Alcoholism

ADDICTION TO ALCOHOL VIRGINIA MONTGOMERY COM 220 RESEARCH WRITING 3-01-10 TO 5-02-10 MIKKI MCDONALD The clutches that alcohol has on those dependent on it can make fleeing from it very difficult and, at times, almost impossible. Some people are able to have one or two drinks and stop - then there are those that do not know when to stop or who must drink on a regular basis. It is common for people to drink at social functions or with meals, but getting together with friends or family does not mean that alcoholic drinks need to be served to have a good time. When the person who use to be able to drink one or two and stop, now have to have alcohol drinks earlier in the day and more than usual, they would be considered an alcoholic. If the person who is drinking more; at first they seem to be happier and more in control, why would anyone want to suggest them slowing down or seeking help? After a period of time family members and loved ones start to notice signs that the alcoholic can not hide and they realize there is a problem. Trying to get the alcoholic to see and admit to these problems might be an impossible task. Those who feel they have to keep drinking once they start or who feel obsessed to drink alcohol on a steady basis and are commonly known as alcoholics. A person who drinks large amounts of alcohol regularly may become dependent or addicted to it. Alcoholism is a chronic behavioral disorder manifested by repeated drinking of alcoholic beverages in excess of the dietary and social use of the community and to an extent that interferes with the drinker's health or his social or economic functioning. Even though each human being has the will power to either drink or not the medical field says that alcoholism is referred to as a disease. The person is not born with this, but makes the choice to drink and then it is up to them if they can be a social drinker or they end up becoming

an alcoholic. It is hard for alcoholics to break free from their addiction and often they do not want to. Once dependent drinkers are unable to control their drinking, they may attempt to hide it by drinking in secret. There are complications other than addiction that affect some alcohol dependent people. Serious physical disorders to the organs and tissues may arise - chronic diseases can occur such as cirrhosis of the liver, pellagra, and gastritis. The most dramatic rubic is death from alcoholism and the related causes. Cirrhosis of the liver is one of the disorders that people die from. Cirrhosis is a life threatening condition that occurs when scarring damages the liver. This scarring replaces healthy tissue and prevents the liver from working normally. If the liver has so much damage that it no longer functions properly, the option of a liver transplant is available there is usually a stipulation that an individual with alcohol induced cirrhosis remain alcohol free for a minimum of six months to be eligible for a transplant. Alcoholics who are deprived of alcohol for a period of time they suffer withdrawal symptoms including irritability and shaking. Gastritis is inflammation or irritation of the lining of the stomach and most of the time can be treated with medicine. Pellagra is and infection of the skin, with severe constitutional and nervous symptoms. This seems to be very painful. |MEDICAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOLISM | |DEPRESSION | |LIVER DISEASE | |(CIRRHOSIS) | |ULCERATED STOMACH | |HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE | |WITHDRAWAL | When medical problems occur because of alcohol consumption, it most likely will affect the individuals job. Some places of employment require that employees be completely free of alcohol consumption for stated amounts of time before reporting to work; drinking may keep someone from

being able to work on certain days. When medical problems arise from the use of alcohol, those affected will likely miss days of work. Having to be hospitalized for very long could jeopardize employment which, in turn, could result in the loss of medical insurance needed to pay costs of the diseases affects. If the loss of a job occurs, it might become hard to find a new one due to background check history from the last job. Alcohol slows down the reaction time in the brain and reduces tension so that the person drinking feels more relaxed. Drinkers who consume a large amount of alcohol could become more aggressive or argumentative and have their judgment impaired. Walking becomes harder and coordination is difficult. It is said that hereditary plays a role in becoming an alcoholic in that the tendency to become addicted to a substance can be handed down in the bodys genetic chemistry. A person whose life is controlled by alcohol may become very depressed, particularly when their health deteriorates because of the abuse or they lose their job due to the inability to perform it well. The inability to quit drinking only adds to the feeling of helplessness to escape their circumstances. Alcoholics often have many problems at home. Family and friends suffer from the alcohol users habit due to the altered actions and attitudes of the abuser during times of drinking. Theoretically, family is the most important link that everyone has in common. They are the support system that most people need to help and guide each other through tough times. When an alcoholic chooses alcohol over family, sometimes unintentionally, family members feel shut out and unwanted. This may result in the non-alcoholic spouse finding companionship in someone else which, in turn, may result in divorce. Children of the alcoholic usually do not get the attention and guidance that they need from the drinking parent. They may act out, become introverted, overachieve to please the alcoholic parent, take on the role of said parent, or become introverted so no one will know what their home life is like. Grades in school may drop and they may start hanging out with the wrong crowd. The chances of an alcoholics child trying drugs or alcohol are very high. It is said that hereditary plays a role in becoming an alcoholic in that the tendency to become addicted to a substance can be handed down in the bodys genetic chemistry. The family of the alcoholic may be broken up, suffer from acts of violence, mental anguish, physical suffering, and even costly accidents. The alcoholic tends to be motivated

