Alcoholism –is a disease; it is a result of an addiction to alcohol, develops when one consumes it frequently and in excessive quantities. Alcoholics are addicted to alcohol. If you deprive them of any opportunitie to drink, it can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, anxiety, hallucinations, tremors, etc. Alcoholism violates brain activity and memory, impairs physical abilities, a person begins to make unwise decisions and actions.
Causes of Alcoholism
There are many reasons for a person to become addicted to alcohol. It can be because of stress as a result of emotional conflict, bereavement (death of a close person), difficulties at work. Alcohol contributes to depressive personality character with low self-esteem, dissatisfaction with their actions and deeds, social status, value that they represent for the people they find important, their family or someone who they fell for. The hereditary factor, and various environmental factors and culture also play a big role.
Scientists have divided the underlying causes of alcoholism in three groups: physiological, social and psychological.
Among physiological reasons for addiction, genetic predisposition is above all. Children, whose parents are addicted to alcohol, are in the so-called zone of risk. Even if a child grew up away from its parents, it displays an unhealthy desire to drink, with the first opportunity it has. However, genetic predisposition is only a background on which person may become addictive.
A teenager can get into a bad company and succumb to its negative effects. Sometimes it’s hard even for an adult to keep himself in hand in the company where everybody drinks. In this case, the addiction to alcohol is forced on a person by the society and its rules. However, despite the influence of others on the development of alcohol addiction, a difficult situation in life, constant troubles at work, a disorder in a family can be a reason as well. During this period the person is trying to find a way out, to get rid of unpleasant thoughts and finds nothing better than a “bottle of oblivion”.
Social causes of alcoholism are closely linked to psychological. Psychological causes of alcoholism depend on the nature of a man, his mental abilities (many start drinking out of the abundance of the mind or a lack of it) as well as the ability to adapt to difficult situations in life. Lonely men does not know who to talk to about their problems, can’t find someone who could help them. Fear of destitution, pushes one to begin using alcohol as a "sedative" means. Depression, fear, anxiety, are forcing people to drink .
Symptoms of alcoholism
The abuse of alcohol affects the ability to make everyday decisions, making a person irresponsible. Alcoholics can stop showing up at work or stop attend classes, problems in communication occur. Final stages of alcoholism are characterized by people being unable to even take care of themselves.
The first signs of alcoholism may be suspected if a person:
- Drinks alcohol to forget about all the problems
- Drinks in the morning or alone,
- Under the influence of alcohol may harm themselves or others,
- Needs more and more alcohol,
- Out of control.
Complications
Values, interests, social circle of alcoholics are changing. The worst thing is that these changes are present not only in a state of intoxication, but when they are sober as well. Complications of alcoholism include:
- Anxiety, and depression sometimes are leading to suicide attempts;
- Loss of appetite,
- Cirrhosis of the liver, gastritis, cardiomyopathy (a disease of the heart muscle usually caused by a biochemical defect or a toxin such as alcohol), pancreatitis, psychosis, peripheral neuropathy (peripheral neuritis),
- Alcohol abuse during pregnancy can affect on the fetus. It may lead to birth defects and flaws and violations of intellectual development in the future.
Possible treatments
Scientists believe that if there was a violation of enzymatic processes associated with the consumption of alcohol, then it is irreversible. The only way to get back to normal life is to completely stop drinking. Only in this case the metabolism gradually returns to normal. But man can’t never drink like everybody else again, any amount of alcohol re-launch the destructive process. Avoiding alcohol is a long, hard process, accompanied by severe mental and physical suffering, which is very difficult to cope alone with. But with other peoples support, a person can control the situation and prevent a breakdown. The main purpose of medical treatment for alcoholics is detoxification, to withdraw an ethanol from organism. To identify possible complications, patient must conduct analyzes and other studies. Before giving a prescription a doctor has to take several things factors into consideration: age of the patient, any chronic diseases or intolerance to some kinds of drugs.
Think twice before you go to open the next bottle, who knows what it might lead to. Can you be sure about the consequences? Alcoholism is not a joke, you need to pay close attention to yourself and close people around you. You may save someone. Keeping this in mind, goon and make a difference.
References
Smith, Melinda, Lawrence Robinson, and Jeanne Segal. "Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse." : Signs, Symptoms, and Help for Alcoholism and Alcohol Use Problems. N.p., Aug. 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
"The Genetics of Addiction." Addictions and Recovery. N.p., 23 Mar. 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
Hanson, David J., PhD. "Is Alcoholism a Disease?" Is Alcoholism a Disease? N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
