Alcoholism: A Chronic Disease? BHOPB

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Effects of Alcoholism on the Body

These limitations make it hard to know how much to rely on studies that find health risks (or benefits) to alcohol consumption. Many people with alcohol use disorder hesitate to get treatment because they don’t recognize that they have a problem. An intervention from loved ones can help some people recognize and accept that they need professional help. If you’re concerned about someone who drinks too much, ask a professional experienced in alcohol treatment for advice on how to approach that person. If you feel that you sometimes drink too much alcohol, or your drinking is causing problems, or if your family is concerned about your drinking, talk with your health care provider. Other ways to get help include talking with a mental health professional or seeking help from a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar type of self-help group.

Why Is Alcoholism a Chronic Disease?

Research has identified a number of areas in the brain key to the development and persistence of addiction. In particular, pathways containing dopamine are where many drugs exert their effects. Dopamine is a small chemical in the brain important for carrying signals from one brain cell to the next, similar to how a train carries cargo between stations. Pathways where dopamine is present are involved in many different functions, one of which is reward-motivated behavior.

Environmental Factors

In this exploration, you’ll decode scientific language, dispel common myths, and learn how to fight alcohol dependence. So, let’s delve into this important topic, breaking down scientific terminology and debunking myths, to gain a comprehensive understanding of alcohol dependence. “It is not a complete loss of autonomy—addicted individuals are still accountable for their actions, but they are much less able to override the powerful drive to seek relief from withdrawal provided by alcohol or drugs.”

Furthermore, alcoholism often coexists with other mental health disorders, which can exacerbate its symptoms and impact treatment options. For many patients, alcohol and other drug (AOD) use disorders are chronic, recurring conditions involving multiple cycles of treatment, abstinence, and relapse. To disrupt this cycle, treatment can include why is alcoholism considered a chronic disease continuing care to reduce the risk of relapse. The most commonly used treatment approach is initial intensive inpatient or outpatient care based on 12-step principles, followed by continuing care involving self-help groups, 12-step group counseling, or individual therapy. Although these programs can be effective, many patients drop out of initial treatment or do not complete continuing care.

• These changes take place in brain circuits involved in pleasure, learning, stress, decision-making and self-control.
• A third medication, disulfiram also is approved for the treatment of alcoholism.
• After you drink any kind of booze—vodka, wine, sake, you name it—enzymes in your body get to work metabolizing the alcohol (chemically known as ethanol) in your system.
• Understanding the science behind alcoholism can foster compassion and awareness about the challenges individuals face in overcoming this condition.
• What people shouldn’t be doing is justifying their drinking because it’s supposed to be healthy, says Luis Seija, an internist and pediatrician at the University of Pennsylvania.
• Helzer and colleagues (2002) tested this approach in a study of heavy drinkers who were not seeking treatment, asking them to report their alcohol use daily for 2 years.

• This is an example of a mental obsession – a thought process over which you have no control.
• About 30% of people with alcohol use disorder are able to abstain from alcohol permanently without the help of formal treatment or a self-help program.
• The economic cost of alcoholism is estimated to be in the billions of dollars each year, making it a significant public health issue.
• In navigating the treacherous waters of alcoholism, we have explored its progressive nature and the dire consequences of leaving it untreated.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines alcoholism as a pattern of excessive alcohol consumption that leads to significant impairment or distress. Understanding this condition requires a comprehensive look at its symptoms, causes, and effects. However, other studies conducted in the United States have not confirmed these findings (COMBINE Research Group 2006). Thus, the efficacy of extended pharmacotherapies in the treatment of alcohol use disorders remains controversial. Clearly, more effective medications and a better understanding of which patients respond best to which medications are sorely needed in order to expand the role of extended pharmacotherapies in the treatment of alcohol use disorders. The first step in treatment is often detoxification, which involves stopping drinking and managing withdrawal symptoms.

ways to curb your drinking

First, it has clear and identifiable causes, including both genetic and environmental factors. For instance, several marijuana addiction studies have revealed that a person’s family history, as well as their mental health, stress levels, and social milieu, affect their chance of developing alcoholism. Additionally, alcohol use disorder has a range of symptoms that can impact a person’s physical and psychological health and daily functioning.

Alcohol and cancer: A growing concern

Therefore, screening is very important, whether primary care physicians or friends and family do it. “The AMA endorses the proposition that drug dependencies, including alcoholism, are diseases and that their treatment is a legitimate part of medical practice.” Treatment offering the greatest potential for successful recovery includes behavioral therapies, medication, a 12-step support system, and family support. Studies show that those who continue therapy after completing their treatment program and regularly attend 12-step support meetings, have the highest success rate for long-term recovery.

• A hallmark of the disorder is that the person continues to drink despite the problems that alcohol causes.
• Acetaldehyde is “very toxic to a lot of different tissues,” says Dr. Sarah Wakeman, senior medical director for substance-use disorder at Mass General Brigham.
• Add to that the immeasurable costs of suffering for the patients, their families, and those around them, and the enormity of the burden resulting from AOD use disorders becomes even more staggering.

This means that when people with the disorder are abstaining from alcohol, they are still at increased risk of resuming unhealthy alcohol consumption, even if years have passed since their last drink. As a result, research to determine the effectiveness of existing continuing care approaches as well as to develop new strategies to enhance patients’ treatment participation and treatment outcome has grown considerably in recent years. These studies already have identified several components of continuing care that contribute to or mediate its effectiveness. Moreover, it is important that the treatment focus reaches beyond the patient and his or her AOD use to include the patient’s support systems (e.g., family, friends, employers, or peers), thereby ensuring provision of more integrated services. A relatively novel approach to continuing care of alcohol and other drug (AOD)-dependent patients that is aimed at increasing treatment participation by reducing the burden for patients is telephone-based counseling.

H3: The Role of Rehab in Achieving Lasting Recovery

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing are commonly employed therapeutic techniques that help individuals identify triggers, develop coping strategies, and change negative thought patterns related to alcohol use. The long-term effectiveness of this intensive and extensive treatment approach was recently evaluated by McLellan and colleagues (2008), who retrospectively examined the records of 904 physicians managed by 16 State PHPs. The analysis indicated very favorable long-term (i.e., 5 years) outcomes for physicians in these programs. Of those physicians with known outcomes, 81 percent completed their contracted period of treatment and supervision. Of those who did complete treatment and resumed practicing, only 19 percent showed evidence of any AOD use over a 5-year followup. Similar results were obtained in a study of physicians in the Washington https://ecosoberhouse.com/ State PHP who were treated for AOD use problems (Domino et al. 2005).