Drinking and the problems it causes

Society tends to aid in the development of alcoholism by making alcohol seem glamorous, showing that by drinking, you will become more popular, more glamorous and more worthy of respects from others. The physical effects of alcoholism are somewhat gruesome. Excessive in take and prolonged use of alcohol can cause serious disturbances in body chemistry. Many alcoholics exhibit swollen and tender livers. The prolonged use of large amounts of alcohol without adequate diet may cause serious liver damage, such as cirrhosis of the liver. Alcoholism also causes loss of muscular control. It is no exaggeration to suggest someone displaying any of these extreme signs should get help for their drinking problem. Treatment is available in many forms ranging from help from your GP to a stay in an alcohol recovery centre.

The condition, delirium tremens (known primarily to heavy drinkers), causes hallucinations along with loss of control of muscular functioning. When this condition develops and the alcoholic slows their drinking, withdrawal syndrome can and often does occur. This may include agitation, tremors, seizures, and hallucinations. Alcoholism also cause's damage to the brain; alcoholics may suffer from lack of concentration. The alcoholic may also experience blackouts, occasional onsets of memory lapses, and possibly complete memory loss. They may also suffer from more serious forms of brain damage.

Accepting the problem: Some people deny to themselves that they have a problem. The sort of thoughts that some people deceive themselves with include: "I can cope", "I'm only drinking what my mates drink", "I can stop anytime". Accepting that you may have a problem, and seeking help where necessary, are often the biggest steps to cutting back on alcohol, or cutting it out completely. Self help: Some people are helped by books, websites, leaflets and their own determination. It is thought that about 1 in 3 people who have a problem with alcohol return to sensible drinking, or stop drinking, without any professional help. See the end of this leaflet for a list of resources.

Problem (harmful) drinking: This is where you continue to drink heavily even though you have caused harm, or are causing harm or problems to yourself, family, or society. For example, you may: Have cirrhosis or another alcohol related condition. Binge drink and get drunk quite often. This may cause you to lose time off work, or behave in an antisocial way when you drink. But note: not everybody with problem drinking binges or gets drunk. Many people with an alcohol related condition such as cirrhosis drink small amounts frequently, but do not get drunk. Spend more money on alcohol than you can afford. Have problems with your relationships or at work because of your drinking. Many problem drinkers are not dependent on alcohol. They could stop drinking without withdrawal symptoms if they wanted to. But, for one reason or another, they continue to drink heavily.

Exercise, diet, hormones, stress: keeping up with all the health issues facing women is a challenge. Alcohol is yet another health issue for women. Drinking, even in small amounts, affects women differently than men. And heavy drinking, in some ways, is much more risky for women than it is for men. With any health issue, accurate information is key. There are times and ways to drink that are safer than others. Every woman is different. No amount of drinking is 100 percent safe, 100 percent of the time, for every individual woman. With this in mind, it's important to know how alcohol can affect health and safety.

Young women in their 20's and early 30's are more likely to drink than older women. No one factor predicts whether a woman will have problems with alcohol, or at what age she is most at risk. However, there are some aspects of a woman's life experience that seem to make problem drinking more likely. Heavy drinking and drinking problems among white women are most common in younger age groups. Among African American women, however, drinking problems are more common in middle age than youth. A woman's ethnic origins-and the extent to which she adopts the attitudes of mainstream vs. her native culture-influence how and when she will drink.

Aging seems to reduce the body's ability to adapt to alcohol. Older adults reach higher blood levels of alcohol even when drinking the same amount as younger people. This is due to an age-related decrease in the amount of body water in which alcohol is dispersed. Even at the same blood alcohol level, older adults feel some of the effects of alcohol more than younger people. Alcohol problems among older persons are often mistaken for other aging-related conditions. As a result, alcohol problems may be missed and untreated by health care providers, especially in older women.

Article Source: http://www.health-fitness-for-all.com

Drinking Causes problems. Having the right info and the right connections can truly make a difference. Begin looking up alcohol treatment centers.

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated