Alcoholism

Causes, effects and solution

1. ALCOHOLISM REPORT BY: RHODA S. DE JUAN ANGELIE F. DAURAY RIAN BANTANG B.E.Ed . III-A P.S.E. 7 (Science, Health, and Nature Study)

2. A LCOHOLISM - is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing. It is medically considered a disease, specifically an addictive illness.

3. ALCOHOL – the intoxicating ingredient in fermented liquors; a colorless, pungent liquid. ALCOHOL ABUSE – is recurrent alcohol use that has negative consequences, such as drinking in dangerous situations (before driving, for instance), or drinking patterns that result in academic, professional, interpersonal, or legal difficulties. ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE – involves more extensive problems with alcohol use, usually involving physical tolerance and withdrawal.

4. Signs and Symptoms Early Signs The risk of alcohol dependence begins at low levels of drinking and increases directly with both the volume of alcohol consumed and a pattern of drinking larger amounts on an occasion. Young adults are particularly at risk.

5. How can you tell if you are beginning to abuse alcohol or if someone you know is doing so? Look for the following warning signs: Drinking alone or secretively Using alcohol deliberately and repeatedly to perform or get through difficult situations Feeling uncomfortable on certain occasions when alcohol is not available

6. Escalating alcohol consumption beyond an already established drinking pattern Consuming alcohol heavily in risky situations, such as before driving Getting drunk regularly or more frequently than in the past Drinking in the morning or at other unusual times

7. BINGE DRINKING – periodically drinking alcohol to the point of severe intoxication. - a common form of alcohol abuse on college campuses. The Effect of Binge D rinking on College Students: Drove after drinking alcohol Did something they regretted

8. Argued with friends Engaged in unplanned sex Missed a class Got behind in schoolwork Had unprotected sex Got hurt or injured Got into trouble with police Had five or more problems since school year began

9. HEALTH EFFECTS – tolerance and withdrawal can have a serious impact on health. Symptoms of withdrawal include trembling hands (shakes or jitters), a rapid pulse and accelerated breathing rate, insomnia, nightmares, anxiety and gastrointestinal upset.

10. Alcoholics face all the health risks associated with intoxication and chronic drinking. Some of the damage is compounded by nutritional deficiencies that often accompany alcoholism. A mental problem associated with alcohol use is profound memory gaps (blackouts).

11. The small to moderate consumption and large consumption of alcohol.

12. PHYSICAL EFFECTS Long-term alcohol abuse can cause a number of physical symptoms, including cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, epilepsy, polyneuropathy, alcoholic dementia, heart disease, nutritional deficiencies, peptic ulcers and sexual dysfunction, and can eventually be fatal. Other physical effects include an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, malabsorption , alcoholic liver disease, and cancer.

13. Damage to the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system can occur from sustained alcohol consumption. A wide range of immunologic defects can result and there may be a generalized skeletal fragility, in addition to a recognized tendency to accidental injury, resulting a propensity to bone fractures.

14. Women develop long-term complications of alcohol dependence more rapidly than do men. Additionally, women have a higher mortality rate from alcoholism than men. Examples of long-term complications include brain, heart, and liver damage and an increased risk of breast cancer. Additionally, heavy drinking over time has been found to have a negative effect on reproductive functioning in women. This results in reproductive dysfunction such as anovulation, decreased ovarian mass, problems or irregularity of the menstrual cycle, and early menopause. Alcoholic ketoacidosis can occur in individuals who chronically abuse alcohol and have a recent history of binge drinking.

15. Psychiatric Effects Long-term misuse of alcohol can cause a wide range of mental health problems. Severe cognitive problems are common; approximately 10 percent of all dementia cases are related to alcohol consumption, making it the second leading cause of dementia. Excessive alcohol use causes damage to brain function, and psychological health can be increasingly affected over time.

