Helping people addicted to alcohol
 

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Article #317: The Components Of Alcohol Addiction

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Alcoholism is a powerful craving for clinical tests that mammals with more
alcohol which often results in the active endorphin systems are more prone
compulsive consumption of alcohol. The to alcohol addiction. This is because
cause of this craving is heavily debated, alcohol triggers the release of
but the most popular beliefs are that it endorphins into our system, and we learn
is a chemical or nutrional imbalance, a that alcohol drinking is a behavior that
genetic predisposition, a neurological we should repeat. This effect is also
effect caused by runaway learning visible in the use of opiates, and in
mechanisms or an inability to curb one's various risk-taking behaviors such as
own desire for enjoyment. skydiving and gambling.
Alcoholism is often a controversial The social problems arising from alcohol
subject. Some believe it to be a abuse often include loss of employment,
biological disease, but the inability to financial problems, marital conflict and
tie it to a specific biological causation divorce, convictions for crimes such as
makes this is a political debate and not drunk driving or public disorder, loss of
a medical one. accommodation, and loss of respect from
Alcohol addiction has been identified as others who may see the problem as
having various components. self-inflicted and easily avoided.
* Psychological addiction involves those Alcohol dependence affects not only the
things which convince a person that they addicted but can profoundly impact the
gain benefit from the use of the family members around them. Children of
substance. For instance, if they feel alcohol dependents can be affected even
that they are more socially adept while after they are grown; the behaviors
drunk or that it allows them to better commonly exhibited by such children are
handle stress, then they might feel that collectively known as Adult Children of
any problems caused were worth the Alcoholics Syndrome.
benefits. Although there is no specific diagnosis
* Physical addiction (a.k.a., dependence) for alcoholism, there have been many
involves the physical adaptation of a efforts at diagnostic approaches to
person's biological systems to the alcohol dependence, abuse and
continued presence of alcohol in their complications associated with chronic
system. The person's systems become more alcohol consumption.
comfortable when they have the "normal" Several tools may be used to determine if
level of alcohol, and higher doses are you are an alcoholic.
required to maintain an equivalent * The CAGE questionnaire can be used to
effect. A decrease in the level of screen patients quickly in a doctor's
alcohol causes reverse imbalances office.
resulting in withdrawal symptoms, which * Another screening questionnaire is the
for alcohol can be deadly. Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
* Neurochemical addiction involves the (AUDIT).
hijacking of existing learning mechanisms * The Alcohol Dependence Data
in order to convince the system that an Questionnaire is another sensitive
addictive behavior is good for it, diagnostic test.
despite all evidence to the contrary. * Although there is no blood test
Endorphin is the body's way of telling specific for alcohol abuse or alcohol
the mind that a behavior is good for it. dependence (alcoholism), prolonged heavy
We release endorphin into the blood alcohol consumption may lead to several
stream during sex, exercise and abnormalities in the body.
consumption of some foods for instance, Alcohol addiction is a treatable disease
and this is responsible for "runner's that can end in the death of innocent
high" and "afterglow". This is more than people. If you are an alcoholic or are a
just a good feeling, it is teaching our family member of an alcoholic, contact
brain that these are the behaviors that your physician for the most current
it should repeat. treatments available.
It has been demonstrated in various






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