Alcoholism

ALCOHOLISM

INTRODUCTION

Alcoholism is an illness marked by drinking alcoholism beverage at a level that interferes with physical health, mental health, and social, family, or occupation responsibilities. Alcoholism is divided into two categories dependence and abuse people with alcohol dependence, usually, the most server alcohol disorder, usually experience tolerance and withdraw.

Tolerance is a need for marked increased amounts of alcohol to achieve intoxication or the desired effect while withdraw occurs when alcohol is discontinued or intake is decrease. Alcohol dependents spend a great deal of time drinking alcohol, and obtaining it. People who are dependent on or abuse alcohol continue to drink it despite evidence of physical or physiological problems. Those with dependence have severe problems and a greater irresistible to drink. Alcoholism has plagued society since ancient times. The Roman philosopher Seneca even referred to it as a form of insanity. But it was only in 1849 when Swedish physician Magnus Huss was able to integrate chronic alcoholism is modern day medical studies. His was also the first to name the disease in his essay entitled "Alcoholism as chronicus.

Alcoholism is a major social economic, and public health problem. Alcohol is deaths and almost half of all traffic deaths. A high percentage of suicides involve the use of alcohols in combination with other substances. Additional deaths are related to the long-term medical complication associated with the disease.

Alcoholism cuts cross all social and economic groups, involves both sexes, and occurs at all stages of the life cycle, beginning as easily as elementary school age. About 20% of patients, even in affluence areas, have alcoholism. Lift time risk for dependence is 10% for men and 5% for women. About 5,400,000 people in the united state alone who are suffering from alcoholism. 4, 5000,000 of them are male while 900,000 are females.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the paper is to:

(1) know what Alcoholism means

(2) know whether it is a physiological or a psychosomatic disease.

(3) know it causes and how it can be treated.

(4) know the involvement of Nurse in helping alcoholic patients.

CAUSE OF ALCOHOLISM

Numerous biological, psychological, and socio cultural factors appear to be involved in alcohol addition. An offspring of one alcohol parent is seven to eight times more likely to become alcoholism than a peer without an alcoholic parent. Biological factors include genetic and biochemical abnormalities, nutritional deficiencies responses. Psychological factors include the urge to drink alcohol to reduce anxiety or symptoms of mental illness; the desire to avoid responsibility in family, social, and work relationships, and the need to bolster self-esteem.

Socio cultural factors include the availability of alcoholic beverages, peer pressure, an excessively stressful life style, and social attitudes that approve of frequent drinking.

SIGN AND SYMPTOMS

Because people with alcohol dependence may hide or deny their addition and may temporarily manage to maintain a function life, assessing a patient for alcoholism can be very difficult. However, there are various physical and psychosocial symptoms that can facilitate assessment.

The patient's history may suggest a need for daily or episodic alcohol use to maintain adequate functioning, an inability to discontinue or reduce alcohol intake, episodes of anesthesia or amnesia (blackout) during intoxication, episodes of violence during intoxication, or interference with social and familial relationships and occupational responsibilities. Much minor completion that the patient may have also be alcohol related. He may mention malaise, dyspepsia, mood swings, depression, or more infections.

Secretive behavior is another indication when confronted; the patient may deny or rationalize his problem with alcohol. Alternatively, he may be guarded or hostile in his response. He also may project his anger or feeling of guilt or inadequacy onto other to avoid confronting his illness. With chronic alcohol abuse, the patient may experience malnutrition, cirrhosis of the liver, peripheral neuropathy, brain damage, or cardiomyopathy.

After abstaining from alcohol or signification reducing his intake, the patient may experience sign and symptoms of withdrawal, and they may lost for 5 to 7 days. The patient initially experiences anorexia, nausea, anxiety, fever, insomnia, hallucinations and purulent behavior major teniclonic seizures (known as run fits) can over during withdrawal. Suspect alcoholism in any patient with unexplained seizures.

DIAGNOSIS

Not only should alcohol abuse be considered a continuum but it also should be diagnosed by a variety of criteria. Diagnosis must take into consideration the physical health of the abuser, as well as the number and severity of dysfunctions associated with alcohol use. Four areas of analysis for gauging drinking dysfunctional need to be considered. Here we outline in brief form the kind of issues to be taken into consideration in assessing dependency.

Interpersonal

The most important criterion for ascertaining alcohol dependency is the inner life of the abuser. How do they view the role of alcohol in their life? That is, what is its purpose, how do they feel about their use, what beliefs do they hold about alcohol abuse and dependency? When one observes signs of emotional or psychological dysfunction accompanied with an unhealthy view of the role of alcohol in the abuser's life, there is reason for great concern.

Intrapersonal

Two areas must be evaluated in this category. The social context of the alcohol abuser must be taken into consideration. Does the abuser drink more than other individuals in typical social situations? What kind of behavioral changes occur with the consumption of alcohol? Does the abuser have a hard time feeling a part of the identity group? Are the patterns of consumption in the identity group healthy? Are there regular times in which drinking in the identity group does not occur? Is the abuser's interaction with the group different in these non-drinking contexts? Second, how does the abuser relate to his/her immediate family and close friends? Are there significant conflicts, growing discontent