alcoholism

 
 
HELP IS AVAILABLE : Despite the seriousness of the disease and the fact that an alcoholic can often feel helpless, there are numerous forms of treatment and support available ranging from engagement in Alcoholics Anonymous to medications to reduce c…

HELP IS AVAILABLE : Despite the seriousness of the disease and the fact that an alcoholic can often feel helpless, there are numerous forms of treatment and support available ranging from engagement in Alcoholics Anonymous to medications to reduce cravings to therapies to help one remain sober.

 

Alcohol Use Disorder

For those struggling with alcoholism, it is not as simple as it being a choice to continue drinking. Those who drink are not suffering from a “lack of willpower”. Alcohol impacts the entire individual from their body to their mind to their spirit. Like any disease, the course of alcoholism is often “waxing” and “waning” meaning there are times when the disease is “worse” and times when the disease is under better control.

Signs of Alcohol Dependence

Alcohol Dependence or “alcoholism” is the most severe form of an alcohol use disorder and has symptoms such as:

  • Tolerance: The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to achieve the same effect.

  • Dependence: Experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety when stopping drinking.

  • Craving: A strong urge or need to drink.

  • Loss of Control: An inability to stop or moderate drinking once you’ve begun. People who struggle with alcoholism often find themselves thinking constantly of when they will be able to get their next drink or spending a great deal of time recovering from drinking.

Alcohol Can Have Serious Harmful Effects on Your Health

Drinking too much either over time or on a single occasion can take a serious toll on your health. Here are some ways alcohol can affect your body:

  • Brain: Alcohol impairs your brain’s ability to “talk” to other parts of your brain and to the rest of your body. As a result, alcohol can have negative impacts on your mood, behavior, coordination, and ability to carry out many movements.

  • Heart: Drinking heavily can cause damage to your heart in the form of high blood pressure, strokes, arrhythmias (irregular heart beats), and cardiac enlargement.

  • Liver: Since the liver breaks down alcohol and all its toxic by-products, drinking too much can cause liver damage ranging from a fatty liver all the way to hepatitis and cirrhosis.

  • Cancer: Drinking too much puts one at higher risk of developing certain cancers such as cancers of the mouth, esophagus, liver, and breast.