Addictions

Alcohol AddictionProducts Relating to 'Alcohol Addiction'

ALCOHOL ADDICTION

The society we live in is a very stressful one. But some people do not learn to cope with these external stressors. They resort to alcohol to cope not realising that this practice can result to even more stress in the form of alcohol addiction.

Alcohol is a sedetive hypnotic drug that acts on the brain like other sedetive drugs i.e tranquilizers (valium) etc. These tranquilizes are commonly used briefly to treat severe alcohol addiction withdrawal.

Like any other sedetive drug alcohol can cause physical dependence in anyone who uses it extensively over a period of time. The withdrawal syndrome from alcohol addiction is identical to other sedetive drugs.

On abrupt discontinuation or drastic reduction in usage the following symptoms may develop:

• Anxiety, irritablity, restlessness, irritability and insomnia.
• Temperature, high blood pressure, pulse and respiration
• Confusion, hypervigilance and disorientation.
• Grand mal seizures
• Infrequently, sudden death
• Auditory abd visual hallucinations, acute psychotic tantrums.

Alcohol addition will suffice in anyone who is exposed to it for a long enough period.

Physical alcohol dependence is not the same as alcohol addiction:

Addiction refers to a complex behavioral syndrome. It is the use of a drug or alcohol to an extreme degree that is harmful to the individual, despite negative consequenses. it can cause both social and physical harm to the user without the user realising it.

Anyone can become prone to alcohol addiction. some people just become physically dependent on alcohol but not addicted to it. Physical dependence can be cured by gradually reducing the amount drunk over a period of time, while alcohol addiction will require more drastic measures possibly hospital attention.

A Psychological approach to Alcohol Addiction:

What characterizes alcohol addiction is the consumption of large amounts of alcohol on frequent occasions.

The cause for this behaviour is subjective and when alcoholics are interviewed as to why the drink so much they attribute it to depression in most cases or anxiety. Some say that they have an overpowering urge just to drink, this is refered to as a craving. Although drinking relieves guilt and anxiety it also produces anxiety and depression. These occuring symptoms forces the drinker to drink again to relieve the anxiety and guilt so it becomes a vicious cycle which eventually leads to widthdrawal syndrome.

In some cases the alcoholic succeeds in quiting drinking for a few days or weeks only to fall off the bandwagon again. By this time they are ready to except the knowldge of their alcohol addiction but are powerless to stop the habit.

To recover, an alcoholic must understand that getting back something of value such as life is better than not gving up something that is strongly desired such as drinking. Only through this understanding can he/she recover.

Article Published: Wednesday 4th April 2007