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Overview for Dietary and Lifestyle or Treatment info
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The term alcohol comes from
the Arabic 'al kuhl', meaning fine powder of antimony or other distilled
substance. Its over-use can lead to extreme impairment in physical,
social and occupational functioning. Disorders associated with its chronic
abuse include cirrhosis, fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis and liver
failure.
Malnutrition may become apparent as those afflicted forget to eat in
their quest for more drink and since alcohol robs the body of important
micronutrients, including vitamins B, C and E, nutritional status is
impaired. B vitamins are particularly important for the nervous system,
which is often adversely affected. On top of this, the amount of psychological,
emotional and social problems resulting from this disturbing condition
may lead to untold damage to the individual and those they share close
relationships with.It has to be admitted that if alcohol is used sensibly,
it is unlikely to become a problem. If controlled, it is a pleasurable
social activity. If can promote a feeling of well being and help in
the inter-action between friends and colleagues in an informal environment.
It can be found to be useful over a drink, in making new acquaintances
at a formal function, where you may be uptight or on a date, particularly
if your personality is not an outgoing one.
There in lies a problem, because if your confidence is boosted with
alcohol, you may take the view that a little more taken more often might
have a better affect on your social life. The down side of this attitude
is that if you succumb, you will find yourself in the stage known as
"functional state". At this point, you will be able to perform your
work well and indeed it has been noted by Dr Martin Bland, Director
of Alcohol Research Project at the University of Edinburgh, those drinkers
are often focused on ensuring that their drinking does not impinge on
their work.
The Medical Council on alcoholism defines alcohol dependence as the
reliance on alcohol intake such as its withdrawal leads to physiological
discomfort and/or physical disorders. In the stage of functional alcoholism,
the individual does not yet suffer any withdrawal symptoms. They certainly
would find it hard to go to a party and not drink as drink to them is
their normal social lubrication and they do not drink during working
out. They do, according to Dr Andrew McNeil co director of the Institute
of Alcoholic studies - when on a drinking spree need to drink more than
normal to feel drunk. This is called the tolerance affect - as you drink
your body becomes used to it, as you need more to get drunk they achieve
this by either drinking more than everyone else or by taking double
measures. The interval between functional state and the stage of addiction
can be recognised by the definite change in habit. Even personality,
which is usually noticed by others, rather than the person concerned,
particularly in the early stage of transition. Domestic arguments may
become more serious and frequent. They may get into altercations, even
a fight and not care about drinking and driving - the "I'm all right
attitude". He will gulp his drink down, he will begin to under-perform
at work and may be reprimanded. The may turn up to work the worse of
wear. If this change of behaviour pattern denotes, he is now entering
a future phase which his bleak and in the extreme, that it alcoholic
dependence.
We have become in the UK, only too aware of the insidious problem of
alcohol abuse. The statistics are almost incredible. Over the past 20
years the admission of alcohol treatment departments in psychiatric
hospitals has increased 25 fold. Approximately 1 in 5 male admissions
to acute medical wards is directly or indirectly attributed to alcohol
abuse. These statistics are serious enough but the effect on the medical
staff and other patients on some wards has also been recognised. Physical
abuse has reached such a peak that it is now being considered that police
posts are to be established within hospitals. Alcoholic dependence or
abuse carries with it serious complications. After a 10 year period
of drinking, damage will have occurred to all bodily functions and these
changes are seen earlier in women than in men.
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