Alcoholism

It is a broad term for problems with alcohol, characterized by cravings for

alcohol and an inability to stop drinking, and is generally used to mean
compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to
the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social
standing.
It is medically considered a chronic, often progressive disease, specifically a
neurological disorder, and in medicine several other terms are used,
specifically "alcohol abuse" and "alcohol dependence.
Types of Alcoholism
Clinical Signs and Symptoms
Alcoholism include symptoms like:

Solitary or secretive drinking

Craving for alcohol
Drinking a huge amount of alcohol without having control over own self. An
inability to control the amount you drink
Blackouts (not remembering events or conversations)
Getting frustrated and irritable when not able to get the drink at the time.
Irritability when you can' t get a drink at your regular time
Nausea, anxiety and sweating on withdrawal from the alcohol.

Identification and Diagnosis

Identification of alcoholism may be difficult because there is no detectable
physiological difference between a person who drinks a lot and a person who
can't control his or her drinking. As a result, identification involves an
objective assessment regarding the damage that the consumption of alcohol
does to the drinker's life compared to the perceived subjective benefits that
the drinker perceives from that consumption.
Screening
CAGE Questionnaire
The CAGE questionnaire, developed by Dr. John Ewing and named for its four
questions:
1. Have you ever felt you needed to Cut down on your drinking?
2. Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
3. Have you ever felt Guilty about drinking?
4. Have you ever felt you needed a drink first thing in the morning (Eyeopener) to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover.
AUDIT Questionnaire or Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test

A more sensitive diagnostic test than the CAGE test. The Alcohol Dependence Data
Questionnaire serves to distinguish a diagnosis of alcohol dependence from one of
heavy alcohol use.
DSM Diagnosis - It represents another approach to the definition of
alcoholism, and it is currently in general use from a diagnostic
standpoint.
Urine and Blood Tests - Although there are reliable tests, there is no
test available that can differentiate between a person that drinks a lot
and person who cant control their drinking.
Long term heavy drinking, however have a few recognizable effects on the
body, including:

Macrocytosis (enlarged MCV)

Elevated GGT
High carbohydrate deficient transferrin

Effects of Alcoholism
A. Long Term Physical Health Effects it is caused by the
consumption of large amounts of alcohol. This includes:
Death, primarily alcohol toxemia
Pancreatitis
Cirrhosis of the liver
Depression, insomnia, anxiety, and suicide
Sexual dysfunction

B.

Social Effects
Loss of employment
Financial problems
Marital conflict and divorce
Convictions for crimes

C. Alcohol Withdrawal - there are several distinct but not

mutually exclusive alcohol withdrawal syndromes caused by
alcohol withdrawal
Tremulousness - "the shakes"
Activation syndrome - characterized by tremulousness, agitation, rapid
heartbeat and high blood pressure.
Seizures- acute grand mal seizures can occur in alcohol withdrawal in
patients who have no history of seizure or any structural brain disease.

Hallucinations- usually visual or tactile in alcoholics

Delirium tremens can be severe and often fatal

Treatments for Alcoholism

Detoxification - is the process of eliminating alcohol drinking and giving the
drinker's system time to re-adjust to the absence of alcohol.
-not a treatment for alcoholism, but is simply a treatment of the physiologic
effects of ongoing use of alcohol. It provides an initial path for an alcoholic to
stop drinking in the first place.
Group Therapy and Psychotherapy - After detoxification, various forms of
group therapy or psychotherapy can be used to deal with underlying
psychological issues leading to alcohol dependence, and also to provide the
recovering addict with relapse prevention skills.
Medications - Medications for alcoholism are most often used to
supplement a person's willpower and encourage abstinence.

Government Interventions
Because alcohol use disorders impact society as a whole, government have
formed alcohol policies in order to reduce the harm of alcoholism.