by the drinking and will do whatever to keep the alcohol in reach; consuming the beverage may become more important than paying the bills. The alcohol abuser and his family often suffer loss of income, but in many instances there are nonalcoholic victims of an alcohol-related incident, such as a motor vehicle accident, who also suffer loss in income as a result of diminished productivity. In the past decade federal and state laws have made the penalties for drinking alcohol and driving much stiffer. Law enforcement has been cracking down on drunk drivers by using breath tests to determine the amount of alcohol a driver has in their system. As a result, alcohol related deaths on the road have been lowered. When alcohol abusers do drink and drive, their vision, coordination, judgment and concentration begin to deteriorate after just a drink or two. Economic costs are manifested in loss of life, personal injuries, and property damages. Society responds to these real social costs by expanding considerable sums on highway safety and fire protection. This response is quite rational, but it involves a real economic cost. The statistics of non-alcohol and alcohol related accidents are proof that everyone around suffers from alcohol abusers. | |Total Fatalities |Alcohol-Related Fatalities | | |Year |Number |Number |Percent | |2000 |41,945 |17,380 |41 | |2001 |42,196 |17,400 |41 | |2002 |43,005 |17,524 |41 | |2003 |42,643 |17,013 |40 | |2004 |42,518 |16,919 |39 | |2005 |43,443 |16,885 |39 | |2006 |42,532 |15,829 |37 | |2007 |41,059 |15,387 |37 | |2008 |37,261 |13,846 |37 |

Alcohol Ketoacidiosis (AKA) is a condition that needs immediate emergency medical treatment. AKA will start within two to four days after the alcoholic has stopped consuming alcohol, fluids and food, often because of gastritis or pancreatitis. Not commonly, AKA and alcohol withdrawal symptoms are seen at the same time. AKA is characterized by nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dehydration, and an acetone-like odor on the persons breath. This occurs when the alcoholic has become depleted of carbohydrates fuel stores and water. Therefore, the body begins to metabolize fat and protein into ketone bodies for energy. Ketone bodies are acids that accumulate in the blood, changing the acidicity and causing the person to feel even sicker, thus perpetuating a viscous cycle. Alcoholics have many dangerous drawbacks from there addiction. There are many different treatment centers that specialize in helping people with these addictions. Many treatment centers have a 30-60 day course that is offered to the alcohol addict. If the alcoholic goes to treatment because of pressure from family, friend or co-workers they may not benefit from the treatment is they have not admit that they have a problem. Once the alcoholic starts the program the counselors will help to set goals to stop drinking and get rid of the temptations, and teach how to avoid the bad influences. Withdrawal from alcohol who is physically dependent on it, it is much more dangerous than withdrawal fro Heroin or any other narcatotic drugs. When drinking heavily and frequently your body becomes physically dependent on alcohol and goes through withdrawal if you suddenly stop drinking. The symptoms of alcohol range from mild to severe. These are the symptoms that occur: |Headache | |Shaking | |Nausea and vomiting | |Anxiety and restlessness | |Stomach cramps and diarrhea | |Trouble sleeping or concentrating | |Elevated heart rate and blood pressure |

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms usually start within hours after they stop drinking, peak in a day or two, and improve within five days, it can be very unpleasant and also life threating. With these symptoms also they might experience psychiatric illness, often suicide attempts or suicide will occur. Many people that have completed treatment end up not being able to stay away from the alcohol and end up with the same problems. The family and friends of the recovering alcoholic have are a big part of the recovery, there are treatments and therapy for them to help them learn how to deal continues helping the recovering alcoholic. For everyone involved in the recovery has a long road ahead of them and it is a life long process. There are some that are recovering alcoholics and celebrate every year- just like or even more than having a birthday. They have made a big decision to stay sober and keep that a commitment and they work very hard to stay sober. Alcohol Anonymous is a group of recovering alcoholics that have scheduled sessions that meet and provide support for each other to help with their recovery. In order to maintain the recovery from alcohol the alcoholic will need to continue with the therapist so they can work together to build a solid relapse prevention plan. Part of the recovery is remembering time, the thoughts of alcohol may stay present in your mind for some time. There are some alcoholics that take medication to help them not want to take a drink. Those who are dependent on alcohol chance ruining their life by continue drinking; they spend a lot of money drinking. The chances of losing their job are at great risk and also losing their marriage and family. There are also many health risks that are involved with alcohol dependency, Going thru rehabilitation is very hard and many people are not willing to go thru the pain-to give up their addiction. Having family and friends that will continue to support and help the alcoholic stay sober is a big part of the alcoholics recovery. It is easier to keep drinking then to admit that there is a problem and dealing with it. Alcohol will continue to control many people and their lives, knowing this information will hopefully help at least one person to understand how life could be if they choose to drink and become an alcoholic. Becker Howard Alcohol Research and Health 2008 Vol 31 issue 4p 348361,14 p1diagram 1 graph

Judy Gray, Phyllis Levy Mandell-Alcohol Addiction-school library May 1989,Vol 35 p59,2p Sm Hadley, Ward Smith Annual Review of Nursing, Reasearch ( ANN REV NURS RES) 2005:23:213-44 (60 ref) www. Alcoholalert.com/drunk-driving-statisticshtml www.emedicinehealth.com www.herbalprovider.com www.Lexic.us. www.mayoclinic.com/health/alcholism/ complications DS00340/D SECTION=