Alcohol Abuse ; Overview,. Symptoms,. Effect, Causes, Treatments

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     What is Alcohol Abuse???

Alcohol Abuse is a chronic disease characterized by uncontrolled drinking due to both physical and emotional dependence on Alcohol.

 

Alcohol Use Disorder Symptoms

Long term misuse:- Long term misuse of alcohol can occur when a person starts consuming alcohol in an uncontrollable manner and has a physical dependence on alcohol. Physical dependence can lead to an urge to drink alcohol. It can have adverse effects on mental health.

Violence:- Alcohol Abuse is associated with suicide and violence. Studies of America shows that up to 80% of suicide and 60% of violent acts are a result of alcohol abuse.

It can result in severe injuries and chronic cases.

Disturbed Behavior:- As there is the overconsumption of alcohol. The person will not be in a state to handle things and his behaviour becomes aggressive, self-destructive, anxiety, guilt, loneliness, euphoria.

Psychological:- Blackout, Dizziness, Craving, Sweating, Shakiness are common symptoms of alcohol abuse. You may get gastrointestinal problems such as nausea and vomiting. Delirium or fear is also a common symptom of AUD.

 

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Signs you are becoming an alcohol addict

• Finding ways to drink such as to deal with anxiety, loneliness
• Drinking alone in secrecy
• Experiencing Short term memory loss
• Exhibiting signs of extreme mood and irritability
• Distancing yourself from family, friends and being
• alone
• Neglecting responsibility towards family and work.

 

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Effects of AUD

Central Nervous System:- Alcohol causes damage to your Central Nervous System as you may experience a tingling sensation in your hands and feet, numbness.

Alcohol disturbs the communication between the brain and your body which makes co-ordination difficult. It can reduce your ability to think clearly and makes it difficult to remember long term memories.

Digestive System:- Drinking damages the tissues in your digestive tract and prevents your intestines from digesting food, absorbing nutrients and vitamins. As a result, malnutrition may occur. Heavy amount of Drinking can lead to bloating, gassiness and diarrhoea. People who consume too much alcohol may have a great risk of cancer in mouth, oesophagus, throat, liver.

Circulatory System:- Alcohol affects your heart and lungs. Chronic drinkers of alcohol faces a higher risk of heart-related issues than people who don’t drink. Circulatory System complications include high BP, stroke, heart attack, heart disease, irregular heartbeat.

Sexual and Reproductive Health:- Men who drink too much are more likely to experience erectile dysfunction. Heavy drinking prevents sex hormone production and lowers your libido. Women who drink too much may stop mensurating that puts them at a greater risk of infertility. Women who drink too much during pregnancy have a higher risk of premature delivery, miscarriage, stillbirth.

Immune system:- Heavy amount of drinking can not only reduce your immune system but also can destroy the immune system. People who drink heavily have chances of having tuberculosis or pneumonia. Research says that about 10% of tuberculosis cases are due to alcohol consumption.

 

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Causes of Alcohol Use Disorder

Mental health problem:- As you are an alcohol addict Anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder are common causes of it. As you feel depressed, alcohol can ease your feelings temporarily. This can lead to drinking more.

Pancreatitis:- overconsumption of alcohol can lead to pancreatitis which is a painful inflammation of the pancreas that often requires hospitalization. Around 70% of cases of pancreatitis affects people who regularly drink large amounts of Alcohol.

Osteoporosis:- Heavy consumption of alcohol during young adulthood and adolescence can affect bone health and it may affect the risk of developing osteoporosis with a loss of bone mass later in life. It can increase the risk of fractures.

Accidents and injuries:- Drinking alcohol in any amount can causes car crashes, domestic violence, occupational injuries, suicide and homicide. No pattern in drinking alcohol is risk-free. Chronic or heavy drinking poses an enormous health risk.

 

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Treatment of AUD

Behavioural treatment:- Behavioral treatment also known as Alcohol counselling. They are led by health professionals and supported by studies showing they are beneficial.

Medications:- There are medications which are approved to treat alcohol dependence. The newer types of medications work by offsetting changes in the brain caused by alcoholism.

Medications such as

Naltrexone can help people reduce heavy drinking

Disulfiram blocks the breakdown of alcohol by the body, causing unpleasant symptoms such as nausea and flushing the skin. Those unpleasant effects can help people avoid drinking while taking disulfiram.

Acamprosate helps to maintain abstinence

 

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Therapies Used to Solve Alcohol Abuse

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:- CBT helps one to focus on the connection between action and thoughts. It aims to remove negative energy from your body and by modifying through patterns. It helps individual to recognize potential triggers as well as how to manage stress, anxiety and helps to overcome depression and develops healthy strategies.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy:- The therapy focuses on helping individual accept themselves. The relationship between the therapist and the individual is important and the environment must be encouraging and supporting. Group DBT session focuses on Mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance.

Motivational Interviewing:- It tries to improve one’s willingness and motivation to change. The therapist guides the individual through sessions in a nonjudgmental manner. During MI, a person will be able to come to terms with how alcohol may be impacting their life in a negative way and then decide to move forward in life.

Contingency Management:- It is a form of therapy that uses small incentives to help people who wish to remain sober and avoid relapse. It can help people to avoid relapse while working towards small and attainable goals.

 

Enjoy your life without alcohol

USE THAT

21/90 RULE

It takes 21 days to build a habit,

and 90 days to build a lifestyle.

• Stop smoking and drinking
• Try adopting the 21-day challenge of doing yoga,  exercise and meditation
• Spend more time with your family and loved ones
• Start your day with positivity, neglect the negativity around you; Try to be calm and relaxed

 

Some References 

• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/297734