Alcohol Addiction
Bertil Hjert
Alcohol addiction or alcoholism can be defined as a compulsive
requirement for an intoxicating drink that is derived from a
fruit or fermented grain. The drink may be anything from wine,
beer, whiskey or rum.
Intake of alcohol becomes addiction when a person craves for
consumption of alcohol & is unable to limit the drink. A person
can be termed as alcoholic if he or she experiences, certain
withdrawal symptoms like sweating, anxiety, nausea. A person can
also be called an alcoholic if he wants to have greater amounts
of alcohol to experience a high.
Most people think that having a strong will to stop drinking is
enough to give up alcohol. However, the process is quite
complicating. When a process becomes alcoholic, the craving is
so great that it actually suppresses the ability to stop
consuming. Most alcoholic requires adept assistance to give up
alcoholism.
There are several causes that lead to alcoholism. People may be
forced to have alcohol due to the environment they live in or
the traumatic experiences they have in their lives. Alcoholism
has a lot of bad effects of the individual. It can lead to some
serious trouble. It can also be physically & mentally
destructive. Most of the crimes, suicides, accidental deaths &
murders are committed under the influence of alcohol.
Several health problems are associated with the use of alcohol
such as cancer, diseases of the liver, brain damage, cancer &
heart diseases. An alcoholic who does not give up alcohol may
reduce his life expectancy by 10 to 15 years.
Here are some of the ill effects of alcohol on health:
a) Excess intake of alcohol can destroy brain cells & ultimately
lead to brain damage.
b) Alcohol works towards disturbing the overall structure &
function of the central nervous system. It hinders the ability
to consolidate, retrieve & process information.
c) Consuming alcohol in moderate amounts can put great effect on
cognitive abilities.
d) Consumption of alcohol in large amounts interfere the process
of oxygen supply of the brain & causes a blackout under the
stage of fully drunk.
e) Addiction of alcohol may result in inflammation of the mouth,
stomach & esophagus. It can also result in cancers of stomach,
mouth & esophagus.
f) Drinking alcohol in large amounts may result in irregular
heartbeats. The addict can also experience a greater risk of
high blood pressure, heart damage & heart attack.
g) Intake of alcohol interferes in vision & disrupts sexual
function. It also reduces circulation, increases the chances for
malnutrition & excessive water retention.
h) The addict may also a suffer from slurred speech, lack of
coordination, impaired attention, impaired judgment, unsteady
when walking or standing & lack of sleep.
Here are some symptoms of alcohol addiction:
a) The patient develops a sense of compulsion to drink.
b) The addict may choose to drink soon after walking in order to
reduce alcohol withdrawal feeling.
c) An alcohol addict tends to develop a reduced ability to
control over drinking.
d) The addict usually organizes his lifestyle around drinking.
One cannot overcome alcohol addiction alone. The addict requires
good assistance from others in order to find recovery. Most
people seek counseling & visit rehab centers to get rid of
alcoholism.