What is Alcoholism?
Alcohol Use Disorder, otherwise known as alcoholism, is defined and categorized as a mental disease. This disease is characterized by uncontrollable or impulsive use of alcohol. The user struggling with this condition finds it difficult to stop for various reasons. For one, they tend to get depressed as well as experience withdrawal symptoms such as slower reflexes.
Just because an individual drinks alcohol doesn’t mean that they struggle with alcoholism. For an individual to be correctly diagnosed with the disorder, they must meet two of the given criteria under DSM-5. The diagnosis is administered over 12 months.
Notably, the higher the number a person scores on the criteria, the higher the severity of the condition.
How Prevalent is Alcoholism in the United States?
Alcohol is considered a recreational drink across many cultures and ethnicities. In some African cultures, alcohol is given to men after they turn eighteen as a sign of adulthood. Its prevalence is not only in the United States, however; we shall be focusing on the U.S for this article.
Below are some statistics that reflect the state of America in terms of alcohol use:
- The Centre for Disease and Control states that at least six people die daily from alcohol poisoning. Of the people that die, 76% are men.
- According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, at least 100,000 people die annually from drinking and driving. The number also includes other alcohol-related accidents.
- The 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health states that at least 86.3% of people have drunk alcohol. The aforementioned percentage represents individuals that are 18 years and older.
- The 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 14.4 million people suffered from Alcohol Use Disorder. Notably, the aforementioned number represents individuals ages 18 and above.
- At least 401,000 adolescents that fall into the ages of 12 and 17 had Alcohol Use Disorder.
- As stated by the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 4.3 million individuals between the ages of 12-20 engaged in binge drinking. They continue to state that at least 861,000 individuals between the age of 12-20 have engaged in heavy alcohol use.
- When it comes to college students, the statistics are just as staggering. According to the findings by the 2018 NSDUH, 55% of college students tend to drink more than those that aren’t in college. This reflects how peer influence plays a part in alcohol consumption.
- Additionally, 7% of college students engage in heavy drinking while 40% of the same age group have engaged in binge drinking.
- Alcoholism has a staggering effect on the American economy. For example, alcohol abuse cost the American economy at least $249.0 billion in the year 2014.
- A study conducted in the year 2012 confirmed that over 10% of American children have at least one parent with an alcohol problem.
- In 2018, 48% of the 83,517 liver-related deaths were caused by alcohol. 48% of cirrhosis related deaths were due to alcohol, claiming at least 77% of people aged between 25-34.
- Classification of Alcoholic Beverages
- Alcohol can be categorized into two groups: distilled and fermented beverages. Below, we take a closer look at the above-mentioned categories:
- Distilled Beverages: Such beverages include Vodka, Gin, Tequila, Whisky, Brandy, Rum and Liquors.
- Fermented Beverages: Such beverages include Beer, Cider, Wine, Perry and Mead.
Different Types of Alcoholic Beverages and Their Strengths
Different alcoholic beverages have different strengths. The strength of an alcoholic beverage is expressed through the proof number or percentage volume. The higher the percentage of a drink, the stronger it is and vice versa.
| Type | Descriptions | Strengths |
| Absinthe | Absinthe is made out of a number of ingredients that are first soaked in alcohol before they are distilled. The ingredients include wormwood, fennel, macerated anise. It earns its green color after it’s dyed by certain herbs. | The strength ranges between 45-75% |
| Aquavit | Aquavit is recognized as a spirit. It is made from a mixture of water, dill seeds. potatoes/grain and caraway. After the above mixture is distilled, it is poured into sherry casks where it is left to mature. | The strength of this particular spirit is 37.5% |
| Beer | Before the beer is left to ferment inside a cask, it is made out of a mixture of a number of things. The ingredients include barley, water, yeast and hops. | It’s strength ranges between 4-6% |
| Brandy | Brandy is often left to mature for a period of one year. The initial process does not involve mixing a number of ingredients like other alcoholic drinks. Brandy is made out of wine distillate. | The strength of brandy ranges between 36-38% |
| Cachaca | Made purely from Brazilian sugarcane, Cachaca is first fermented for 24 hours. After the distillation process, the drink is left to age for a period of three years. Hence, its rich taste. | Cachaca, which is a liquor, ranges between 38-51% |
| Calvados | To change apple juice into cider, it is fermented first before undergoing a distillation process. Before it can be bottled, the cider has to be distilled twice for a rich taste. | Strength is between 40-45% |
