Alcoholism
Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance in the country. More than 14 million Americans are alcoholics or abuse alcohol in some form. It is an area of struggle in all populations and all age groups - it does not discriminate. Even at low doses, alcohol significantly impairs the judgment.
Low to moderate doses of alcohol can also increase the incidence of a variety of aggressive acts, including domestic violence and child abuse. Effects of moderate alcohol intake include dizziness and talkativeness.
The effects of a larger amount of alcohol include slurred speech, disturbed sleep, nausea, and vomiting. Hangovers are another effect after large amounts of alcohol are consumed symptoms including headache, nausea, thirst, dizziness, and fatigue.
Prolonged, heavy use of alcohol can lead to addiction (alcoholism). Sudden cessation of long term, extensive alcohol intake is likely to produce withdrawal symptoms, including severe anxiety, tremors, hallucinations, and convulsions. Long-term effects of consuming large quantities of alcohol can lead to: permanent damage to vital organs, several different types of cancer, gastrointestinal irritations (such as nausea, diarrhea, and ulcers), malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies, sexual dysfunction, high blood pressure and lowered resistance to disease. In fact, alcohol is more damaging to the body as a whole than any of the other common drugs of abuse.
The inability for the alcoholic to see that he or she has a problem is called denial, and is prevalent in many alcoholics. Family members or friends are usually aware of the severity of the problem long before the person doing the drinking is. In many cases a planned confrontation, called an intervention, may be necessary in order to encourage a person to get help for him or herself.
Treatment:
Treatment often includes Intervention, Detoxification, and Rehabilitation.
- The intervention approach is to help people realize the negative impact alcohol abuse is having on their life, and on the lives of those around them. They can aim for a personal goal of leading a more fulfilling and sober life.
- Detoxification (Withdrawal) should be done in a controlled, supervised setting in which medications relieve symptoms. The usually will take 4 to 7 days.
- Rehabilitation can often help people stay off of alcohol, and typically offers counseling and support, as well as new ways of coping, and learning to function again apart from their addiction.
|
