ALCOHOL ADDICTION

ALCOHOL ADDICTION

Approximately 70% of the adults in developing countriesdrink alcohol, at least occasionally. Alcohol use is very common in oursociety.
Moderate Alcohol Drinking

For most people, moderate drinking is probably safe. It mayeven have some healthaddiction to alcoholbenefits, including reducing your riskof certain heart problems. Moderate drinking is considered one drink a day forwoman (or anyone over 65) and two drinks a day for men under 65.
Who Shouldn't Drink Alcohol

Some people should not drink at all, including alcoholics,children, pregnant women, people on certain medicines and people with somemedical conditions. If you have questions about whether it is safe for you todrink, speak with your healthcare provider.
Too Much Drinking of Alcohol is Not a Good Idea

Anything more than moderate drinking is very risky.
The Dangers of Excessive Alcohol Drinking

Binge drinking - drinking five or more drinks at one time -can damage your health and increase your risk for accidents, injuries andassault. Years of heavy drinking can lead to liver disease, heart disease,cancer and pancreatitis. It can also cause problems at home, at work and withfriends.

Drinking alcohol has immediate effects that can increase therisk of many harmful health conditions. Excessive alcohol use, either in theform of heavy drinking (drinking more than two drinks per day on average formen or more than one drink per day on average for women), or binge drinking(drinking more than 4 drinks during a single occasion for men or more than 3drinks during a single occasion for women), can lead to increased risk ofhealth problems such as liver disease or unintentional injuries. According tonational surveys, over half of the adult US population drank alcohol in thepast 30 days. Approximately, 5% of the total population drank heavily while 15%of the population binge drank. Our national surveys previously definedbingedrinking as more than 4 drinks for both men and women. In 2001, there wereapproximately 75,000 deaths attributable to excessive use of alcohol. In fact,excessive alcohol use is the 3rd leading lifestyle-related cause of death forpeople in the United States each year.
When Consuming Alcohol Becomes an Addiction

Not be confused with the combination of alcohol and drugaddiction, alcohol addiction is another term for dependence on alcohol. Alcoholaddiction stems from the body's gradually inability to tolerate alcohol.Alcohol addiction is usually a gradual process, whereby the human body losesits ability to deal with a minimum amount of alcohol. The "addiction toalcohol" comes when a person feels they need to drink alcohol on a veryregular basis. A person with alcohol addiction usually gets drunk a lot. Thedefinition of addiction is a craving or burning desire for the substance orchemical in question. Someone is addicted to alcohol when they make heavyalcohol consumption a regular part of their life and it is having a negativeeffect one or more areas and quality of their lifestyle.

Alcohol Addiction is a pattern of drinking that result inharm to one's health, interpersonal relationships or ability to work.Manifestations of alcohol abuse include:

* Failure tofulfill major responsibilities at work, school, or home.
* Drinking indangerous situations, such as drinking while driving or operating machinery.
* Legal problemsrelated to alcohol, such as being arrested for drinking while driving or forphysically hurting someone while drunk.
* Continueddrinking despite ongoing relationship problems that are caused or worsened bydrinking.
* Long-termalcohol abuse can turn into alcohol dependence

Signs of Alcohol Addiction

Dependency on alcohol, also known as alcohol addiction andalcoholism, is a chronic disease. The signs and symptoms of alcohol dependenceinclude:

* A strong cravingfor alcohol
* Continued usedespite repeated physical, psychological, or interpersonal problems
* The inability tolimit drinking
* Physical illnesswhen one stops drinking
* The need todrink increasing amounts to feel its effects

What's the difference between Alcoholism and AlcoholAddiction

Alcoholism is the actual "allergy" or diseasestemming from the body's inability to process alcohol without it triggering thephenomenon of craving. Alcoholics inevitable get drunk, once they startdrinking. There is a fine but important distinction between the two conditions.
What to do about an Alcohol Addiction

Although alcoholism and alcohol addiction or dependency istechnically two different conditions, the actions necessary to arrest them arethe same, abstinence.