| Cider | The apples used to make cider have to have a high tannin content for it to work. After they are macerated, the fermentation process converts sugar to alcohol. Then, the alcohol is then poured into barrels and mixed with yeast for further fermentation. For a rich taste, the drink is stored up for four years. | Strength ranges between 2.5-5% |
| Cognac | Before it’s left to age for at least four years, Cognac is first made out of distilled wine. The wine has to be distilled twice at a temperature of 80 degrees. | Strength between 30-35% |
| Gin | Made from spices and flavorings, Gin remains a favorite of many. The initial process involves a distillate of molasses or grain. Then the spices and flavorings are added later. | 38-47% |
| Grappa | Pomace is first fermented before it can be distilled. | 37.5% |
| Liqueur | This surprisingly ranks as a spirit, but a flavored one. This is due to the amount of sugar used to make it. | 15-40% |
| Mead | Mead is made from a mixture of yeast, honey and water. | 11-16% |
| Mescal | To create this, the mixture of Agave hearts is usually fermented. | 40% |
| Pils | Pils is basically fermented lager beer. | 4.5-6% |
| Port | Made from red wine. Brandy is used to halt the complete fermentation process. | 17% |
| Rum | The sugar cane wine is first distilled before it’s aged in barrels. | 40-55% |
| Sherry | Sherry is basically a mixture of brandy and Spanish white wine. | 14-16% |
| Tequila | Blue agave is fermented to make Tequila | 38-50% |
| Vermouth | Various spices and herbs are mixed into wine to create this drink. | _ |
| Vodka | Rye and wheat or potatoes are mixed, fermented and distilled several times. | 37-55% |
| Wine | To create white wine, the grapes are pressed, while to create red, the grapes are slightly crushed. After they’ve been pressed or crushed, they are then fermented. | 11-12% |
| Weissbier | Wheat is often fermented to create this drink | 5-6% |
| Whisky | A mixture of yeast and grain is fermented and then distilled. The length of fermentation depends on the country it’s being made in. | 40-43% |
How Long Alcohol Remains in the System, Hair, Urine, Blood, Breath and Saliva?
Contrary to popular belief, alcohol tends to stay in the body for a couple of hours. The fact that the liver metabolizes the beverage for some time plays a part. Below is how long alcohol tends to stay in our body: (Please note that this is what you will see during an alcohol detection examination).
- A blood test: This test will show that alcohol stays in the blood for 6 hours
- Hair test: It’s difficult to believe that alcohol can even remain in the hair at all, let alone a couple of hours. Alcohol stays in the hair for at least 80 days.
- Saliva test: Alcohol stays in the saliva for as long as 12- 24 hours.
- Urine test: Alcoholic beverages tend to remain in urine for as long as 12- 24 hours.
- Breath test: Alcohol stays for 12- 24 hours.
Factors That Lead to Addiction
Ever wondered how one gets hooked to alcohol? You’ve probably guessed that it may have something to do with what is in the beverage. If so, you are correct, yet, other factors play a huge role as well. They include:
- Socio-Cultural: Our socio-cultural surroundings that we grow up in greatly influence our perspective towards alcohol. If we grew up in a culture that embraces alcohol, chances are you were exposed to it early. This can dictate your level of alcohol dependency and your frequency to drink.
- Psychological: This one’s cognitive ability to resist the urge to consuming alcohol
- Biological: Biology and the individual’s genes inherited from the parents play a role in addiction.
- Spiritual: The spiritual aspect of our lives tends to give us a sense of purpose. When that is gone, most tend to turn to alcohol to drown out reality.
The Effect of Alcohol on The Brain and The Body
When we consume alcohol, it directly enters the blood and is transported to the brain. The brain responds by releasing certain neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters control thought processes, emotions and overall behaviour. To be more specific, alcohol affects inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters which then influence how our body acts and responds.
Below, is a closer look at how alcohol affects your brain:
- Medulla: Responsible for the autonomic function of the brain, the Medulla is a vital part of the cognitive faculty. A person having trouble breathing or experiencing low body temperatures means that the alcohol has affected their medulla.
- Hypothalamus and pituitary: If you’ve ever wondered the reason behind the decrease of sexual performance just from drinking alcohol, now you know. The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland are responsible for the coordination of normal communication pathways of hormones. Once disrupted, a lot of hormones do not get to function properly.
- Cerebral cortex: As mentioned earlier, alcohol stimulates the certain release of chemical neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters affect certain areas of the brain, slowing down our thought processes, movements and reactions. The cerebral cortex is responsible for two main functions: cognitive processing and consciousness. Alcohol slows these particular processes significantly.
- Cerebellum: This part of the brain is in charge of anything motor-related, such as balance and movement. Alcohol disturbs the normal functioning of this part of the brain. Hence, why most drunks have a hard time walking or staying upright.
