Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol addiction is simply defined as a compulsive need for an intoxicating liquid that is obtained from fermented grain or fruit. These liquids include beer, wine, and other hard liquors.
Experts describe alcohol addiction, or alcoholism, as an allergy of the body combined with an obsession of the mind. A sure sign of alcohol addiction is when someone continues to drink despite serious family, health, or legal problems. It is only by treating both components of the disease -- mind and body -- that alcohol addiction recovery is possible. Physical symptoms of alcohol addiction include:
- Craving--A strong need, or urge, to drink.
- Loss of control--Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun.
- Physical dependence--Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety.
- Tolerance--The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get "high."
Alcohol addiction is a progressive condition. In most people, the addiction begins slowly and grows until the victim's life becomes progressively unmanageable. As repeated efforts to gain control over alcohol addiction fail, life begins to fall apart.
Alcoholism can lead people into serious trouble, and can be physically and mentally destructive. Currently alcohol use is involved in half of all crimes, murders, accidental deaths, and suicides. There are also many health problems associated with alcohol use such as brain damage, cancer, heart disease, and diseases of the liver. Alcoholics who do not stop drinking reduce life expectancy by 10 to 15 years.
- Too much alcohol can destroy brain cells, possibly leading to brain damage.
- Alcohol greatly disturbs the structure and function of the central nervous system, hindering the ability to retrieve, consolidate, and process information.
- Moderate consumption of alcohol can affect cognitive abilities while large amounts interfere with the oxygen supply of the brain causing a blackout when totally drunk.
- Alcohol addiction may also inflame the mouth, esophagus, and stomach, and could cause cancer in these areas, especially in drinkers who also smoke.
- Splurge drinking may produce irregular heartbeats, and abusers experience a higher risk of high-blood pressure, heart attacks, and other heart damage.
- Alcohol also can harm vision, damage sexual function, slow circulation, be the grounds for malnutrition, and water retention.
- It can also lead to skin and pancreatic disorders, weaken the bones and muscles, thus, decreasing immunity
A large portion of alcohol taken in is broken down in the liver. It is important to note that the liver has a fixed rate of breaking down the alcohol, so as the liver is overused, disorders and malfunctions can result, making the liver the primary location of alcohol’s damage. Liver damage can occur in three stages. The first stage is liver enlargement whereby liver cells are penetrated with abnormal fatty tissue. The second stage is the alcoholic hepatitis whereby liver cells swell, inflame, and eventually die. The third stage is cirrhosis in which fibrous scar tissues are formed, hindering the flow of blood through the liver.
Some may think that it’s just a matter of having the will to stop drinking, but alcoholism is more complicated than that. An alcoholic’s craving for alcohol is so great that it suppresses their ability to stop drinking. The majority of alcoholics need assistance to stop drinking. With treatment and support from family and friends, many have been able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives. It is a sad fact however that there are still some who are unable to stop in spite of these aids.