Journal of Alcoholism & Drug Dependence
Open Access

Overview of Chronic Alcoholism along with its Preventive Measures

Frasel Alzim^{* *}Correspondence: Frasel Alzim, Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand, Email:

Author info »

Description

Alcoholism is defined as any consumption of alcohol that causes serious mental or physical issues. Alcoholism is not a recognized diagnostic entity since there is debate about its definition Excessive alcohol use can harm all organ systems, but the brain, heart, liver, pancreas, and immune systems are most vulnerable. Mental disease, extrapyramidal symptoms, Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome, heart palpitations, a decreased immunological response, liver cirrhosis, and elevated cancer risk are all symptoms of alcoholism. Fetal alcohol disorders can be caused by drinking during pregnancy. Because of their smaller body mass, poorer capacity to metabolize alcohol, and larger proportion of body fat, women are more vulnerable to the negative effects of alcohol than males.

Because there is no single cause of alcohol addiction, efficient "risk factors" as potential triggers. These elements, according to experts, may have a role in the development of alcohol dependence since they have been seen in the lives of many people who suffer from alcoholism and addiction. Small amounts of drinking raise the risk of alcohol addiction, which rises in direct proportion to the amount of alcohol drank and a habit of drinking bigger quantities on several occasions, to the point of drunkenness, which is frequently referred to as "binge drinking." People who suffer from mental illnesses may be ashamed to seek treatment. They may believe that drinking is simpler because they are afraid that others would condemn them for their mental disorder.

Around one of the individuals who have a mental health problem also has an alcohol problem. People who suffer from both mental health problem and drinking are said to have cooccurring disorders. These have major adverse effects that might harm your body in the long run, both physically and psychologically. Licensed physicians must look at both disorders at the same time to appropriately treat them.

Prevention

It is critical for people to recognize the indications of alcoholism. If a doctor feels a patient is smoking too much, he or she should be sent to an authorized care provider as soon as possible. Alcohol consumption among teenagers and young adults is commonly reduced by raising the age at which legitimate substances that are vulnerable to abuse, such as alcohol, may be purchased, as well as prohibiting or restricting soft drink advertising. It has been suggested that credible, evidence-based educational programs regarding the dangers of alcohol misuse be run in the media. Guidelines for parents on how to avoid teenage alcohol abuse and how to aid adolescent people with mental health issues have also been proposed. Young individuals are also susceptible to the effects of alcohol abuse. This stage of life is distinguished by growing independence and a move into more adult duties, which may include pursuing a college degree or beginning a job in the military or the civilian economy for many. Every year, around 5,000 18- to 24-year-olds die as a result of unintended accidents caused by alcohol [1-4].

Conclusion

Alcohol has a huge impact on people's lives and societies, particularly in developing nations, and its impact on the global illness burden is likely to rise in the future. Improvements in the average quantity of alcohol drank per person in nations such as China and India, as well as increasingly dangerous and risky drinking practices among young people, is particularly concerning developments. Another research looked at two groups of alcoholic males over 60 year’s periods and found that "return to regulated drinking seldom lasted as much as a generation without relapse or progression into sobriety."

References

1. Jørgensen CH, Pedersen B, Tønnesen H. The efficacy of disulfiram for the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Alcohol. Clin Exp Res. 2011:35(10):1749-1758.

   [Cross ref] [Google scholar] [PubMed]

2. Litten RZ, Wilford BB, Falk DE, Ryan ML, Fertig JB. Potential medications for the treatment of alcohol use disorder: an evaluation of clinical efficacy and safety. Substance abuse. 2016:37(2):286-298.

   [Cross ref] [Google scholar] [Pub Med]

3. Johnson BA. Medication treatment of different types of alcoholism. Am  J Psychiatry. 2010: 167(6):630-639.

   [Cross ref] [Google scholar] [PubMed]

4. Leggio L, Lee MR. Treatment of alcohol use disorder in patients with alcoholic liver disease. Am. J. Med.. 2017:130(2):124-134.

   [Cross ref] [Google scholar] [PubMed]