Essay About Alcohol Dependence And Alcohol-Related Symptoms

Alcoholism
Alcoholism
Abstract
Alcohol dependence is a major cause of mortality and is associated with psychiatric
conditions, neurologic impairment, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and malignant
neoplasms. Psychiatric conditions associated with alcohol dependence include major
depression, dysthymia, mania, hypomania, panic disorder, phobias, generalized anxiety
disorder, personality disorders, any drug use disorder, schizophrenia, and suicide.
Psychiatric problems, in turn, are associated with alcohol-related symptoms of greater
severity. Excessive alcohol consumption causes brain damage, which is proven by brain
imaging, and related neurologic deficits, including impairments in working memory,
cognitive processing of emotional signals and gait and balance. Whereas moderate
alcohol consumption does not severely affect the cardiovascular system, heavy drinking
is associated with increased risks of hypertension, coronary heart disease, and ischemic
stroke, possibly due to alcohol-induced health problems. Chronic excessive alcohol
consumption is a strong risk factor for various types of cancer, particularly cancers of the
aerorespiratory tract, but also cancers of the digestive system, liver, breast, and ovaries.
Heavy drinking is associated with various forms of alcoholic liver disease, such as
cirrhosis. (People with alcohol dependence die from cirrhosis at a much higher rate than
is found in the general population.) Alcohol dependence also increases the risk of injury,
possibly due to alcohol-related factors such as diminished coordination and balance,
increased reaction time, and impaired attention, perception, and judgment.
Alcoholism
There is a drug that is used by over 14 million people in the United States. It is not
cocaine, marijuana, crystal methamphetamine, LSD or prescription pills. Mothers,
fathers, sisters and brothers often fall victim to abusing this drug because it is so easy. By
abusing this drug people can become addicted and ultimately destroy their lives. This
drug is legal, liquid and comes in many flavors. The drug is alcohol. People have been
brewing and fermenting alcoholic drinks since the dawn of civilization. Consumed in
moderate amounts, alcoholic beverages are relaxing and in some cases may even have
beneficial effects on health. Consumed in excess, alcohol is poisonous to human systems
and is considered a drug. Alcohol is often consumed during times of celebration,
disappointment, or just casually. There is a very thin line between enjoying alcohol and
abusing alcohol. A person who abuses alcohol is an alcoholic and an alcoholic suffers
from the disease called alcoholism. Usually, a variety of factors contribute to the
development of a problem with alcohol. Social factors such as the influence of family,
peers, and society, the availability of alcohol, and psychological factors such as elevated
levels of stress, inadequate coping mechanisms, and reinforcement of alcohol use from
other drinkers can contribute to alcoholism. Alcoholism is often diagnosed more through
behaviors and adverse effects on functioning than by specific medical symptoms. Alcohol
dependence