Alcohol Abuse :-
Alcohol abuse is also known as alcohol misuse.
This is a serious problem. It is a pattern of drinking more alcohol too frequently. It interferes with your regular life. You can be suffering from alcohol abuse if you drink more amount of alcohol at one time or too frequently throughout the week. It is also a problem if you can not stop drinking and it harms your relationships. It can lead you to be unable to function at work and in other areas of your life.
Alcohol abuse can give rise to physical dependency on alcohol, or alcoholism. More amount of alcohol at one time can also cause alcohol poisoning. One alcoholic drink is defined as a 12-ounce bottle of beer; a 5-ounce glass of wine; or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits ( like whiskey, rum, or tequila).
You are abusing alcohol when you are :
Drinking 7 drinks per week or more than 3 drinks per function. (for women).
drinking more than 14 drinks per week or more than 4 drinks per function (for men).
You have more than 7 drinks per week or more than 3 drinks per function (for men and women older than 65).
Drinking these amounts of alcohol harms your health, relationships, work, and/or give rise to legal problems.
Alcohol Abuse Symptoms :-
You have tried stopping using alcohol for a week or more, but you can not make it past a few days.
You can not stop drinking once if you started.
You understand that you need to stop or cut down.
You are not able to perform at work or home while you are drunk.
You feel ashamed after drinking.
Other people are telling you that you have a problem.
You feel irritate by criticism of your drinking.
You have a drink in the morning to get yourself going after drinking too much the night before.
You have hurt someone physically else or yourself after drinking very much. This can be due to accidents or violence.
You do not let people know that your are drinking alcohol.
You have blackouts and memory lapses after drinking more amount of alcohol.
You are depressed.
You are getting traffic or driving tickets while under the effect of alcohol.
Your drinking get in the way of your relationships.
Your hands are shaking.
Alcohol affects your health in other ways, too. It can give rise to cirrhosis, a disease of the liver. It’s a main cause of deaths and injuries because of accidents. It can damage your baby’s health if you drink alcohol in your pregnancy.
Alcohol Abuse Causes :-
People abuse alcohol for many reasons. It can be due to social pressure, a desire to relax, a coping mechanism for anxiety, depression, tension, loneliness, self-doubt or unhappiness, or a family history of abusing alcohol.
Alcohol Abuse Diagnosis :-
Many people who are abusing alcohol will came to hear from family and friends that they are having a problem.
Normally, doctors believe a person is abusing alcohol when :
Repeated use of alcohol get in a way with your responsibilities at work, home, or school.
Repeated use of alcohol can put you or someone else in physical danger (driving, operating machinery, mixing alcohol and medicine, drinking alcohol while pregnant).
Repeated alcohol use leads to legal problems.
Repeated alcohol use harms your relationships.
Alcohol Abuse Prevention :-
If you have a family history of alcoholism or alcohol abuse, you may have to work harder to stop or limiting alcohol.
Other ways to decrease your alcohol consumption include :
Restrict yourself to one drink when by yourself or with friends.
Seek treatment for primary mental health conditions.
Avoid spending time with others who drink alcohol.
Alcohol Abuse Treatment :-
If you are the one suffering from alcohol abuse, the first step is understanding that you need help.
Many studies show that people fighting with alcohol abuse can benefit from some form of treatment. Although, everyone is different. All treatments does not work the same for every person. As fast as the person seeks treatment, the better the outcome.
Therapy like behavioral can be used to treat alcohol abuse. Therapy can take the form of support groups, counseling, or a mixture of the two. Some suggested medicines can treat alcohol abuse by helping people stop or lower their drinking. As with all medicines, some may cause side effects.
Once you have found a treatment that is helpful for you, it is important to stick to that treatment. Also, it is helpful to avoid situations that include a lot of alcohol.