Alcohol a central nervous system depressant affecting all body tissues.

Alcoholism a chronic disease or a disorder characterized by excessive alcohol intake and interfence in the individual health, interpersonal relationship and economic.

Risk for Alcoholism: Depressed characteristic Low self-esteem Poor self-control Poor parental relationships History of rebellious, poor school performance.

PHASES OF DRINKING BEHAVIORS OF ALCOHOLICS Phase 1: Pre-alcoholic Drinks because of social motivations Finds that alcohol relieves stress Overtime, needs to increase the amount of alcohol needed for relief May be told by others that his drinking is too heavy or too frequent. Can be described as the non-addicted heavy drinker Phase 2: Early Alcoholics/ Prodormal Phase Begins to drink alone Becomes preoccupied with the supply of drinks Hides bottle of alcohol @ work home or car Wakes up in the morningand needs a drink of alcohol as an eye-opener May experience black-outs (memory loss for recent events) Use denial as defense mechanism and does not admit to being dependent in alcohol. Phase 3: True Alcoholics/ Crucial Phase Completely loses control over ability to choose wether or not to drink. Goes out on binge- drinking episodes, stop drinking only when too sick to take another drink. Experience the following: isolation from others, aggression, loss of interest in anything that once brought to pleasure, impotence, and nutritional impairment. Phase 4: Chronic Alcoholic The individual continous use of alcohol leads to extensive emotional organization. May exhibit imparment of reality testing regression or loos of sense of ethics Physically, the individual exhibits disorder of the central nervous system and liver.

Treatment Completely stopping the use of alcohol is the ideal goal of treatment. This is called abstinence. A strong social network and family support are important in achieving this. Some people who abuse alcohol may be able to simply reduce the amount they drink. This is called drinking in moderation. If this method does not work, you should try to quit drinking completely.

DECIDING TO QUIT Studies find that more people with alcohol problems seeks for treatment when their family members or employers are honest with them about their concerns, and try to help them see that drinking is preventing them from reaching their goals. LONG-TERM SUPPORT Alcohol recovery or support programs can help you stop drinking completely. These programs usually offer: Counseling and therapy to discuss alcoholism and its effects and how to control your thoughts and behaviors Mental health support Medical care Medications are sometimes prescribed to prevent you from drinking again. Acamprosate is a drug that has been shown to lower relapse rates in those who are alcohol dependent. Disulfiram (Antabuse) produces very unpleasant side effects if you drink even a small amount of alcohol within 2 weeks after taking the drug. Naltrexone (Vivitrol) decreases alcohol cravings. It is available in an injectable form. You cannot take these medications if you are pregnant or have certain medical conditions. The medications are often used with long-term treatment with counseling or support groups.

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Effects of Alcohol

ALCOHOLISM

Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can increase your risk of many health problems, including:

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends:

Bleeding in the digestive tract Brain cell damage Brain disorder called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome Cancer of the esophagus, liver, colon, and other areas Changes in the menstrual cycle (period) Delirium tremens (DT's) Dementia and memory loss Depression and suicide Erectile dysfunction Heart damage High blood pressure Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) Liver disease, including cirrhosis Nerve damage Poor nutrition Sleeping problems (insomnia)

Women should not drink more than 1 drink per day Men should not drink more than 2 drinks per day

One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 ounces of liquor.

Alcoholism is a disease of the whole person.

MAURICE GELINAS, How to Overcome Alcoholism

Batch 2012 Group 15 School Health Nursing USC-Main Campus

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