Alcoholism

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Definition
Alcoholism is drinking alcoholic beverages at a level that interferes with physical health, mental health, and social, family, or job responsibilities.

Symptoms
Alcohol affects the central nervous system as a depressant. This leads to a decrease in:

Activity
Anxiety
Inhibitions
Tension

Even a few drinks can change behavior, slow motor skills, and decrease the ability to think clearly. Alcohol can impair concentration and judgment. Drinking a lot of alcohol can cause drunkenness (intoxication).
Some of the symptoms of alcoholism include:

Abdominal pain
Confusion
Drinking alone
Episodes of violence with drinking
Hostility when confronted about drinking
Lack of control over drinking -- being unable to stop or reduce alcohol intake
Making excuses to drink
Nausea and vomiting
Need for daily or regular alcohol use to function
Neglecting to eat
Not caring for physical appearance
Numbness and tingling
Secretive behavior to hide alcohol use
Shaking in the morning

Alcohol withdrawal develops because the brain adapts to the alcohol and cannot function well without the drug. Symptoms of withdrawal may include:

Anxiety
Confusion or seeing and hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations)
Death (rarely)
Increased blood pressure
Loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting
Psychosis
Raised temperature
Rapid heart rate
Restlessness or nervousness
Seizures
Tremors

Causes & Risks
Alcoholism is a type of drug addiction. There is both physical and mental dependence on alcohol.
Alcoholism is divided into 2 categories: dependence and abuse. People who are dependent on alcohol spend a great deal of time drinking alcohol, and getting it.
Physical dependence involves:

A need for increasing amounts of alcohol to get drunk or achieve the desired effect (tolerance)
Alcohol-related illnesses
Memory lapses (blackouts) after drinking episodes
Withdrawal symptoms when alcohol use is stopped

The most severe drinking behavior includes long drinking binges that lead to mental or physical problems. Some people are able to gain control over their dependence in earlier phases before they totally lose control. But no one knows which heavy drinkers will be able to regain control and which will not.
There is no known common cause of alcoholism. However, several factors may play a role in its development. A person who has an alcoholic parent is more likely to become an alcoholic than a person without alcoholism in the immediate family.
Research suggests that certain genes may increase the risk of alcoholism, but which genes or how they work is not known.
Psychological factors may include:

A need for anxiety relief
Conflict in relationships
Depression
Low self-esteem

Social factors include:

Ease of getting alcohol
Peer pressure
Social acceptance of alcohol use
Stressful lifestyle

The incidence of alcohol intake and related problems is rising. Data indicate that about 15% of people in the United States are problem drinkers, and about 5% to 10% of male drinkers and 3% to 5% of female drinkers could be diagnosed as alcohol dependent.

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AlcoholismOriginally from: http://www.nursinglink.monster.com/news/articles/13150-alcoholism

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