Alcoholism Information

What is it?

Alcoholism can be defined as excessive consumption of alcohol and heavy dependence also known as addiction to alcohol whereby one continues with consumption of alcohol despite suffering from alcohol-related health problems.

The Joint Committee of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine defines Alcoholism as follows: "Alcoholism is a primary chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking, mostly denial.



Each of these symptoms may be continuous or periodic."

Symptoms of Alcoholism:

The symptoms of alcoholism loom large on all the three fronts: physical, psychological, and emotional changes all of which can be seen with increased addiction to alcohol. Alcoholism is initiated with the occasional drink and gradually progresses to a lifelong habit. The symptoms of alcoholism are most noticeable physically and can be estimated at a glance as several physical symptoms characterize alcoholism or alcohol addiction.



These include slurred speech and a hoarse voice, flushed face, red eyes, trouble walking, chronic diarrhea, lowered heart beat and respiratory rate and a quickened pulse.

Headaches, anxiety, insomnia and vomiting are the known withdrawal symptoms or alcohol effects experienced when the alcoholic stops consuming alcohol

Causes of Alcoholism:

Alcohol is essentially ethyl alcohol, which is an intoxicating agent formed by the action of yeast on the grapes during fermentation. Thus alcohol numbs the brain when consumed, resulting in mood elevation, loss of balance and coordination. These are also the key reasons why a heavy dependence on alcohol is established. Alcohol helps most alcoholics an easy escape from reality.

Here are the most important factors that contribute to alcoholism: social factors like peer and societal pressure that promote consumption of alcohol and psychological factors like stress, insomnia and insufficient coping mechanisms that lead to dependence on alcohol for support in a stressful environment and thus help escape reality. Research suggests that there also exists a correlation between genetics and hereditary tendencies towards alcohol.

Effects of Alcoholism:

The effects of alcoholism are many. Here we a list few important ones for a brief understanding of the fatal impacts:

1 Constant drinking puts an excessive strain on the liver destroying it in the long run through cirrhosis of the liver.

2 Alcoholism results in vitamin and mineral depletion from the body especially vitamin B and magnesium deficiency. This deficiency causes convulsions, tremors of the hands, feet and face, impaired vision and reduced mental faculties.

3 Alcohol causes premature death through overdose; organic complications involving the brain, liver, heart, and other organs; and by contributing to suicide, homicide, motor vehicle crashes, and other traumatic events

4 Socially, Alcoholism can have far ranging consequences like being socially ostracized, physical and mental health deterioration, depression and abusive relationships that lead to a breakdown of interpersonal relationships.

5 Alcohol addiction causes lack of nutrition; liver, heart, blood and neurological problems; digestive disorders and sexual dysfunction

6 Alcoholism impacts interpersonal functioning leading to marital problems, child abuse, impaired social relationships and also affects ones occupational functioning, which could lead to job problems.

Diet for alcoholism:

1 Using calcium, methioninine and a low-protein, high-carbohydrate diet to can treat not only compulsive behavior but also depression.

2 It is not widely known that Bill Wilson, one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, was aware of the importance of vitamins and hypoglycemia in the treatment of alcoholism.

3 Alcoholic beverages are made of food such as grains like barley, corn, cane or grapes. Alcoholics have a food allergy to these. In advanced food allergy, the individual craves the allergenic food.

4 The alcohol serves as a catalyst to help the food be absorbed more quickly, because alcohol is absorbed rapidly throughout the gastrointestinal tract.

5 When alcoholics put the alcohol down, they continue to eat sugar, corn, etc.; when they eat these foods, it triggers cravings. The food itself cannot provide the quick fix that the alcohol can provide because of its rapid absorption.

6 Chronic drinking, just like excessive sugar, contributes to the development of hypoglycemia, just as people with hypoglycemia are potential candidates for alcoholism.

7 The rate at which one can get intoxicated is based on several factors like the amount of alcohol consumed; body mass index, amount of food consumed and the water content of the body.

8 People with a higher water content percentage get intoxicated faster as the body absorbs more alcohol.