Discover why you can't seem to stop drinking
Alcohol use and abuse occurs with a tremendous amount of variability among individuals. Frequently, there is a limited distinction between "social" or "moderate" drinking and "problem" or" harmful" drinking. It is obvious however, that as the frequency of drinking and the amount increases, so does the probability of problem behaviors frequently resulting in medical and psychosocial problems. A very prominent group of individuals affected by alcohol problems to a significant degree, who develop the syndrome of alcohol dependence, are usually referred to by most people as alcoholics. different groups of individuals with alcohol problems usually require different approaches to diagnosis and clinical management.
The physiological aspects of alcohol dependence are associated with a much greater potential for medical problems such as acute alcohol withdrawal. The first criteria usually associated with alcohol dependence are considered to be tolerance and alcohol withdrawal. The remaining criteria usually are defined as behavioral and cognitive dimensions of alcohol dependence including impaired control when an individual consumes larger amounts of alcohol over longer periods of time than they intend to, and when persistent desires or unsuccessful attempts to cut down or control drinking are not successful despite knowledge of a persistent recurrent physical or psychological problem, and alcohol use becoming incredibly important to the individual, including spending a great deal of time drinking, recovering from its effects, or when important social and occupational activities are given up or reduced because of drinking. These are all key criteria in the diagnosis of alcohol dependence.
Alcoholism has attracted much attention as an inherited disease, inherent in family genes. Research shows that there is, indeed, a risk of developing alcoholism in some families and not others. Research studies are underway to determine the actual genes that lead to the risk of alcoholism. However, lifestyle is also a key factor, since the activities of friends, the amount of stress in someone's life, and the availability of alcohol can also play a significant role in determining one's risk for alcoholism. Experts say that even though alcoholism may run in specific families, it doesn't mean that the child of an alcoholic parent will automatically become an alcoholic. The opposite is true, as well - there are people who become alcoholics even though no one in their family has or had a drinking problem.
Alcohol induced psychotic disorder is characterized by prominent hallucinations or delusions that are judged to be due specifically to the effects of alcohol. The psychotic symptoms usually occur within a month of alcohol intoxication or withdrawal, with the individual being fully alert and oriented, and usually lacking insight that these symptoms are alcohol induced. Although the psychotic symptoms may occur during or shortly after alcohol intoxication, delirium or alcohol withdrawal delirium, alcohol induced hallucinations, and/or delusions do not occur exclusively during the course of these conditions.Usually, alcohol induced psychotic symptoms have a tendency to subside within several weeks of abstinence, although in a small group of individuals, psychotic symptoms can sometimes become chronic, resulting in the need for long-term treatment with antipsychotic medication. In these circumstances, clinicians should also consider schizophrenia or delusional disorders in deciding on the relevant diagnosis for this individual.
Family risk factors for teenagers developing drinking problems include low parent supervision or communication, family conflicts, inconsistent or severe parental discipline, and a family history of alcohol or drug abuse. Individual risk factors include problems managing impulses, emotional instability, thrill-seeking behaviors, and perceiving the risk of using alcohol to be low. Girls who drink, as well as teens who begin drinking prior to the age of 14 years and those whose mothers have drinking problems, are more likely to develop alcoholism. Teen risk factors for alcoholism differ a bit between the 14- to 16-year-old and 16- to 18-year-old age groups, in that the latter tend to be less likely to drink in excess when they have a close relationship with their mothers.
Many substances can bring on withdrawal-an effect caused by cessation or reduction in the amount of the substance used. Withdrawal can range from mild anxiety to seizures and hallucinations. Withdrawal from alcohol can cause anxiety, irregular heartbeat, tremor, seizures, and hallucinations. In its severest form, withdrawal combined with malnutrition can lead to a life-threatening condition called delirium tremens (DTs). Alcohol is the most common cause of liver failure in the US. The drug can cause heart enlargement and cancer of the esophagus, pancreas, and stomach. In addition to its direct health effects, officials associate alcohol abuse with nearly half of all fatal motor vehicle accidents. In 1992, the total economic cost of alcohol abuse was estimated at $150 billion.
The most appropriate decisions related to alcohol abuse treatment can only occur by matching individuals with their treatment needs. The individual's screening results should differentiate between mild and more severe levels of physical dependence to determine whether detoxification should be part of an individual's early alcohol abuse treatment. If their withdrawal risk is low, it may be appropriate to refer them to an outpatient treatment setting. If the risk for withdrawal is moderate to high, outpatient or inpatient detoxification may be indicated as an absolute imperative for effective alcohol abuse treatment. There are a large number of life-threatening factors that must be considered in order to determine if alcoholics are at increased risk. Any of the following factors may warrant immediate attention: acute alcohol withdrawal (with the potential for seizures and delirium tremens), serious psychiatric illness (e.g. psychosis, suicidal intentions or behavior), serious medical or surgical disease ( e.g. acute pancreatitis, bleeding esophageal varices). The matching of individuals with optimum alcohol abuse treatment continues to attract significant attention, and there appears to be some evidence suggesting that alcoholics with certain characteristics (e.g. severe dependence, high levels of anger, social networks that support drinking) may respond slightly better to certain types of specific therapy. Finally, the importance of continuing care through aftercare groups and other mutual support organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) cannot be overestimated for individuals in need of alcohol abuse treatment.
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