16. Psychiatric disorders are common in alcoholics, with as many as 25 percent suffering severe psychiatric disturbances. The most prevalent psychiatric symptoms are anxiety and depression disorders. Psychiatric symptoms usually initially worsen during alcohol withdrawal, but typically improve or disappear with continued abstinence. Psychosis, confusion, and organic brain syndrome may be caused by alcohol misuse, which can lead to a misdiagnosis such as schizophrenia. Panic disorder can develop or worsen as a direct result of long-term alcohol misuse.

17. Psychiatric disorders differ depending on gender. Women who have alcohol-use disorders often have a co-occurring psychiatric diagnosis such as: M ajor depression Anxiety P anic disorder Bulimia P ost-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD) B orderline personality disorder

18. Men with alcohol-use disorders more often have a co-occurring diagnosis of: N arcissistic or antisocial personality disorder B ipolar disorder Schizophrenia I mpulse disorders or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

19. SOCIAL EFFECTS The social problems arising from alcoholism are serious, caused by the pathological changes in the brain and the intoxicating effects of alcohol. Alcohol abuse is associated with an increased risk of committing criminal offences, including child abuse, domestic violence, rape, burglary and assault. Alcoholism is associated with loss of employment, which can lead to financial problems. Drinking at inappropriate times, and behavior caused by reduced judgment, can lead to legal consequences, such as criminal charges for drunk driving or public disorder, or civil penalties for tortious behavior, and may lead to a criminal sentence.

20. An alcoholic's behavior and mental impairment, while drunk, can profoundly affect those surrounding them and lead to isolation from family and friends. This isolation can lead to marital conflict and divorce, or contribute to domestic violence. Alcoholism can also lead to child neglect, with subsequent lasting damage to the emotional development of the alcoholic's children. For this reason, children of alcoholic parents can develop a number of emotional problems.

21. For example, they can become afraid of their parents, because of their unstable mood behaviors. In addition, they can develop considerable amount of shame over their inadequacy to liberate their parents from alcoholism. As a result of this failure, they develop wretched self-images, which can lead to depression.

22. CAUSES OF ALCOHOLISM Genetic factors Certain personality disorder Having grown up in a violent or otherwise troubled household Imitating the alcohol abuse of peers and other role models Urbanization Disappearance of extended family A general loosening of kinship ties Increased mobility Changing values

23. TREATMENT Some alcoholics recover without professional help. How often this occurs is unknown, but possibly as many as one third stop drinking on their own or reduce their drinking enough to eliminate problems. Often these spontaneous recoveries are linked to an alcohol related crisis, such as health problem or the threat of being fired. Most alcoholic, however, require a treatment program of some kind in order to stop drinking. Many different kinds of program exist. No single treatment works for everyone, so a person may have to try different programs before finding the right one.

24. ALCOHOLIC ANONYMOUS Various forms of group therapy or psychotherapy can be used to deal with underlying psychological issues that are related to alcohol addiction, as well as provide relapse prevention skills. The mutual-help group-counseling approach is one of the most common ways of helping alcoholics maintain sobriety. Alcoholics Anonymous was one of the first organizations formed to provide mutual, nonprofessional counseling, and it is still the largest.

25. There are also some pharmacological treatments for alcoholism: Disulfiram ( Antabuse ) inhibits the metabolic breakdown of acetaldehyde and causes patients to flush and feel ill when they drink, thus theoretically inhibiting impulse drinking. Naltrexone reduces the craving for alcohol and decreases the pleasant, reinforcing effects of alcohol without making the user ill.

26. Acamprosate (Campral), approved by the FDA in 2004, helps people maintain alcohol abstinence after they have stopped drinking. It is unclear precisely how it works, but it appears to act on the brain pathways related to alcohol abuse.

27. DRINK MODERATELY AND RESPONSIBLY Drink slowly and space your drink Eat before and while drinking Know your limits and your drinks Be aware of the setting Use designated drivers Learn to enjoy activities without alcohol

28. ENCOURAGE RESPONSIBLE DRINKING IN OTHERS Encourage responsible attitudes Be a responsible host Hold drinkers fully responsible for their behavior Take community action