Alcoholism

Chapter 1
Introduction
Alcoholism is the most serious form of problem
drinking, and describes a strong, often uncontrollable, desire
to drink. Sufferers of alcoholism will often place drinking
above all other obligations, including work and family, and
may build up a physical tolerance or experience withdrawal
symptoms if they stop.
It is also commonly referred to as alcohol use disorder.
Alcohol use disorder is organized into three categories: mild,
moderate and severe. Each category has various symptoms
and can cause harmful side effects. If left untreated, any type
of alcohol abuse can spiral out of control. Individuals
struggling with alcoholism often feel as though they cannot
function normally without alcohol
Alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder is a broad
term for any drinking of alcohol that result in mental or
physical health problems. The disorder was previously
divided into two types: alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence.
Alcoholism is sometimes known as alcohol addiction or
alcohol dependence. It’s slightly different to ‘harmful
drinking’ which is an occasional pattern of drinking which can
cause damage your health.
An example of harmful drinking is drinking too much at a
party, and risking a fall or argument. This pattern may develop
into alcoholism if that kind of harmful drinking becomes a
habit and happens on a regular basis. Alcoholism is the most
severe form of alcohol abuse and involves the inability to
manage drinking habits.
. This can lead to a wide range of issues and
impact professional goals, personal matters, relationships and
overall health. Over time, the serious side effects of consistent
alcohol abuse can worsen and produce damaging
complications.
The practice of taking alcohol, seems to have exited from the
early ages of history. Drinks like “soma” and “sura. There are
evidences to prove that toddy was made out of palmyra
,coconut , and dates. But addiction to alcohol is only a later
development may be after the western impact. Now there is
wealthy of alcoholic drinks in the market, cheap , costly ,
locally. Made and imported items to suit everyone’s taste and
pocket.
 Chapter 2
Causes of alcoholism

❖childhood trauma
Severe childhood trauma is also associated with a
general increase in the risk of drug dependency. Lack of
peer and family support is associated with an increased risk
of alcoholism developing. Genetics and adolescence are
associated with an increased sensitivity to the neurotoxic
effects of chronic alcohol abuse. Cortical degeneration due
to the neurotoxic effects increases impulsive behaviour,
which may contribute to the development, persistence and
severity of alcohol use disorders. There is evidence that
with abstinence, there is a reversal of at least some of the
alcohol induced central nervous system damage. The use of
cannabis was associated with later problems with alcohol
use. Alcohol use was associated with an increased
probability of later use of tobacco, cannabis, and other
illegal drugs. Mental health plays a largely significant role
in all forms of substance abuse. Around 29 percent of all
mentally ill individuals also engage in substance abuse, per
Help guide.
❖mental health disorder
Among alcoholics specifically, 37 percent have at least one
serious mental health disorder, such as bipolar disorder,
according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The
mentally ill often self-medicate with alcohol to cover up the
symptoms of their disorder, which is often going untreated
or undiagnosed altogether. Alcoholism is particularly
common among people with schizophrenia.

❖genetic and environmental factors

A complex mixture of genetic and environmental factors
influences the risk of the development of alcoholism Genes
that influence the metabolism of alcohol also influence the
risk of alcoholism, and may be indicated by a family history
of alcoholism. One paper has found that alcohol use at an
early age may influence the expression of genes which
increase the risk of alcohol dependence. Individuals who
have a genetic disposition to alcoholism are also more likely
to begin drinking at an earlier age than average. Also, a
younger age of onset of drinking is associated with an
increased risk of the development of alcoholism, and about
40 percent of alcoholics will drink excessively by their late
adolescence.
 Chapter 3
Findings
❖Social problem
One of which is family, with more than 10% of children in
the United States, living in a household where at least one
parent abuses alcohol. In addition to that, there are other social
effects. For example 1 in 4 college students admits to feeling
that alcohol leads to lowering their exam performance,
missing class or leaving college altogether. Almost 700,000
students a year also experience assault, with nearly 100,000 of
those students being victims of sexual assault. Social
consequences don’t end there, however, with an estimated
88,000 people dying from consuming too much of the
substance annually. These statistics highlight the dangers and
social effects of alcohol abuse. The National Institute On
Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism, around 27% of people in the
US admitted to binge drinking in the past month, with a further
7% admitting they drank heavily. This staggering statistic
often leads to unfortunate social consequences.
 ❖Family problems
The effects of alcoholism on the family are broad-ranging,
and the challenges of this burden will impact people who do
not even personally know the individual with the drinking
issues, and alcoholism and relationships will also include the
extended network of employers. There are many side effects
of alcohol abuse that affect families. There are some ways how
alcoholism affects the wider support network negatively.
The lack of executive function and cognitive control
individuals have while intoxicated can lead them into
situations that were unintended. Individuals who drink, lack
inhibitions that would normally act as a buffer against poor
and impulsive behaviors. Alcoholism affects everyone
including those around the problem drinker. Families of
alcoholics suffer from alcohol psychological effects
sometimes even more than the addict himself. Living with an
alcoholic mother, father or spouse can be destructive in many
ways. The burden and solution to this problem need to be a
holistic strategy. Infidelity in a relationship can compound
existing problems or bring about a whole new set of issues in
a family of alcoholics.
 ❖Health problems
It alters the brain receptors and neurotransmitters,
and it interferes with a person's cognitive function, moods,
emotions, and reactions on multiple levels.
Because alcohol is a central nervous system (CNS)
depressant, it causes difficulty with processing information
and poses challenges with solving simple problems.
Alcohol's effect on serotonin and GABA receptors may
cause neurological changes that could lead to a reduction in a
person's normal fear of consequences to their own actions,
contributing to risk-taking or violent behaviors.
Alcohol also disrupts fine motor coordination and balance,
often leading to injuries from falls. Excessive drinking can
cause "blackouts" or the inability to remember events. Long-
term heavy drinking can speed up the brain's normal aging
process, resulting in early and permanent dementia. Alcohol
is mostly metabolized in the liver, which is why the liver is
particularly at risk of damage.
The body metabolizes alcohol into acetaldehyde, a substance
that is both toxic and carcinogenic.
Alcoholic liver disease is influenced by the amount and
duration of alcohol abuse. Chronic, heavy drinking poses a
substantial risk for its development.
 Chapter 4
Suggestions
1.Adopt a professional intervention stratergy
Talk to professionals, who will help you plan the
intervention and provide useful resources and information,
too. If Al-Anon is unavailable in your area, make an
appointment with a licensed therapist, counselor, or
psychologist to discuss the nature of the problem and how it
might best be approached. Although confronting an alcoholic
can be similar in many respects for many families, it is a good
idea to clarify unique circumstances or personal
characteristics that could change theoutcome.

