibilities
* Drinking in situations that are substantially unsafe, such as while driving a car or using machinery
* Having frequent alcohol-associated legal problems, such as being arrested for driving under the effect of alcohol or for physically injuring someone while drunk.
* Continued drinking despite having ongoing relationship problems that are caused or exacerbated by the drinking.
Although liquor abuse is distinct from alcoholism, many end results of alcohol abuse are also experienced by alcoholics.
Although alcoholism can be treated, a cure is not yet available. In other words, even if an alcoholic has been sober for a long time and has regained physical well-being, he or she remains vulnerable to relapses and must continue to shun all alcoholic beverages. Cutting down on drinking just doesn’t seem to work, but cutting out alcohol completely seems to be mandatory for a successful recovery. However, even individuals who are single-minded to stay dry may suffer one or a number of or relapses, before achieving long-term sobriety.
Relapses are very common and do not mean that a individual has failed or cannot recover from an alcohol dependency. Keep in mind, too, that every day that a recovering alcoholic has stayed sober prior to a relapse is and enormously important time, both to the individual and to his or her loved ones. If a relapse happens, it is very important for the alcoholic simply to attempt sobriety once more and to get whatever added support they need to desist from drinking.