Alcoholism

Learn about alcoholism and alcohol abuse...

what is alcoholism

Funny beer commercials are as much a part of football's annual Super Bowl as the game itself. Serious wine tasters and connoisseurs build houses with temperature-controlled wine cellars, and many partygoers would find it difficult to "loosen up" and "relax" without alcohol. In short, alcohol usage is part of everyday life, closely associated with many of our preferred ways to recreate, socialize, and increase some individuals' status in today's society.

But alcohol has a flipside - a split personality. Alcohol abuse and addictions are two disorders as devastating - physically and emotionally - as drug abuse. Long-term heavy drinking is associated with depression and anxiety (see Anxiety) as well as serious physical conditions, such as liver disease, heart disease, certain forms of cancer, pancreatitis, high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.

Alcoholism or abuse?

For those not specifically trained in understanding substance abuse, finding the line between alcoholism and abuse is difficult.

Alcohol abuse frequently precedes addiction, and is often a clear warning sign that the trajectory of a person's life has taken a disadvantageous turn. And though some individuals abuse alcohol for years without becoming an alcoholic, the effects of abuse on a person's life can be as deleterious as addiction.

In order to determine the most effective course of treatment, substance abuse experts separate the two disorders. Here are the main differences and similarities between alcoholism - also known as alcohol addiction and dependence - and abuse:

Alcoholism vs. Abuse

  • Alcoholism triggers strong, intense cravings for alcohol; those who abuse alcohol do not physically crave alcohol in this way, but heavy drinking can quickly turn into alcoholism, and cravings are the one of the first warning signs of alcoholism.
  • Alcoholism causes physical withdrawal symptoms, sometimes severe, when an individual stops drinking; those who abuse alcohol do not experience withdrawal when not drinking, and can go days or weeks between drinks without any withdrawal symptoms.
  • Alcoholism results in a person requiring larger and larger amounts of alcohol to feel the euphoric effects or to get drunk.

Both alcoholism and abuse result in harmful consequences to significant areas of an individual's life, but despite negative consequences, individuals who abuse or are addicted to alcohol continue to drink.

What is alcohol abuse?

Alcohol abuse includes many dysfunctional behaviors, and touches key areas of an individual's life: family relationships, work productivity, friendships and financial issues. Abuse can affect one or all of these areas, or surface in one area from time to time. The criteria for abuse is that it causes severe problems, interferes with relationships, lands individuals in trouble with employers or the law.

Individuals can hold down a steady job for years, for example, supporting a family, paying a mortgage and the bills. Yet having several drinks to relax in the evenings or on the weekends, often to the point of getting drunk, can seriously harm relationships, and lead to the neglect and abuse of children and household responsibilities.

But alcohol abuse issues can also affect careers. Calling in sick frequently because of hangovers, or poor productivity impacts jobs and can lead to termination. Lying about drinking habits, or frequently drinking more than an individual intends are also warning signs of abuse.

Increasing in prevalence over the years, especially among adolescents and young adults (see Adolescence Developmental Psychology), is binge drinking. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as consuming alcohol that elevates the blood alcohol concentration level to 0.08% or above. For women this means 4 or more drinks within 2 hours, and for men it means 5 or more drinks in the same time period.

And one of the most harmful aspects of alcohol abuse are the dangers associated with irresponsible behaviors that have the potential to cause harm to oneself or others. Drinking and driving, for instance, one the leading causes of accident-related deaths in the U.S., puts not only the driver but innocent others at risk. Repeated DUI (driving under the influence) violations lead to severe legal issues, and can result in an individual losing his or her driving license and spending extended periods of time in jail.

Those who abuse alcohol continue to do so despite nefarious affects on a person's personal life, career, and family.

What is alcoholism?

Alcoholism denotes addiction and physical dependency on alcohol, regardless of the type of beverages, or the amount consumed in one sitting. It is considered a chronic disease, one that can't be "cured" but treated and managed over the course of a person's life.

Alcoholism includes all of the adverse social and personal consequences of abuse, but four specific symptoms distinguish addiction from abuse:

  • Tolerance - The human body builds a tolerance to substances such as alcohol, meaning that it takes increasing amounts of alcohol to get the "buzz," "high," or "state of drunkenness" that addicts desire.
  • Craving - constant, strong urges to drink.
  • Dependence - When a person's body becomes dependent on alcohol, he or she will wake to shaking hands and “the sweats”, symptoms that subside after a having a drink. Other withdrawal signs that can occur are anxiety, insomnia, depression, headache, inability to eat or vomiting. If alcohol is withheld from heavy drinkers, serious withdrawal takes place, sometimes causing hallucinations, seizures, fever, and other dangerous symptoms.
  • No self-control - This means individuals are unable to stop themselves from drinking once they have started.

Does alcoholism run in families?

Studies demonstrate that alcoholism does run in families, but researchers continue to investigate why. Some point to lifestyle factors, such as growing up in alcoholic families, while others believe, and continue to work toward discovering a gene or genes that contribute to the disease.

Similar to drug abuse, stress and underlying mental health disorders are also considered factors in developing both alcoholism and alcohol abuse. Counselors trained in substance abuse and behavioral disorders help those who seek treatment sort through issues and events in a person's life that contribute to alcohol disorders. And they develop treatment plans to help individuals recover from these disorders, a long process, but one that professionals try to ensure have positive, rewarding outcomes.

If you are interested in working as a substance abuse professional, specifically with those seeking treatment for alcohol abuse and addictions, a master's degree in counseling, or a related psychology field and counseling certification is usually required. Request information from schools offering degrees in psychology to find out about pursuing a specialization in substance abuse and behavioral disorder counseling.