Alcoholism
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Alcoholism, also known as,
alcohol dependence, is a disease that includes four symptoms:
Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink.
Loss
of control: The inability to limit one's drinking on any given occasion.
Physical dependence: Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea,
sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, occur when alcohol use is stopped after a
period of heavy drinking.
Tolerance: The need to drink greater
amounts of alcohol in order to get high.
People who are not alcoholic
sometimes do not understand why an alcoholic cannot just use a little will
power to stop drinking. However, alcoholism has little to do with willpower.
Alcoholics are in the grip of a powerful craving, or uncontrollable need, for
alcohol that overrides their ability to stop drinking. This need can be as
strong as the need for food or water.
Although some people are able to
recover from alcoholism without help, the majority of alcoholics need
assistance. With treatment and support, many individuals are able to stop
drinking and rebuild their lives.
Many people wonder why some
individuals can use alcohol without problems but others cannot. One important
reason has to do with genetics. Scientists have found that having an alcoholic
family member makes it more likely that if you choose to drink you too may
develop alcoholism. Genes, however, are not the whole story. In fact,
scientists now believe that certain factors in a person's environment influence
whether a person with a genetic risk for alcoholism ever develops the disease.
A person's risk for developing alcoholism can increase based on the
person's environment, including where and how he or she lives; family, friends,
and culture; peer pressure; and even how easy it is to get alcohol. |
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Alcohol Facts
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Forty-four percent of the adult
U.S. population (aged 18 and over) are current drinkers who
have consumed at least 12 drinks in the preceding year (Dawson
et al. 1995).
Although most people who drink do so safely, the minority who
consume alcohol heavily produce an impact that ripples outward
to encompass their families, friends, and communities. |
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