Alcoholism is characterized by a physical addiction to alcohol. MedlinePlus explains that women who have 12 or more alcoholic beverages a week and men who have 15 or more alcoholic beverages a week have a higher risk of developing alcoholism. This type of addiction can lead to serious problems that affect both the alcoholic and his loved ones.
Identification
Alcoholics show certain signs of their addiction. For example, MedlinePlus notes that alcoholics may neglect meals and their physical appearance, engage in secretive behavior to hide their drinking, create excuses for them to imbibe, and miss work, school or activities because of their alcohol consumption. Alcoholics may also continue to drink even if people around them become hurt by their addiction. If confronted about their alcoholism, addicts may become hostile.
Physical Dependence and Tolerance
Since alcoholics develop a physical dependence on the alcohol, their bodies need the alcohol to function. If they do not drink, they go through withdrawal symptoms. MedlinePlus points out that these symptoms may start within five to 10 hours of the last alcoholic beverage. Psychological symptoms include nightmares, depression, anxiety, irritability and problems thinking clearly. Alcohol withdrawal may cause physical symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, tremors, enlarged pupils and clammy skin. In severe cases, alcoholics going through withdrawal may have seizures or visual hallucinations. With the physical dependence, alcoholics build a tolerance to the alcohol, meaning they need to consume more alcohol to get the same effect as before.
Effects
Alcoholism can lead to health conditions that involve multiple organs. For example, the MayoClinic.com notes that alcoholics can develop liver disorders, such as alcoholic hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, and cirrhosis, which is scarring of the liver. Alcoholics may also develop inflammation of the stomach lining, high blood pressure, weakness of the eye muscles, brain damage and osteoporosis. Male alcoholics may suffer from erectile dysfunction. Female alcoholics may have disrupted menstruation and, if they are pregnant, cause fetal alcohol syndrome in their unborn child. Other health problems linked to alcoholism include diabetes complications and increased risk for certain cancers.
Besides health problems, alcoholism can lead to other problematic situations. The U.S. .Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that heavy alcohol consumption may lead to violent situations, such as child abuse, suicide or homicide. Alcoholics under the influence may lead to other types of injuries, such as motor vehicle accidents.
Prevention/Solution
Treating alcoholism may prevent some of the serious problems from occurring. MedlinePlus points out that many alcoholics do not realize that their drinking is a problem, and a compassionate intervention may help. This involves family members and other loved ones explaining to the alcoholic how her actions have hurt them. Alcoholics going through recovery may benefit from supervised withdrawal, which can last between four and seven days. Rehabilitation programs, psychotherapy and support groups may help former alcoholics from drinking again. Certain medications may help with alcoholism recovery, such as acamprosate, naltrexone and disulfiram.
Considerations
Some of the problems caused by alcoholism cannot be reversed. Merck Manuals Online Medical Library points out that if alcoholics stop drinking, they may reverse some of the damage to their livers. If an alcoholic, however, has developed cirrhosis, cessation of alcohol consumption will not reverse the existing damage. If the damage to the liver is severe enough, the patient may require a liver transplant, though doctors only do a transplant if the patient has stopped using alcohol for at least six months.
References
- Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: Alcohol: Drug Use and Dependence
- Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: Cirrhosis: Fatty Liver, Cirrhosis and Related Disorders
- MayoClinic.com: Alcoholism: Complications
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Alcohol and Public Health -- Frequently Asked Questions
