 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Living With AlcoholismConsequences of Alcohol AbuseFor a few decades now, researchers have been able to identify the long-term physical consequences of alcohol dependence and abuse. Those consequences, which will be discussed below, are also compounded by the negative psychological, familial, and community consequences of alcoholism.
Drinking more than two drinks a day (for men) is considered excessive. The NIAAA defines 13.3% alcohol in 6 fluid ounces as 1.3 U.S. standard drinks. Excessive alcohol consumption is serious and dangerous despite the allure of media images and cultural morays surrounding the supposed benign nature of drinking.
Evidence from a study conducted by the World Bank and the World Health Organization found that alcohol-related diseases, deaths, and community related issues were substantial. The study found that “the occurrence of alcohol-related problems is not necessarily limited to those labeled as ‘addicts’ or ‘drunkards.’ In fact, the average person with alcohol-related problems may be neatly dressed, may not show signs of alcohol withdrawal, and may have a job and good family support, but may still have significant physical, psychiatric, social or family complications due to excessive consumption or alcohol.” Physical Implications of Alcohol AbuseAlcohol is rapidly absorbed by the body through the stomach and small intestine and then directly through blood into the brain. A small amount of alcohol alters brain function; larger amounts ingested regularly damages the brain, the central nervous system, major organs, circulatory system, skeletal system, immune system and psychological responses to the environment. Alcohol and the BrainWhen we think about a drunken person, we think about someone who staggers about, someone who stammers and slurs their words, or someone whose responsiveness is compromised. Alcohol enters the brain and immediately alters the messages the neurotransmitters send to the rest of the body. The faster alcohol is consumed, the higher the blood alcohol level. Alcohol is soluble in water solutions, thus, it easily crosses the blood brain barrier. Normal neuron responses are diminished, allowing the alcohol to manipulate the receptors. Because the receptors are associated with “pleasure” centers in the brain, the body easily adapts to the manipulation. It should also be understood that alcohol, because it is water soluble, is readily absorbed into all the body’s cells. Unfortunately, whether the body seeks the pleasure sensation or not, chronic alcohol ingestion produces brain damage. Abstinence from Alcohol
According to the National Library of Medicine, a service of the National Institute of Health, abstinence is defined as completely avoiding the use of alcohol. During chronic intoxication, the brain matter shrinks and alters a person’s ability to learn, recall, and make decisions. However, recovery is possible. Studies over the last decade have now identified new brain cell growth within weeks of abstinence.
New research also demonstrates that brain atrophy due to chronic alcohol consumption is partially reversible. The brains of those who maintained long term sobriety demonstrated recovery in the temporal lobes, thalamus, brainstem, cerebellum and other significant parts of the brain. For the brain to function properly, it needs to be able to reorganize and adapt to new experiences and new information. This natural process of reorganization is known as the brain’s neuroplasticity. Alcohol damages and in some cases destroys the neurons ability to accommodate the changes. Once alcohol is out of the system and abstinence is maintained, brain neuroplasicity can partially increase. Once a person understands the destructive nature of regular alcohol use, he or she can decide that abstinence is a good course to follow. If a person has been drinking regularly, withdrawal symptoms may occur. It is sometimes advisable to detox from alcohol in a licensed alcohol detox facility, and to immediately follow the detox with alcohol addiction treatment. For many years, studies have continually illustrated that people who enter treatment immediately following detox, and complete the treatment program, have better outcomes than those who just go through detox. Staying Abstinent following Treatment Changing behaviors that are associated with drinking will help solidify abstinence and sobriety. Generally, abstinence must be coupled with the discontinuance of risky behaviors that often accompany alcohol abuse. Thus, it is recommended that people stop going to bars, clubs, and other places where they went to drink. Sometimes, people trying to stay sober will have to stop seeing people that they drank with as well. In addition to stopping certain behaviors, it is recommended that individuals start new ones. Treatment is followed with an aftercare plan to help a newly sober alcoholic handle re-entry into everyday living. A commitment to the aftercare plan, as well as establishing a support group, will provide the structure and nurturing needed for early sobriety. Attendance at AA meetings is important as members of the AA rooms can become an anchor for a person’s sobriety. AA meetings do help people stay sober because they offer a sense of belonging to a community, a framework for daily living, a spiritual foundation of a person’s choosing, and the ability to learn how to stay clean and sober one day at a time – under any circumstances. One of the corner stones of AA work is the understanding that honesty about oneself, one’s behavior, and one’s thinking is a necessary component for abstinence and continued personal growth.
According to the National Library of Medicine (a branch of the National Institute of Health), individuals in sobriety have better “survival rates, mental health, and marriages. They are also more responsible parents and employees than those who continue to drink or relapse.” Alcoholism is a Family Disease The idea that individuals who drink heavily are only hurting themselves is a myth. The impact of alcoholism on the family and the community is profound. The disease is insidious and spreads its tentacles wide. Not only does it destroy the health and well-being of the person drinking, it can destroy the health of loved ones, place children at risk of becoming alcoholics and drug addicts, and cost the community millions of dollars yearly.
“According to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration) National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, seventy-six million American adults have been exposed to alcoholism in the family. Alcoholism is responsible for more family problems than any other single cause. According to Silverstein (1990), one of every four families has problems with alcohol.” The family dynamic in an alcoholic household is dysfunctional, and as a result certain behaviors that enable the alcoholic to continue to drink are developed. The coping mechanisms developed during active alcoholism have a negative impact on everyone in the family. Furthermore, members of the family develop unhealthy interpersonal relationships to deal with the disease of alcoholism.
“Research has shown that families with an alcoholic member live in environments that are disorganized and unstable...Children of alcoholics may be neglected or abused and frequently face economic hardship and social isolation. They also are vulnerable to psychopathology and medical problems, including an increased risk of developing alcohol abuse or alcoholism themselves.”
Once the alcoholic member of the family gets helps, stops drinking, and attends AA meetings and other support groups, everyone else in the family needs to change their behavior as well. |
 |
|
 |
