What is Alcoholism?
Alcoholism is a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by continuous or periodic: impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol use despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking, most notably denial (ASAM, 2001).
The medical community regards alcoholism as a serious disease. Alcoholism is the need to drink to get “High”. Each time the persons need increases to a point where he is unable to stop. Some people don’t think alcoholism is a disease because it does not act like one. But, taking into consideration the damage that it causes to the body and mind, it could be described as having become a disease. It starts off as casual drinking for pleasure and advances into uncontrollable drinking.
Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease that includes the following four symptoms: – Craving–A strong need, or urge, to drink. – Loss of control–Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun. – Physical dependence–Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety after stopping drinking. – Tolerance–The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get “high.” For clinical and research purposes, formal diagnostic criteria for alcoholism also have been developed. Such criteria are included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association, as well as in the International Classification Diseases, published by the World Health Organization. (See also “Publications,” Alcohol Alert No. 30: Diagnostic Criteria for Alcohol Abuse and Dependence.) Q #2: Is alcoholism a disease? Yes, alcoholism is a disease. The craving that an alcoholic feels for alcohol can be as str
Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease that includes the following four symptoms: – Craving–A strong need, or urge, to drink. – Loss of control–Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun. – Physical dependence–Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety after stopping drinking. – Tolerance–The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get “high.” For clinical and research purposes, formal diagnostic criteria for alcoholism also have been developed. Such criteria are included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association, as well as in the International Classification Diseases, published by the World Health Organization. (See also “Publications,” Alcohol Alert No. 30: Diagnostic Criteria for Alcohol Abuse and Dependence.
Alcoholism is a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by continuous or periodic: impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol use despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking, most notably denial (ASAM, 2001).