Short and Long- Term Effects of Alcohol
If you consume alcohol, either daily or occasionally, it is important to learn the effects of it. Below are the short and long- term effects of consuming alcohol:
The short-term effects include:
- Blackouts
- Blurry vision
- Trouble hearing
- Constant headaches
- Trouble breathing
- Incoherent and slurred speech
- Nausea and fatigue
The long-term effects include:
- Heightened risk of sustaining accidental injuries
- Increased violence and agitation
- Alcohol overdose of alcohol poisoning
- Brain deterioration
- Cirrhosis
- Oral Cancer
- Ulcers
- A decrease in performance in bed
- Gastritis
- Memory loss due to a decrease of Vitamin B1
The Dangers of Alcohol
Alcohol, as addictive and numbing as it can be, is dangerous to our health. Alcohol encourages the release of excitatory neurotransmitters and inhibitory neurotransmitters as mentioned earlier. These two different types of hormones slow down our movements, reactions and reflexes.
Your thoughts and speech also slow down, which can be extremely dangerous when in a flight or fight situation. The above fact is why drinking and driving are frowned upon. You not only put yourself in danger but those around you.
Alcohol deteriorates our nerve cells, damages other cells through dehydration and increases nerve inflammation. Nerve damage, if left unattended, has been found to cause permanent brain damage.
The Causes of Alcohol Overdose
Alcohol overdose is also known as Alcohol Poisoning. Alcohol poisoning happens when an individual drinks too much alcohol in very little time. However, the question remains: why would anyone do this? Below are some of the reasons why it would happen or how:
- Pressure from peers
- Events or situations that can create intense feelings
- If a person mixes alcohol with another drug, they are likely to suffer from alcohol poisoning. Substances such as opioids are dangerous when mixed with alcohol.
- Emotions such as depression and anxiety can lead someone to alcohol overdose
What Are The Signs of Alcohol Overdose
An alcohol overdose of poisoning can be fatal. It is considered the third cause of deaths in America. Hence, knowing the signs and symptoms can help save a life. They include:
- Mental fogginess
- Vomiting
- Disorientation
- Inability to breath
- Changes in heart rhythm: it can go from increased heartbeat to decreased heartbeat
- Loss of consciousness
- Skin becomes cold and clammy
- Tremors
- Reflexes are slower
How To Treat Alcohol Overdose
Now that you know what to look for, you’ll be able to identify signs of alcohol poisoning. If they do exhibit the above symptoms, be sure to call the ambulance immediately. While waiting for it to arrive, below is what you can do to help:
- Start by monitoring vital signs to help keep the patient conscious
- Consider their physical position. Pull them upright so that they are in a comfortable sitting position
- Check their breathing. If they are breathing okay, try and give them water to keep them hydrated
- If the patient is not conscious, you still have to check if he/she is still breathing. Put them in the recovery position and then check.
- Keep them in one position. Insist that they must remain seated in a comfortable position as opposed to them being on their backs
Withdrawal symptoms From Alcohol
If you know of an alcoholic, or perhaps you are one yourself, you may have tried to stop. If you did, you may have experienced certain symptoms. These symptoms, which are uncomfortable and make it hard to stay away from alcohol, are withdrawals. In full they are known as alcohol withdrawal symptoms (AWS).
To better identify such symptoms, it’s best to know them. They include:
- Heartbeat tends to slow down
- Vomiting
- The skin turns cold and clammy
- Cognitive deterioration
- Difficulty in staying conscious
- Seizures
- Body temperatures drop dangerously
How To Treat Alcohol Addiction
The type of treatment administered to an alcoholic depends on the severity of his addiction. Additionally, the treatments are always a combination of two or more. Point is, some available options can help this addiction. They include:
- Medications:
- Disulfiram: Disulfiram slows down and prevents the metabolism of alcohol in the body.
- Acamprosate: If a patient is struggling with cravings, administer this medication to help curb them.
- Naltrexone: This medication is designed to specifically decrease the tendency to drink.
- Behavioral Treatments
- Motivational Enhancement Therapy: Usually administered over a short period, Motivational Enhancement Therapy focuses on motivation. This is based on the concept that the reinforcement of the patient’s motivation can change him/her for the better.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Given the fact that alcohol mainly impacts the brain, this type of therapy aims to undo the damage done. By focusing on the patient’s mindset, the sessions are designed to help change the patient’s overall behavior.
- Brief Interventions: This is where the counsellor lets the patient know about his/her drinking habits and its dangers. Once the patient has been aware of this, he/she, together with the counsellor, establish ways to curb the bad habit.
- Marital and Family Counseling: Other than financial deterioration, relationships are also another factor that is destroyed by alcohol. This particular type of counseling focuses on redeeming and emphasizes the importance of family. This is aimed at facilitating a fast and effective recovery for the addict.
