Question 1

why are some people more prone to alcoholism than others?

Accepted Answer

Many factors: Genetics plays a major rôle. If a person's family members were alcoholics, he/she may have inherited the gene(s) that may predispose him/her to alcoholism at some point in his life. However, social environment the person lives in plays a very important rôle as well. Peer pressure, social influence and personality traits may all predispose that person to develop alcohol dependence/addiction.

Question 2

what defines alcoholism?

Accepted Answer

Addiction: A harmful pattern of use characterized by tolerance, 
withdrawal, using more of the substance than intended, persistent desire or unsuccessful attempts to cut down or stop using, significant periods of time spent using or obtaining the substance at the expense of other major life responsibilities, and continuing to use despite the knowledge of significant adverse effects on your life.

Question 3

is alcoholism a disease?

Accepted Answer

Yes: It is recognized as a disease by the World Heath Organization, the American Medical Association, and the federal government.

Question 4

how is alcoholism treated?

Accepted Answer

Multiple ways: To treat alcoholism, there are both inpatient and outpatient programs.  Many are run in accord with 12-step philosophy.  Visit aa (http://www.Aa.Org) to get an idea.  Also there are aftercare recovery groups that teach skills for living without depending on alcohol.  Addiction medicine docs can help too ; and psychiatrists to treat conditions that might interfere with your recovery.

Question 5

what is done for alcoholism?

Accepted Answer

Needs treatment: Alcoholics must first recognize that they have a problem and need help. About 15 million people (samhsa, 2011) over age 12 have alcohol abuse or dependence in the us.  There are many different treatment modalities that work, including 12 step programs, self-help groups (aa), cbt/rbt groups, etc.  Sometimes medications, such as antabuse, (disulfiram) naltrexone, and campral, are used to help achieve abstinence.

Question 6

can alcoholism be inherited?

Accepted Answer

Yes: It is a genetic and multifactorial disease. It is also more common in certain groups such as in american indian, and less common in Asian populations , particularly because of alleles inherited and cofering either increased or decreased activity of alcohol dehydrogenase.This means if you have incresed activity of the enzyme small amounts of alcohol would make you sick and become aversive.

Question 7

how is alcoholism dangerous?

Accepted Answer

88,000 deaths: Appoximately 80% of untreated alcoholics die of their disease.  Alcohol affects the brain, liver, kidney, stomach.  Most common things that kill alcoholics are accidents, alcohol poisoning, suicides, liver disease.

Question 8

what are signs of alcoholism?

Accepted Answer

Signs of alcholism: C - have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?

A- have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?

G - have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?

E - eye opener: have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?

From: http://alcoholism.About.Com/od/tests/a/tests.Htm.

Question 9

what are symptoms of alcoholism?

Accepted Answer

Withdrawal and drinking despite negative consequences: When someone drinks depite negative consequences.  If alchohol "calls " them and/or they have withdrawal when they stop.

Question 10

what are the causes of alcoholism?

Accepted Answer

Alcoholism: It's an incredibly complex combination of genetic and environmental factors that are poorly understood. Alcoholism can run quite strongly, suggesting a genetic component, but also, the environment plays heavily into the clinical picture, i.e., how much one is around alcohol. Proponents of Alcoholics Anonymous believe that alcoholism is a spiritual problem, or one of characterological defect.

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