When a person has unhealthy drinking habits, like drinking too much in one sitting or drinking every day, this can be qualified as alcohol abuse. It can affect many aspects of people's lives, leading to dependence. Dependence on alcohol is also termed alcoholism. This is when a person cannot control the amount they drink and can't quit, even if they try. They have become completely addicted to alcohol, and feel they cannot live without it. It is extremely unhealthy, physically and mentally, as once people became addicted to alcohol, it is very difficult to stop. The effects of alcoholism include the strong need to drink, a need that can be as strong as the need for food or water. Also, the drinker might not be able to stop once drinking has begun. Short-term memory loss can be imminent, as can be blackouts, where the user appears to others that he or she is awake and fully conscious - but in reality has no sense of time or action. These are only some of the early physical effects of alcoholism, which can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, and ultimately death. Alcoholism has attracted much attention as an inherited disease, inherent in family genes. Research shows that there is, indeed, a risk of developing alcoholism in some families and not others. Research studies are underway to determine the actual genes that lead to the risk of alcoholism. However, lifestyle is also a key factor, since the activities of friends, the amount of stress in someone's life, and the availability of alcohol can also play a significant role in determining one's risk for alcoholism. Experts say that even though alcoholism may run in specific families, it doesn't mean that the child of an alcoholic parent will automatically become an alcoholic. The opposite is true, as well - there are people who become alcoholics even though no one in their family has or had a drinking problem. Studies indicate that teen binge drinking can lead to poor performance in school, difficulty in simple math or the inability to read a map. They also dispel the notion that a person could sustain heavy drinking for several years before causing neurological damage. Adolescent alcohol abuse and dependence may prove to be more damaging than alcoholism in adulthood by killing brain cells in the hippo campus, blocking brain receptors that form memories and causing protracted neurological impairments, the researchers say. research suggests that teens who binge drink may do damage to their memory and learning abilities by severely hampering the development of the hippo campus. Family risk factors for teenagers developing drinking problems include low parent supervision or communication, family conflicts, inconsistent or severe parental discipline, and a family history of alcohol or drug abuse. Individual risk factors include problems managing impulses, emotional instability, thrill-seeking behaviors, and perceiving the risk of using alcohol to be low. Girls who drink, as well as teens who begin drinking prior to the age of 14 years and those whose mothers have drinking problems, are more likely to develop alcoholism. Teen risk factors for alcoholism differ a bit between the 14- to 16-year-old and 16- to 18-year-old age groups, in that the latter tend to be less likely to drink in excess when they have a close relationship with their mothers. Alcohol abuse is often associated with medical illness, which frequently becomes a common consequence of heavy drinking and also may occur in the absence of alcohol dependence. Early in the course of drinking, some individual's alcohol abuse problems may show no physical or laboratory abnormalities, but as drinking continues problems begin to manifest themselves in many of the body's organ systems. Obviously, a physical examination is necessary if there is any indication whatsoever of any medical problems. This physical examination will include important information about the presence and also the extent of any organ damage, and should be geared toward examining the organ systems most vulnerable to alcohol abuse including: the cardiovascular system, the gastrointestinal system, and the central and peripheral nervous systems. The physician will also be alert to other possible concerns related to alcohol such as alcohol withdrawal or delirium, intoxication or withdrawal from other drugs, and the acute presentation of psychological problems. Other nonspecific or systemic health problems associated with alcohol abuse include malnutrition, muscle wasting, specific vitamin deficiencies, infectious diseases (such as tuberculosis, dermatitis, pediculosis, and hepatitis), and trauma secondary to fights and accidents. The management of alcohol withdrawal through detoxification is an incredibly important initial intervention for a significant number of alcohol dependent people. The objective of alcohol withdrawal is maintaining some comfort as the alcoholic goes through the early stages of treatment, the prevention of treatment complications, and preparing the individual for alcohol rehabilitation. The successful management of alcohol withdrawal is an important aspect of preparing an individual for subsequent efforts at alcohol rehabilitation. Social detoxification which involves the non pharmacological treatment of alcohol withdrawal has also been shown to be effective. This involves frequent reassurance, reality orientation, personal attention, monitoring of vital signs and general nursing care. Social detoxification is most appropriate for individuals with mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Many individuals have significant medical problems associated with alcoholism which substantially complicate therapy, so it is absolutely essential that therapists refer those individuals whose conditions require medical management.
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