alcoholism

ALCOHOLISM

INTRODUCTION

                 Regular intake of alcohol (chemically called as ethanol) either of low concentration or high concentration causes dependency upon the alcohol called alcohol addict or alcoholism. It is produced by fermentation of carbohydrates found in foods like grains, fruits, potatoes, etc. Alcoholism or alcohol dependence is defined by American Medical Association (AMA) as “a primary, a chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development manifestations.”   The term “alcoholism" is commonly used, but poorly defined. The WHO calls alcoholism "a term of long-standing use and variable meaning". In professional and research contexts, the term "alcoholism" sometimes encompasses both alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence, and sometimes is considered equivalent to alcohol dependence. Alcoholism can also characterized by:   

--a prolonged period of frequent, heavy alcohol use 

--the inability to control drinking once it has begun.

--physical dependence manifested by withdrawal symptoms when the individual stops using alcohol.

--tolerance, or the need to use more and more alcohol to achieve the same effects.

--a variety of social and/or legal problems arising from alcohol use.

HISTORY

        Alcoholism 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, and in psychiatry several other terms are used, specifically "alcohol abuse" and "alcohol dependence," which have slightly different definitions. In 1979 an expert of World Health Organization committee discouraged the use of "alcoholism" in medicine, preferring the category of "alcohol dependence syndrome". In the 19th and early 20th centuries, alcohol dependence in general was called dipsomania, but that term now has a much more specific meaning. People suffering from alcoholism are often called "alcoholics". Many other terms, some of them insulting or informal, have been used throughout history. The World Health Organization estimates that there are 140 million people with alcoholism worldwide. In Talbot (1989) observes that alcoholism in the classical disease model follows a progressive course: if a person continues to drink, their condition will worsen. This will lead to harmful consequences in their life, physically, mentally, emotionally and socially.

TYPES OF ALCOHOLISM

There are about 5 Types of Alcoholism:

The study describes five types of alcoholism

The young adult type accounts for about 32% of NEPAL alcoholics. They're young adults who rarely seek help for alcohol dependence. About 24 years old, they became alcoholics by age 20, on average. They drink less frequently than other alcoholics, but they tend to binge drink when they drink. This is the largest type.

The young antisocial type comprises 21% of NEPAL alcoholics. They are 26 years old, on average. More than half have antisocial personality disorder. They tended to start drinking at 15 and became alcoholics by 18 -- earlier than other types. They are more likely to smoke tobacco and pot. The young antisocial type and the young adult type don't overlap.

The functional type accounts for about 19% of NEPAL alcoholics. They're generally middle-aged, working adults who tend to have stable relationships, more education, and higher incomes than other alcoholics. They tend to drink every other day, often consuming five or more drinks on drinking days.

The intermediate familial type makes up nearly 19% of NEPAL alcoholics. Nearly half have close relatives who are alcoholics. Alcoholics in this type typically began drinking by 17 and became alcoholics in their early 30s.

The chronic severe type is the rarest type, accounting for about 9% of NEPAL alcoholics. This subtype mainly includes men, has the highest divorce rate, and frequently includes users of illicit drugs.

 CAUSES OF ALCOHOLISM

     Some causes of alcoholism are:

§  To obtain pleasure, fun and excitement.

§  To satisfy one’s curiosity and to get firsthand experience.

§  The most common cause of death in alcoholics is from cardiovascular complications.

§  Loss of will power, self control, judgement and emotional control.

§  Anyone who drinks enough over a long period of time can become alcoholic.

§  Alcoholism is caused by an individual's "allergy" to alcohol.

§  It is caused by either a deficiency or excess of neurotransmitters in the chemical makeup of the brain.

       Alcoholism is an environmental product, influenced by one's surroundings.      There are areas of the country where drinking is much more acceptable than in other areas; and, therefore, more drinkers can be found there. There are also occupations which appear to attract heavy drinkers. These include popular musicians, poets, novelists, salesmen, career soldiers and sailors, and coal miners.

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOLISM

The effects of alcoholism are far reaching. Alcohol affects every body system, causing a wide range of health problems. Problems include poor nutrition, memory disorders, difficulty with balance and walking, liver disease (including cirrhosis and hepatitis), high blood pressure, muscle weakness (including the heart), heart rhythm disturbances, anemia, clotting disorders, decreased immunity to infections, gastrointestinal inflammation and irritation, acute and chronic problems with the pancreas, low blood sugar, high blood fat content, interference with reproductive fertility, increased risk of cancer of the liver, esophagus, and breast, weakened bones, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression. About 20% of adults admitted to the hospital (for any reason) are alcohol dependent. Men are more than twice as likely to be alcohol dependent than women, and smokers who are alcohol dependent are much more likely to develop serious or fatal health problems associated with alcoholism.

1.     EFFECT ON INDIVIDUAL

                    Alcoholism may sometimes seem like an individual's problem, but it can also impact families because of the different effects that alcohol can have on an individual. People with alcohol problems may act out of character when under the influence. Some alcoholics become so violent and irritable that they can be a danger to other people that they live with. The alcoholic also will not be able to fulfill various roles (husband, father, employee) if he spends a lot of time drinking alcohol. Family members then spend their time and effort trying to help the alcoholic, which may take a toll on them. This can destroy relationships.

Alcohol use during pregnancy may cause severe birth defects. There may be decrease in ability to think clearly to the people. Liver disease, called alcoholic hepatitis, may also develop and can progress to fatty liver syndrome and alcoholic cirrhosis. In fatty liver, the hepatocytes are filled with fat. In cirrhosis, liver is hard, nodular and fibrotic and scarred.

2. EFFECTS ON FAMILY

            Alcoholism is a chronic disease characterized by cravings for alcohol, inability to limit alcohol use and continuing to drink despite side effects such as physical and social problems. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, seventy-six million adults have been affected by alcoholism in the family. When a parent suffers from alcoholism, children are at risk of having low self-esteem, depression, poor performance in school and difficulty getting close to others. When these children become adults, they may experience the same problems and have difficulty with intimacy. 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. 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.

                                                                                   

3. EFFECT ON SOCIETY

            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. Due to alcoholism students may have poor performance at work and school. The alcoholics could suffer from loss of respect from others. Their relationship with the others is broken. There will be more vehicle accidents, head injuries. About 50% of all traffic deaths are related to alcohol use. Due to alcoholism their will be loss of reputation in society.  

PREVENTION AND CONTROL MEASURES OF ALCOHOLISM

v Education should be given to the people about the effect of the use of alcohol in daily life, and different programs should be conducted in schools, colleges, and other different universities.

v Community people should be encouraged to make alcohol free environment.

v Drinking in public places, parties and family celebrations using alcohol should be discouraged.

v Taxes on the alcohol should be increased and drunk driving should be penalized.

v Counseling to the family members about alcoholism.

v People who cannot stop drinking alcohol should stick to the recommended safe limit of alcohol.           

v The restaurants and bar should be closed before 10 o’clock in the night so that alcoholic does not make any problem at night.

v There should be separate place for people to drink alcohol and the shopkeeper should give limited amount of alcohol to the people at a time.

v The last thing is that the government should bring strict law about the use of such substance.