Learning more about your Drinking Problem

The word "alcoholism" refers to a disease known as alcohol dependence syndrome, the most severe stage of a group of drinking problems which begins with binge drinking and alcohol abuse. Alcohol problems occur at different levels of severity, from mild and annoying to life-threatening. Although alcohol dependence (alcoholism) is the most severe stage, less severe drinking problems can also be dangerous. Alcohol abuse becomes alcohol dependence when drinkers begin to experience a craving for alcohol, a loss of control of their drinking, withdrawal symptoms when they are not drinking and an increased tolerance to alcohol so that they have to drink more to achieve the same effect. Alcohol dependence is a chronic and often progressive disease that includes a strong need to drink despite repeated problems.

The cumulative effects of excessive alcohol consumption, especially when associated with a poor diet, affect every part of the body. The two main sites of damage are the liver and the nervous system: the liver may become progressively damaged through a condition known as cirrhosis, which may lead to liver failure, liver cancer and death. The nervous system may be damaged at many levels. The intellect can be damaged with anxiety and depression, confusion and dementia. The rest of the nervous system can suffer from loss of balance, impotence, numbness of the feet and hands, tremor and blindness. Apart from these two major sites of damage, alcoholism is also implicated in diabetes, inflammation of the pancreas, internal bleeding, weakening of the heart, high blood pressure and stroke, and is harmful to developing pregnancies.

The success of the M.A.D.D. and S.A.D.D. prevention programs has had a decreasing effect on drinking and driving. At the same time, however the car accident alcohol-related death rate of middle age people is still on a rise. Despite significant reductions in the amount of the alcohol-crash problem, drinking and driving continues to present a major threat to the safety of all road users. About one third of deaths among people between the ages of 15 to 24 are the results of motor vehicle-related crashes. Studies have been done in high schools nationwide on the patterns of alcohol use. These studies have reported that 17 percent of students have participated in drinking and driving one or more times. The odds of drinking and driving have increased 2.5-fold to 14-fold while incidents of drinking rose from 3 to 5 times per month to more than 2.

Alcoholism, besides being damaging to the drinker, can also cause suffering to the people around them. For example, spouses of alcoholics often become hurt as a result of the other's damaging or abusive tendencies while drunk. Frequently, spouses can end up dealing with someone who is not the person they originally married. Arguments can be started, words spoken which, when sober, will be regretted. However, this does not lessen the pain. It takes a great deal of courage, patience and love for a spouse to help their loved one deal with and perhaps give up their love of alcohol.

Parents often struggle with what they should say to their kids about alcohol. They also struggle with when to start the dialogue. While no parent wants their child to grow up too early, parents unfortunately cannot afford to wait to address the issue. It is best to arm children with honest answers about health, safety and the dangers of underage drinking before they have fully shaped their attitudes and opinions about underage alcohol use. That means educating kids as young as six on how to protect themselves and make informed decisions about their safety.

For those alcoholics who continue drinking, only about 1 to 4 percent of adults are able to establish a pattern of moderate drinking. In other words, people who are alcoholic almost always need to give up drinking entirely if they hope to be free of the problem. On the positive side, people who do decide to give up alcohol are able to live without it with increasing ease over time. The most difficult time, by far, is the very early stage of abstinence or "recovery." Many people succeed in achieving a complete recovery at some time in the course of their lives.

If you have decided, for whatever reason, that you want to stop drinking, there is a world of help and support available. To get a better picture of where you are now, so that you can make an informed decision about how to proceed, perhaps the first person to talk with should be your family doctor. Sometimes admitting to yourself and others that you need help can be one of the most difficult steps to take on your road to recovery. As the The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) says in it's information: Acknowledging that help is needed for an alcohol problem may not be easy. But keep in mind that the sooner a person gets help, the better are his or her chances for a successful recovery. Any reluctance you may feel about discussing your drinking with your health care professional may stem from common misconceptions about alcoholism and alcoholic people.

Article Source: http://www.lifestyle-information-services.com

Want to know how to stop your drinking issue. Learn more on your drinking issue , Check out this great way to stay not drinking

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated