Here is a list describing what the disease is and how it may affect someone who is an alcoholic:
Causes:
Alcoholics are born not made. Alcoholism is a genetic disorder often runs in families. Chemical make-up in the brain can cause alcoholism.
What can you do if you need to talk to someone who knows more about alcoholism?
*destroys the liver's ability to its job over time
Even though alcoholism and alcohol abuse are two different things, if you continually abuse alcohol and feel you need it to get through the day there is more of chance you may become an alcoholic: alcoholism. Alcohol can definatly impair your judgement, while being under the influence, a person is more likely to be in an unwanted sexual encounter or act of violence.
Symptoms of Alcoholism:
blackouts(memory losses)
constant drinking for relief of personal problems
takes more and more alcohol to become intoxicated
in the later stages, a person may gain dependence and tolerance level may increase
agitation and physical violence may occur
broken promises, tension in the home
irregular behavior patterns (coming home late, unrealistic demands of the family, etc.)
Read This if you live with an alcoholic:
IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT, many kids who have grown up with an alcoholic in the family don't understand that this person doesn't drink because of something they did or didn't do. There are support groups and people who can talk to you about how to deal with this family member. It's very important to remember that you can get through this and it can make you a stronger person. Help is out there!
call a national hotline
talk to a counselor or teacher at school who you trust
Alcohol abuse though common during high school and college, is not as common in adults. If someone is still drinking as much as they did at parties in college or more, there may be a definite problem. It is also important to realize that most alcoholics will not readily admit that they have a problem. In this situation interventions, or some sort of cornering method could be used to get help for the person. One in ten Americans develops serious drinking problems. Alcohol affects the body over time in very debilitating ways:
*affects kidney function and often can result in kidney failure, leading to dialysis and even transplant
is not digested and goes straight to the bloodstream
liver can oxidize alcohol at the rate of one drink/per hour
slows brain functions
there are 100,000 deaths per year as a direct result of alcohol, and 500,000 hospitalizations per year as a result
3600 teens are killed in alcohol related crashes per year (that's 10 every day!)
23,000 adults are killed in alcohol related crashes per year (1 every 20 minutes!)
Some ways alcohol affects your body:
1-2 drinks in an hour: judgement decreases, feel more relaxed, heart and breathing rates increase
2-3 drinks in an hour: slow reactions, impaired coordination, less attention and alertness, anxiety and depression, less patience, and ability to make decisions
3-4 drinks in an hour: dramatic change of reaction time, impaired balance and movement, slurred speech, vomiting
5-9 drinks in an hour: sensory impairment, severe motor impairment (staggered walking, falling down)
9-12 drinks in an hour: nonresponsive, lose consciousness, death for some
NOTE:*"just" a six-pack can cause severe illness
*a "drink" refers to one can (12 oz.) of beer, 5 oz. of wine, or 1.5 oz. of liquor
Why do you or why don't you drink? Drop us a line about your personal experiences concerning alcohol or drugs by email or signing the guest book. All stories will be anonymous, but your experiences can help to educate others. (If you use the guest book, and want it to remain anonymous DON'T USE YOUR NAME).
