Substance-Related Disorders
Alcohol
- Important Facts
- Symptoms of Intoxication
- Detoxification/Withdrawl Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prenatal Effects
- Negative Consequences
- Warning Signs That Alcohol is a Problem
- For Parents: What to Look for
Important Facts
General Facts
- Alcohol depresses the nervous system.
- Alcohol is the most frequently used brain depressant across all cultures and a significant cause of disease and death all over the world.
- Alcohol dependence runs in families and at least some of the transmission can be traced to genetic factors.
- The risk for alcohol dependence is three to four times higher in close relatives of people with alcohol dependence.
- Alcohol-related disorders are associated with a significant increase in the risk of accidents, violence and suicide.
- It is estimated that approximately half of all highway fatalities involve a driver or pedestrian who has been drinking.
- More than half of all murderers and their victims are believed to have been intoxicated with alcohol at the time of the murder.
- Repeated intake of high doses of alcohol can affect nearly every organ system.
Trends And Prevalence
- The first episode of alcohol intoxication is likely to occur in the mid-teens. The onset of alcohol dependence peaks in the 20s to mid-30s.
- Alcohol-related disorders typically develop by the late 30s.
- Alcohol-related disorders are among the most prevalent mental disorders in the general population.
- Approximately 14 percent of the population will suffer from an alcohol-related disorder at some point during their lifetime.
Gender
- Alcoholism is more common among men than women across all cultures, with a male to female ratio as high as 5 to 1 (depending on the age group and culture).
- Among women who drink alcohol, there has been a trend toward drinking heavily later in life.
- Once alcohol-related disorders develop in females, they tend to progress rapidly so that by middle age, females may have the same range of health, social, interpersonal and occupational problems as males.
- Females tend to develop higher blood alcohol concentrations than males. As a result, women may be at greater risk for some of the health-related consequences of heavy alcohol intake.
Alcohol in the United States
- As many as 90 percent of adults in the United States have had some experience with alcohol during their lifetime.
- Fifty two percent of Americans over the age of 12 have drunk alcohol in the past month.
- Each year close to 20,000 people die of alcohol-related causes in the United States. This does not include motor vehicle fatalities.
- Chronic liver disease is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States.
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Symptoms of Alcohol Intoxication
- Being overly talkative
- Impaired memory and judgment
- Inappropriate behavior, which may include aggression or sexual advances
- Loss of coordination, balance
- Mood swings
- Personality changes
- Slower reaction time
- Slurred speech
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Detoxification/Withdrawl Symptoms
- If someone dependent on alcohol suddenly stops drinking, they are likely to experience physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms for 3 – 7 days:
- Anxiety and depression
- Dry mouth
- Hand tremors
- Headache
- Increase in pulse, blood pressure and body temperature
- Insomnia
- Nausea, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal discomfort
- Puffy, blotchy complexion
- With DTs (delirium tremens), more dangerous withdrawal symptoms can occur. These symptoms often last for 3 to 5 days, but possibly longer, and require urgent medical treatment:
- Aggression
- Confusion
- Delirium
- Paranoid ideas
- Seizures
- Severe tremors
- Vivid hallucinations
- For mild dependency on alcohol, prescription medication can reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms. For alcoholics who are heavily dependent but want to stop drinking, a hospital detoxification program may be necessary.
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Treatment
A variety of treatments may be used:
- Alcoholics Anonymous or other program
- Individual therapy
- Family therapy
- Group therapy
- Vocational counseling
- Physician-prescribed medication (e.g., Antabuse, Naltrexone)
- Inpatient detoxification may be necessary if medical complications or possibility of self-harm are present.
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Prenatal Effects
Even small amounts of alcoholic beverages may be harmful during pregnancy:
- Consuming alcohol while pregnant may cause the mother to have a miscarriage.
- The baby may have a low birth weight.
- The baby may have mental retardation or developmental delays.
- The baby may be born with fetal alcohol syndrome, which is characterized by slowed growth, facial abnormalities, heart defects, joint and limb problems and intellectual handicaps.
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Negative Consequences of Alcohol Abuse
- Brain damage
- Concentration, learning and memory impairments
- Depression
- Fifteen percent of heavy alcohol users suffer from liver cirrhosis and pancreatitis
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Increased risk for cardiovascular disease
- Increased risk of accidents, violence and suicide
- Increased risk of stomach cancer and other internal organs
- Korsakoff’s Syndrome (alcohol-induced persisting amnesiac disorder)
- Sexual impairment/dysfunction
- Suppression of the immune system
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Warning Signs That Alcohol is a Problem
- Continuing to drink despite significant problems related to drinking (e.g., car accident)
- Craving alcohol
- Downplaying one’s alcohol consumption, including frequency and intensity
- Drinking alone
- Needing to consume more alcohol to gain the previously experienced high
- Reducing or stopping important social, occupational or recreational activities because of alcohol use
- Spending a great deal of time in activities necessary to obtain alcohol or to recover from its effects
- Unsuccessful attempts to control or cut down alcohol intake
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For Parents: What to Look for
- Deliberate movements
- Hidden bottles
- Lack of coordination
- Memory loss
- Overuse of mouthwash or chewing gum to mask alcohol breath odors
- Slack facial expression
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