Alcohol abuse is a problem that causes distress or harm to you or people around you. Often, it interferes with your life, work, school or relationships.
There are a number of ways to help you or a loved one recover from alcohol misuse. These include addressing the causes of the drinking, learning new coping skills and making a plan for recovery.
Addiction
Addiction is a chronic medical condition that involves complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment and an individual’s life experiences. It affects people at different stages of life and can be difficult to treat.
People become addicted to alcohol or other substances when their use of them becomes uncontrollable. This is because they have developed a tolerance to the substance, which means they need larger amounts to get the desired effect.
Drinking becomes a habit and if the person stops drinking suddenly, they may experience withdrawal symptoms including headaches, sweating, vomiting and anxiety. This can be very distressing and can lead to death.
Mental health issues
Alcohol abuse often leads to mental health problems, including depression and anxiety. Many people who use alcohol to cope with their mental health problems become addicted.
Alcohol affects your brain chemistry, which can cause your mental health to get worse and make you more likely to develop a substance abuse disorder. It also can make you more at risk for suicide, self-harm and psychosis.
Symptoms of alcohol abuse can be accompanied by physical symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, nausea and vomiting, a racing heart, or hand tremors. They can also include hallucinations, restlessness and agitation.
The psychiatric effects of alcohol are often the first problem for which an alcoholic patient seeks help. These symptoms usually cluster and last for weeks or months, mimicking frank psychiatric disorders (Anthenelli and Schuckit 1993).
Physical health issues
Alcohol abuse can have a serious impact on your health. It may cause physical problems that range from a mild hangover to a severe one like alcohol poisoning.
Drinking alcoholic beverages can also lead to a variety of cancers. Long-term heavy drinking increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, colon and liver.
It can also reduce the production of red blood cells (anemia), leading to an increased risk of infection and illness.
Chronic alcohol use can also damage the brain, especially in the long term. This can result in a mental disorder called Wernicke encephalopathy and the dementia-like disease Korsakoff syndrome.
Alcohol also depletes the body of many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B-1 (thiamine). If a person drinks excessively for an extended period of time, it can lead to a condition called thiamine deficiency. This can be life-threatening. People who have this condition may be unable to remember anything and can become confused, lose their ability to think clearly or even die.
Legal issues
Alcohol abuse is a serious health problem that can cause a range of social and legal problems. It affects all parts of a person's life, including family relationships, work and legal issues.
It is especially harmful for poorer people who have more vulnerabilities to the negative effects of excessive drinking. This includes social and economic factors, such as poverty, discrimination and violence.
These problems have a significant emotional toll on individuals and their families, and are an enormous financial expense to health care systems.
Physicians who screen patients for alcohol use disorders are in a unique position to help people overcome these health problems and improve their overall well-being. Early identification of these problems makes them easier to address and motivates people to change their behavior.
