Understanding What Alcohol Abuse Is And How To Recognise It
The Alternate Medic
The consumption of alcoholic beverages dates back to the beginning of time. Unfortunately some of us are affected by the excessive consumption of alcohol in a very negative way. Hence the problem of alcohol abuse which has disrupted lives, societies and civilizations over the generations..
In today's society consuming alcohol has become the norm and when consumed in moderation, it can be a relaxing tonic. Many people come home from a hard day of work and unwind with a drink. How do you know, though, when that relaxing drink has taken over your life? How do you know when you become dependent on it? Alcohol abuse in today's society is becoming a serious problem. In the past people used to believe that alcohol abuse was a characteristic of a weak person, but now it is known that it is really a serious disease that has a chance of affecting us all.
Statistics on Alcohol Abuse
It will probably surprise you that 1 in 13 people are affected by alcohol abuse, It is reported by the online health guide, WebMD that in the United States alone, 12 to 14 million adults suffer from alcohol abuse and each year, around 100,000 adults will die from alcohol abuse. Not only that but it has been proven that alcohol abuse is largely responsible for contributing to the country's car accidents, suicides and homicides. Alcohol also affects many other areas of daily life, including increased rayes of job absenteeism, increased reports of domestic violence and child abuse.
Recognizing the Signs of Alcohol Abuse?
If you enjoy an occasional drink at home or with friends this does not indicate that your are suffering from alcohol abuse.. As a guideline:
- in women, a key indication that there is a degree ofalcohol abuse is if you consume more than seven drinks a week and more than three in a social gathering. - In men, the rate of consumption would have to equal more than 14 drinks per week or anexcess of four drinks while with friends.
Other signs include: - alcohol cravings, - a loss of control when drinking, which leads to the person unable to stop drinking. - -Tolerances built up to alcohol can be another sign of alcohol abuse, - physical dependence on alcohol, such as nausea, sweating and headaches if no alcohol is consumed.
The scientific community are in agreement that many other factors are involved with drinking, such as family history of drinking, family genetics, stress levels, and social and environmental factors.
Alcohol abuse has become a serious disease that is escalating all over the western world. Fortunately, it is treatable, but is difficult to cure and it can affect anyone. There are many factors make some people more susceptible to it than others. Even though many of us drink and enjoy ourselves in moderation, however,it is important that we all hear the message and keep our consumption to recognized tolerable levels.
Recently a relatively new phenomenon known as "Binge Drinking" has arisen amongst our young, where it is considered to be fun by drinking multiple varieties of alcoholic beverages way in excess of what is considered reasonable rendering the reveler completely inebriated to a state where their health is put at extreme risk. This bad influence can only lead to more and more of us suffering from alcohol abuse.
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