What is Alcoholism?

Alcoholism can be defined in several ways. According to the definition of dependency in the Fourth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), it is characterized by at least three of the following symptoms that last a year or more: what is alcoholism defined as

Symptoms what is alcoholism defined as

• Greater tolerance to alcohol
• Withdrawal symptoms if alcohol consumption stops
• Drink more alcohol than expected regularly
• Inability or desire to control use.
• Spending too much time getting or figuring out how to get alcohol, consuming alcohol, or
• recovering from its consumption.
• Continued use despite negative physical and psychological consequences what is alcoholism defined as
• Reduced ability to function socially or at the previous level of recreational activities or
• labor.

Alcoholism will gradually cause problems in the alcoholic’s personal, social, and work life. People who drink excessively frequently are at high risk for alcoholism.

There is much debate as to whether alcoholism is technically a “disease” or a dependency. There are also numerous explanations about the cause. Some alcoholics are known to appear to have a genetic attraction to illness; however, not all people with these genes have it. what is alcoholism defined as

However, if one has a strong family history of alcoholism, it may be wise not to consume alcohol. Even small amounts of alcohol can make one more prone to dependency.

Drinking becomes a problem as soon as it negatively affects a person’s life and relationships.

In general, the addiction created by alcoholism tends to gradually cause problems in the personal, social and work life of the alcoholic. In most cases, these problems alone cannot help the alcoholic to stop drinking, a sure sign of alcoholism.

In fact, many recovering alcoholics believe that most alcoholics must hit extreme bottom before committing to sobriety.

Drinking frequently can be a sign of alcoholism.

Also, heavy drinking is essentially poisoning the body. Alcoholics run the risk of destroying their kidneys, liver, and numerous components of heart disease when they continue to drink. Alcoholism remains a major health problem in the US,

Where an estimated $ 170 billion US dollars (USD) is spent annually on health care problems related to it. There is also the collateral damage of the alcoholic’s behavior.

A drunk driver, an alcoholic pregnant woman, or a spouse who becomes abusive as a result of alcohol runs the risk of destroying not only himself, but others as well. what is alcoholism defined as

Alcoholism negatively affects the liver.

There are many different modes of treatment for alcoholism, and some are more successful than others. Recently, some alcoholics have preferred to participate in modified drinking programs.

However, these programs are newly created and are probably not as effective as total abstinence. The theory behind its lack of success for many is that each drink reduces judgment, making it more likely that the alcoholic will exceed previously set limits.

Alcoholism can contribute to heart disease.

Programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) have been successful for many, but AA has its detractors. In particular, some alcoholics felt that taking any psychiatric medication was considered a “cheat.” Some AA programs are now called “dual diagnosis” programs. what is alcoholism defined as

They address the person’s alcoholism and other major mental illnesses at the same time. These have often been shown to be effective for those who became alcoholics in masking the symptoms of significant mental illness.

Alcoholism can cause vision problems and color blindness in women. what is alcoholism defined as

Others use a combination of psychological and drug therapy. Certain drugs create an aversion to alcohol or block the body’s pleasure by releasing the hormonal response to alcohol.

The latter can help the drinker to stop drinking over time, because there are no mental rewards for continuing to drink. The former can help you stop drinking because they cause extreme illness if you drink. However, these drugs can be physically dangerous if the alcoholic continues to drink.

Regardless of the program used to stop alcoholism, all true alcoholics are at extreme health risk when they first stop using alcohol. what is alcoholism defined as

Severe alcoholics suffer from delirium tremens, which can cause life-threatening seizures for the first day up to several days after they stop drinking. Therefore, stopping drinking should be done under the guidance of medical professionals, who can help administer drug therapy that will prevent seizures.

Alcoholism can cause a person to experience nausea and vomiting.