Recognizing the Signs of Alcoholism

How can you tell whether you, or someone you know, have an alcoholism problem? What is the sign of alcoholism? There is a lot of misinformation about how to recognize the sign of alcoholism. For many people, the sign of an alcohol problem is not clear. The effect of alcohol abuse can be extremely serious, even fatal, to both you and to others. For most people who drink alcohol, alcohol is a pleasant accompaniment to social activities. Moderate alcohol use, up to two drinks per day, is not harmful for most adults. Nonetheless, a large number of people get into serious trouble because of their drinking. Currently, nearly 18 million adult Americans abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Heavy drinking can increase the risk for certain cancers, especially of the liver. In addition, drinking increases the risk of death from automobile crashes as well as recreational and on the job injuries. Furthermore, both homicides and suicides are more likely to be committed by persons who have been drinking alcohol. These four questions can help determine whether an alcohol problem may exist.

Answering the following questions can act as a sign of an alcohol problem:
Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?

One "yes" answer suggests the sign of alcoholism. More than one "yes" answer is a sign and it is highly likely that a problem exists. Even if all the answers were "no" to the above questions it may not necessarily mean there is not a problem. If the person has encountered drinking-related problems with: job relationships health the law Any issue with alcohol and one of these four issues should be taken as a sign of a drinking problem.

What is Alcoholism?

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease that includes the following four symptoms:
Craving--A strong need, or urge, to drink.
Loss of control--Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun.
Physical dependence--Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety after stopping drinking.
Tolerance--The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get "high."
For clinical and research purposes, formal diagnostic criteria for alcoholism also have been developed. Such criteria are included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association, as well as in the International Classification Diseases, published by the World Health Organization.

Is Alcoholism a Disease?

Yes, alcoholism is a disease. The craving that an alcoholic feels for alcohol can be as strong as the need for food or water. An alcoholic will continue to drink despite serious family, health, or legal problems. Like many other diseases, alcoholism is chronic, meaning that it lasts a person's lifetime; it usually follows a predictable course; and it has symptoms. The risk for developing alcoholism is influenced both by a person's genes and by his or her lifestyle.

Is Alcoholism Inherited?

Research shows that the risk for developing alcoholism does indeed run in families. The genes a person inherits partially explain this pattern, but lifestyle is also a factor. Currently, researchers are working to discover the actual genes that put people at risk for alcoholism. Your friends, the amount of stress in your life, and how readily available alcohol is also are factors that may increase your risk for alcoholism. But remember: Risk is not destiny. Just because alcoholism tends to run in families doesn't mean that a child of an alcoholic parent will automatically become an alcoholic too. Some people develop alcoholism even though no one in their family has a drinking problem. By the same token, not all children of alcoholic families get into trouble with alcohol. Knowing you are at risk is important, though, because then you can take steps to protect yourself from developing problems with alcohol.

Can alcoholism be cured?

No, alcoholism cannot be cured at this time. Even if an alcoholic hasn't been drinking for a long time, he or she can still suffer a relapse. To guard against a relapse, an alcoholic must continue to avoid all alcoholic beverages.

Can alcoholism be treated?

Yes, alcoholism can be treated. Alcoholism treatment programs use both counseling and medications to help a person stop drinking. Most alcoholics need help to recover from their disease. With support and treatment, many people are able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives.

Which medications treat alcoholism?

A range of medications is used to treat alcoholism. Benzodiazepines (Valium™ , Librium™) are sometimes used during the first days after a person stops drinking to help him or her safely withdraw from alcohol. These medications are not used beyond the first few days, however, because they may be highly addictive. Other medications help people remain sober. One medication used for this purpose is naltrexone (ReVia™). When combined with counseling naltrexone can reduce the craving for alcohol and help prevent a person from returning, or relapsing, to heavy drinking. Another medication, disulfiram (Antabuse™), discourages drinking by making the person feel sick if he or she drinks alcohol. Though several medications help treat alcoholism, there is no "magic bullet." In other words, no single medication is available that works in every case and/or in every person. Developing new and more effective medications to treat alcoholism remains a high priority for researchers.

Does alcoholism treatment work?

Alcoholism treatment works for many people. But just like any chronic disease, there are varying levels of success when it comes to treatment. Some people stop drinking and remain sober. Others have long periods of sobriety with bouts of relapse. And still others cannot stop drinking for any length of time. With treatment, one thing is clear, however: the longer a person abstains from alcohol, the more likely he or she will be able to stay sober.
Resource:Drug and Alcohol Resource Center