Alcoholism Health Article

Definition

Alcoholism is the layman's term for alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association and commonly called the DSM-IV, the essential feature of substance abuse (in this instance, alcohol abuse) is maladaptive use of the substance with recurrent and significant adverse consequences related to its repeated use. Dependence is a physical addiction with psychological, social and genetic components. Despite damage to health, finances, reputations, and relationships, the alcohol dependent person will continue to drink unless an intervention occurs. Abuse, distinguished from dependence by retaining some control over the use of alcohol, nevertheless carries many of the same consequences over time, and certainly increases risk of dependence.

Today, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are often associated with abuse of, or dependence on, other substances including nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, sedatives, and anxiolytics (antianxiety drugs). Alcoholism is more common in males than in females, with an estimated male-to-female ratio as high as five-to-one. A United States study conducted between 1990 and 1991, using DSM standards, found that 14% of the adult population (ages 15–54) had, at some time, met the criteria for alcohol dependence; and 7% had been alcohol-dependent in the past year. An earlier, similar study showed that about 5% of Americans qualified for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse at some point during their life. According to a 2002 report by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 14 million Americans abuse alcohol, and 100,000 die annually of alcohol related preventable causes. Though it is difficult to develop accurate statistics worldwide, it is known that the incidence of what we call alcoholism has been steadily rising around the globe for several years.

Description

The effects of alcoholism are quite far-reaching. Alcoholism affects every body system, causing a wide range of drinking related health problems, including lower testosterone, shrinking gonads, erectile dysfunction, interference with reproductive fertility, weak bones, memory disorders, difficulty with balance and walking, liver disease (including cirrhosis and hepatitis), high blood pressure, weakness of muscles (including the heart), disturbances of heart rhythm, anemia, clotting disorders, weak immunity to infections, inflammation and irritation of the entire gastrointestinal system, acute and chronic problems with the pancreas, low blood sugar, high blood fat content, and poor nutrition.

Its mental health implications include marital and other relationship difficulties, depression, unemployment, poor performance at school or work, spouse and child abuse, and general family dysfunction. Alcoholism causes or contributes to a variety of severe social problems: homelessness, murder, suicide, injury, and violent crime. Alcohol is a contributing factor in 50% of all deaths from motor vehicle accidents. In fact, 50% of the 100,000 deaths that occur each year due to the effects of alcohol are due to injuries of some sort. Alcohol costs the United States over $150 billion yearly in lost productivity and alcohol related medical expense.