Drinker or drunk..partying vs. alcoholism..Symptoms, risks, treatment, resources
What are the symptoms or warning signs?
A big part of alcoholism is denial. It's an illness that tells you that you don't have an illness. So it's often hard for an alcoholic to "self-diagnose;" usually your friends know you have a problem before you do.
Here are some signs of alcoholism:
Being secretive about your drinking; hiding it or drinking alone. Blackouts. When you "pass out," black out" can't . Blackouts are huge warning signs of alcoholic drinking. Have "personality changes." A lot of people get silly or "tipsy" when they drink. An alcoholic becomes a "different person." You might get angry, violent, or do things that aren't like you. Anger. You get mad when people talk about the drinking problem, or try to give you information.
What are the risks?
Long-term use of alcohol leads to:
Cirrhosis of the liver—s ymptoms are yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes and protruding lower abdomen. (At university health services, physicians have seen cirrhosis in men as young as 19– 20 who started drinking heavily in their early teens.) Heart disease Peptic ulcers Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) Cancers Fatigue caused by the sedative properties of alcohol Impaired reasoning and judgment Permanent impairment of speech, vision, and large muscle control
What is the Treatment?
Alcoholism is treatable and controllable, but not curable. It's believed that if you're an alcoholic, you can never drink "safely" or socially, since one drink can trigger the addiction. Therefore, the only treatment for alcoholism (as recommended by Alcoholics Anonymous) is total abstinence. There are also medications that are used to help alcoholics stay away from drinking. With one of these, a person becomes violently ill when she or he drinks.
"Detox"
For someone who has been drinking really heavily or for a long time, a "detox," or detoxification unit of a hospital, may be necessary to deal with the physical withdrawal symptoms. This is usually for a short period of time of two to three days.
Rehab
Many hospitals and private institutions have alcohol rehabilitation units— typically 20 to 30 days of inpatient treatment. Because the drinking "habit" is very difficult to shake, people in rehab have the advantage of being away from "people, places, and things" associated with drinking. They also learn a lot about the disease of alcoholism.
Resources
If you or someone one you know has signs of alcoholism or drug problems, contact these resources:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at www.samhsa.gov — Free information and other resources on alcoholism National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence (NCADD) at 800-NCA-CALL . www.ncadd.org Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) www.aa.org — Free, confidential meetings in every city. Literature, support. Alateen www.alateen.org — Free, confidential meetings in many cities for teens who have to deal with alcoholics. Literature, support. Alcohol/Drug Abuse Referral Hotline at 800-ALCOHOL (800-252-6465)
Learn about the signs of alcoholism and read helpful information at BeingGirl.com.
