Alcohol: A Gift or a Curse?

Image originally published at: http://www.picable.com/Objects/Culture/Alcohol-a-Gift-or-a-Curse.432913 Image by Sarjeet S. Gill.

Definition of Alcoholism

Alcoholism is defined chronic consumption of alcohol due to the body’s dependence on it. Many people are obsessed with alcohol and are unable to control how much they drink despite the fact that the drinking may cause serious problems like the ones mentioned in the introduction. Simply put, alcohol is likely to cause difficulties with the consumer’s love live, legal life, Liver and with the individual’s livelihood.

For most persons it is possible to have a problem with alcohol or other drug and be able to mask it. Signs and symptoms of alcoholism become evident when the problem becomes chronic and there are multiple signs. Generally speaking, by this time there is excessive alcohol use, this is known as “alcohol abuse,” which means that the client engages in excessive drinking which results health and social problems. However, a person is not described as dependent on alcohol until he has lost control over the use of alcohol. Of course, this statement can be interpreted in many different ways by different clients.  

Many people say that alcoholism is not treatable. However, I am of the view that alcoholism is both preventable and treatable. There are many options to manage the disease. Medications, counselling, the church, and self-help groups are some known effective interventions. These interventions provide ongoing support to help the client recover from alcoholism.

If you or a close one has a drug dependency problem there is no need to feel bad. Drugs have been around for thousands of years, they are consumed by all groups of all societies. Human beings consume them to feel different and to perceive what we cannot perceive when we are not high or not drunk. You can read mare about the history of drugs by clicking: Read here!

How to Recognise Alcoholism?

Recognition of all conditions is important. Indeed, no treatment should ever be commenced without a proper diagnosis. Many people, including alcoholics, often deny that they have a problem.  So, it is important that the alcoholic first acknowledges that he has a problem with alcohol dependence.

Once the alcohol dependent person acknowledges that he has dependency problems then he will begin to talk about his main problem and the other signs which he had hidden or did not know them to be the problem signs.

One of the first sign of problem drinking is that the individual drinks alone and without the knowledge of family, friends or significant others. This behaviour may persist for many years without anyone suspecting anything. But once it is disclosed, close ones will often remark, “I suspected something was not right but ………” 

One other way of knowing that a person is alcohol dependent is when the person is unable to limit the amount that is being consumed. Being unable to limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Drinking seems to be an obsession. The urge to continue to drink is not inhibited after a few drinks; the amount of alcohol consumed get more week by week. 

Persons who have alcohol dependency problems tend to drink, “hell-of-a-lot.” They literally poison themselves, their ability to process information is impaired, and their ability to perform physical functions is impaired. They may experience periods of ”black out”. Many drug dependent persons do not remember conversations or commitments they made when they were drinking.

Drug dependent people often make a ritual of having drinks before, with and after dinner. They often become annoyed when the ritual is disturbed or questioned. Sometimes, there will be elaborate conversations around the benefits of alcohol. This is often a veiled attempt to mask the dependency on alcohol. Of course, the behaviour may not have been thought out at a conscious level.

Persons who are alcohol dependent will spend more and more of their time consuming alcohol. This usually happens slowly and the “alcoholic” may use excuses to slowly extricate himself from hobbies and other interests because the alcohol dependency “eats” more and more into other activities. 

Over a period of time the urge to drink more grows. As the urge grows so does the  feeling of a ”compulsion to drink”. A compulsion is said to occur when a client is not able to do other activities without drinking of thinking of drinking, almost continuously. 

A person who is alcohol dependent will become irritable when his usual drinking time is near. Chronic drug dependent persons will yawn and have cold sweats if they are late getting their drink. 

Many alcohol dependent persons store alcohol in places where it can be found easily but is away from the ordinary person. Keeping alcohol in unlikely places is a common characteristic of such people. In the home they may keep alcohol in the garage. They may also keep a supply in the car!

Many alcohol dependent persons tend to gulping drinks quickly. Their ordering habits too tend to be different. They may order doubles to become “drunk” sooner. They become intoxicated intentionally to feel good or drinking to feel “normal”. For such persons, the good feeling comes from the alcohol.

It will be unreasonable to say that all alcohol dependent persons have legal problems. However, it is known that persons who consume a lot of alcohol are less inhibited. They tend to take more risks. More risks tend to land them in court. Minor driving offences soon become DWIs, then domestic violence and finally there will be the costly divorce etc. 

The human body can build a tolerance to alcohol. As a consequence the consumer will need to drink greater amounts to feel the same level of goodness. A person who starts off with one beer and feeling good with it will need to drink, about, two beers after one month if he wants to feel equally good.

Alcohol Dependent persons will experience physical withdrawal symptoms when they do not get the amount of alcohol they are used to. Symptoms of withdrawal include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, sweaty palms, cold sweats, goose bumps and fine tremor. Anxiety and sinus tachycardia too are common.

People who abuse alcohol may experience many of the same signs and symptoms as people who are dependent on alcohol. However, alcohol abusers don’t feel the same compulsion to drink and usually don’t experience physical withdrawal symptoms when they don’t drink.

A dependence on alcohol, or any drug for that matter, creates a tolerance to the substance and then an inability to prevent oneself from using the substance, alcohol in this case.

If you’ wish to evaluate your alcohol consumption do the exercise below and you will soon realise how healthy or unhealthy you are.  

Simple Self Assessment about your alcohol dependence?

1. If you need an alcoholic drink as soon as you get up give yourself one point. 
2. If you feel guilty about your drinking give yourself another point.
3. Do you intellectualize about your need to reduce your drinking? This scores another one point.
4. Do you become defensive when other people criticize your drinking? If yes, you score another one point.
5. Has your doctor told you that your liver enzymes are not normal? Give yourself two points, if you said yes to this question.

If you scored one point then it is likely that you have a slight problem with alcohol. Self analysis and management may be all that is needed. For analysis, read and visit the sites mentioned in the article referenced here: http://www.healthmad.com/Addiction/Causes-of-Drug-Addictions-and-Drug-Dependency.421729 If you scored more that two points but less then five then you have a serious alcohol dependency problem. If you have five or six pints than you should consider seeing your doctor and counsellor immediately. Hopefully, you are already seeing both. Good Luck. 

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Shergill
29/12/2008