What
is Alcoholism?
Statistics
on Alcoholism
Risk
Factors for Alcoholism
Progression
of Alcoholism
Symptoms
of Alcoholism
How
is Alcoholism Diagnosed?
Prognosis
of Alcoholism
How
is Alcoholism Treated?
Alcohol Dependency
Press Release July, 2011
It's easy to forget that alcohol is a drug too.
Alcohol affects the brain - in the short term
it impairs judgment, coordination and reflexes.
When people use alcohol regularly they may develop
tolerance and dependence. Tolerance means they
will require more alcohol to achieve the same
effect they used to get with smaller quantities,
because the brain compensates for the sedating
effects of alcohol and the liver breaks it down
more quickly. Dependence means that alcohol use
becomes central in their life. A lot of time is
spent thinking about alcohol, obtaining it, using
it and recovering from its effects. Use is continued
despite knowing that it is causing harm.
A common feature of dependence is that a person
will experience withdrawal symptoms if they reduce
or stop drinking, due to increased excitability
(irritability) of the brain. Typical alcohol withdrawal
features last about 5 days and include:
• shaking (tremor)
• nausea & vomiting
• anxiety
• depression
• sweating
• headache
• difficulty sleeping (may last several
weeks)
Alcohol withdrawal can be very dangerous (e.g.
seizures may occur); people drinking 8 or more
standard drinks a day are advised to discuss a
decision to stop drinking with their doctor as
medication may be needed to prevent withdrawal
complications.
Because alcohol addiction, have so many dimensions
and disrupt so many aspects of an individual's
life, addiction treatment is not simple. Effective
addiction treatment programs incorporate many
components, each directed to a particular aspect
of the illness and its consequences. Addiction
treatment must help the individual stop using
drugs, maintain a drug-free lifestyle, and achieve
productive functioning in the family, at work,
and in society. Because addiction is typically
a chronic disease, people cannot simply stop using
alcohol for a few days and be cured. Most patients
addicted to alcohol require long-term or repeated
episodes of care to achieve the ultimate goal
of sustained abstinence of alcohol, and recovery
of their lives.
Reach out to us. Recovery from addiction is just a click or a phone call away.
If the information you are looking for is not found here and you need immediate
attention you may contact us:
Addiction Treatment for adults and young adults: 1-888-387-6237
Addiction Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237
http://www.inspirationsyouth.com
You may also send us e-mail.
Please keep in mind that e-mails are answered within 24 hours Monday
through Friday.
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