2. Wait for the right time.

When people you care about come home drunk, it’s
tempting to let loose and criticize them for being intoxicated
again and their inability to stop drinking. But that won’t help;
the alcoholic will tune out the criticism for the time being, or
forget about it the next day, when sober, and thus be unable to
do anything about it. 3. Organize a support network. Your
supporters can be relatives, close friends, or even members of
Al-Anon with whom you have become acquainted, since they
may have been through this process. They may join you in
confronting the alcoholic in your family. But check with a
professional first to see if that’s advisable.

4. Be firm and clear.

When confronting an alcoholic, you can’t afford to be
wishy-washy or indirect. Using a factual tone of voice,
describe the alcoholic’s problem behavior and its impact on
you and your family. List dates, frequency of negative
behavior, amounts of alcohol consumed or sums of money
spent on drinking and other data to support your claims. It
takes courage to confront an alcoholic, so don’t back down. If
the alcoholic argues with you,remain calm and point to the
facts.

5. Don’t give in.

Alcoholics often manipulate coworkers and family
members into believing they’ll change their behavior. Family
members often enable alcoholic loved ones by covering up
their behavior and making excuses for them. If this is your
M.O., the problem drinker may assume they can wheedle their
way out of going to rehab or make promises during the
intervention that they don’t intend to keep. For an intervention
to work, family members must stick to their guns when they
demand certain changes from the alcoholic, and make their
own changes, too, including following through with promises
to leave the relationship if the loved one doesn’t stop drinking.

6. Prepare a plan of action.

It’s vital to have a plan of recovery in place for your loved
one. Professional interventionists can make arrangements for
an alcoholic to enter a rehabilitation program, either onsite or
at a facility for this purpose. Centers offer programs as an
outpatient or, in some cases, a residential program might be an
appropriate alternative. Find out ahead of time if a
detoxification program will accept your loved one, and make
preliminary arrangements for the person to be admitted
immediately following the intervention. Make it clear to the
rehab program that you can’t guarantee the drinker will enroll,
much less stay with the program
7. Offer detox support.
If the alcoholic agrees to enter rehab, family members
should provide support and encouragement during the
detoxification phase and rehabilitation program, which
involves patient and family education. It can last anywhere
from several days to several months. Most programs last 28
days or less, given the person’s job and family responsibilities;
some of the participants can continue as non-residents while
resuming career and household duties.
 Chapter 5
Conclusion
From a global perspective, in order to reduce the
harm caused by alcohol, policies need to take into account
specific situations in different societies. Average volumes
consumed and patterns of drinking are two dimensions of
alcohol consumption that need to be considered in efforts
to reduce the burden of alcohol-related problems.
Avoiding the combination of drinking and driving is an
example of measures that can reduce the health burden of
alcohol. Particularly worrying trends are the increases in
the average amount of alcohol consumed per person in
countries such as China and India and the more harmful
and risky drinking patterns among young people. Alcohol
is not an ordinary commodity. While it carries
connotations of pleasure and sociability in the minds of
many, harmful consequences of its use are diverse and
widespread.
National monitoring systems need to be developed to
keep track of alcohol consumption and its consequences,
and to raise awareness amongst the public and policy-
makers. It is up to both governments and concerned
citizens to encourage debate and formulate effective
public health policies that minimize the harm caused by
alcohol. Worldwide, alcohol takes an enormous toll on
lives and communities, especially in developing countries
and its contribution to the overall burden of disease is
expected to increase in the future.