In 2005, Mary G. McKinley, RN, wrote in the journal "Critical Care Nurse," that an estimated 27 percent of Americans misuse alcohol. Alcoholism, according to the Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, is a chronic disease. Having a strong desire to drink, the inability to stop drinking and withdrawal symptoms following short periods of abstinence are the characteristics of alcohol dependence.
About Abuse and Dependence
Dr. James West, author of "The Betty Ford Center Book of Answers," explains that abusing alcohol is when you drink too much, and alcohol dependence is when you cannot quit drinking. Alcohol abuse is a pattern of behaviors that can lead to ruined or damaged personal and professional relationships, loss of work and getting into dangerous situations, all related to your drinking. Alcohol dependence, on the other hand, occurs when you begin developing a tolerance to alcohol, and need more to achieve the same level of high. Once you start drinking, you can't stop. You typically drink more than you've originally set out to.
Drug Interactions
It doesn't take a lot of alcohol to interfere with over-the-counter and prescription medications you take to treat a heart condition, depression, diabetes and many other conditions. In fact, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, "Alcohol interacts negatively with more than 150 medications." Alcohol increases the effect of antihistamines, drugs used to treat colds and allergies. It can cause increased drowsiness and making driving dangerous. Taking acetaminophen and drinking can lead to liver disease.
Alcohol Use and Health
Certain cancers, heart disease, liver disease and pancreatitis are all diseases associated with long-term alcohol use. While in recent years news that minimal amounts of alcohol can actually be beneficial to health, according to professor David J. Hanson, Ph.D., from the State of New York University at Potsdam, chronic, long-term drinking increases blood pressure, the risk for developing heart disease and stroke. Cancer of the esophagus, mouth and throat is also higher with long-term alcohol abuse.
Gender Issues
According to SAMHSA, women are at risk for developing alcohol-related health problems after a shorter period of time, and consuming less alcohol compared with men. This is because there is less water in a woman's body, meaning that alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream more quickly. Males, however, are reported to binge and drink more heavily than women, according to 2007's National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The CDC explains that moderate drinking is defined as having no more than one drink daily for a woman and two drinks for a man.
Driving Under the Influence
It doesn't take a lot of alcohol to deem you legally intoxicated. The CDC reports that 0.08 percent is the legal blood-alcohol limit for operating a motor vehicle across the United States. That could be drinking just two or three beers, depending on your weight. The University of Oklahoma Police Department website at http://www.ou.edu/oupd/bac.htm has a blood alcohol content calculator. Type in the number of beverage you've had, how long you've been drinking and your weight. The website will tell you what your blood alcohol level is and if you can drive.
