Although, drinking cannot be good to anybody, however an acceptable amount of alcohol can be termed as safe for normal healthy person. Many alcoholism signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse on a person’s physical and psychological state are easy to see, but others are more difficult to recognize.

Over a period, heavy consumption of alcohol would definitely result in an extensive damage to almost every system in your body.

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism has a major impact on society causing thousands of innocent deaths each year and exacerbating situations involving violent crimes and domestic violence. An addicted and habitual alcoholic person is a curse to his family, his coworkers and overall him or herself.

As you know, careful observation of alcoholism signs and symptoms is the first step to help the person to get out of this problem. Noticing alcoholism signs and symptoms will allow you to help the drinking person to get out of alcoholism. This is all-important because most of the drinkers actually don’t know or realize that they have the drinking problem. That’s the main cause root of the problem.

As we all know that alcoholism signs differ from person to person, and have different short and long term effects on the person who drinks. Some general alcoholism signs are: loss of memory, loss of working capacity/stamina, drinking alone, making excuses, finding excuses to drink, daily or frequent drinking needed to function, inability to reduce or stop alcohol intake, violent episodes associated with drinking like fighting, abusing fellow drinkers, family members or even strangers, drinking secretly, becoming angry when confronted about drinking, poor eating habits, failure to care for physical appearance, trembling in the morning etc. and many more.

In addition to the above mentioned alcoholism signs, there can be many other signs and symptoms depending upon certain other factors, such as living and working environment, age and sex of a person, amount of alcohol taken, frequency of total intake, eating habits and some other factors.

Depending upon all these factors, additional alcoholism signs can include inability to remember some of the events of the past. They also include feeling anxious in a social situation where there is no alcohol. Therefore, in all such circumstances, it can be called ‘problem drinking’ when it becomes ‘drinking that causes problems’.

However, no matter what alcoholism or warning signs a person experiences, there are always enough chances for improvement. An alcoholic person should be treated as an ill person (mental as well as physical), so proper care should be taken to help him or her. A chronic alcoholic person should not be treated harshly. In such situations, you should consider contacting your physician, counselor or other qualified professional.

Lastly, remember no matter how many alcoholism signs may exist in a person, it is never too late to begin recovery from alcohol addiction. Irrespective of these warning signs of alcoholism, there is always a help available. However, just like any other mental or physical disease the sooner we begin the better would be the recovery process.

Someone you love may be an alcoholic, and you don’t even know it. But knowing the symptoms of alcoholism, and the warnings signs people with alcoholism exhibit, will go a long way towards helping you get them the help they need.

Here are some of the most common signs of alcoholism:

Irresponsible behavior. An individual with a drinking problem will begin to behave in ways that are a danger to himself and others. Driving while under the influence of alcohol, physical and mental abuse of a spouse or significant other, getting into fights, putting one’s career in jeopardy by missing or coming in late to work are all examples of irresponsible behavior brought on by alcoholism.

Health problems. The excessive drinking of an alcoholic can lead to some very serious health problems. The alcoholic may experience fatigue, severe headaches, joint pain, anxiety, loss of weight and other potentially serious health issues. And obviously, the long term health consequences of alcohol abuse are well documented and include liver failure and premature death.

Drinking at all hours of the day. An alcoholic is NOT a social drinker, and as such may begin consuming alcohol first thing in the morning, and then continue on (often drinking alone) throughout the day. This symptom of alcoholism is likely to lead to several forms of self-destruction – most prominent among them, losing one’s job.

Increased tolerance to alcohol. The alcoholic will be able to drink a greater-than-normal amount of alcohol without feeling the effects. They will also have a hard time stopping their drinking “binge” once they have begun – a common signal that their tolerance for alcohol has increased.

Blackouts and memory loss. An alcoholic is likely to drink so much that they experience blackouts – periods where they cannot remember anything about their actions. Memory loss due to alcohol abuse is psychologically damaging and highly self-destructive in nature. Although he personally has no memory of it, the alcoholic may say or do things to friends and family, that leave emotional scars that take a great deal of time to heal.

Drinking as a response to stress. An alcoholic drinks when life’s problems cause him or her stress. If there’s a problem at work or at home, a person with a drinking problem will consume more alcohol (relative to how bad the problem is) in an effort to forget about the issue. Therefore, an alcoholic rarely works to solve problems – and instead drinks to escape them.

Breaking promises. The alcoholic commonly breaks promises he makes to family and friends. These broken promises take the form of missing a child’s baseball game or not paying back a loan to a friend. But the most common broken promise that comes from an alcoholic is one he makes to himself: that tomorrow he will stop drinking. That he can get his drinking problem under control without assistance.

Hallucinations. After excessive drinking, many alcoholics will see things that aren’t there. These types of hallucinations can cause psychological damage to the alcoholic and lead to bouts of irrational fear and paranoia. Hallucinations are also prevalent among alcoholics going through withdrawal symptoms as they wait for their next drink.

Continuing to drink after any of the problems above have occurred. The chief symptom of alcoholism is this dreaded behavior. When a person’s health is failing because of alcohol abuse, yet they continue to drink. When they have lost their job and their family because of alcohol, but still pick up that glass. This is the downward spiral of alcoholism that has claimed millions of lives around the world.

If you or someone you love is experiencing any of these symptoms, get them (or yourself) help! See a professional as soon as possible, before the alcoholic harms another person or does irreparable damage to himself.

Alcoholism is a major health problem in the US, ranking with cancer and heart disease as a threat to health. Alcoholism is a progressive disease in which drinking increasingly affects a person’s health, family life, social life and job. Untreated, alcoh olism results in physical incapacity, insanity or death.

A Basic but Significant Question:  What is Alcohol?

The alcohol that people drink at bars, parties, or at other social functions is called ethyl alcohol or ethanol.

Ethyl alcohol is produced by fermentation, a process in which yeast fungus feeds on starches and/or sugars in different grains (such as rice, hops, or barley) or fruits (especially grapes) and excretes alcohol along with carbon dioxide (CO2).

Q: How does alcoholism start?

A: Doctors don’t know all the reasons why people become alcoholics. Some start out drinking a little bit or using drugs and end up hooked on alcohol or other drugs. A person might drink to forget problems or to calm nerves but then end up needing alcohol to feel normal. Once a person loses control over drinking, he or she needs help to stop drinking.

Q: If the alcoholic is sick why doesn’t he or she just go to the hospital?

A: At first, the alcoholic is not aware that he or she is ill. Even when the alcoholic becomes aware that something is wrong, he or she may not believe that alcohol is the problem. An alcoholic might keep blaming things on other people, on his or her job, or whatever. But, really, it’s the alcohol that’s the biggest problem.

Which medications treat alcoholism?

Three oral medications—disulfiram (Antabuse®), naltrexone (Depade®, ReVia®), and acamprosate (Campral®)—are currently approved to treat alcohol dependence. In addition, an injectable, long-acting form of naltrexone (Vivitrol®) is available. These medications have been shown to help people with dependence reduce their drinking, avoid relapse to heavy drinking, and achieve and maintain abstinence. Naltrexone acts in the brain to reduce craving for alcohol after someone has stopped drinking.

Alcohol Consumption

Moderate alcohol use, up to two drinks per day, is not considered harmful for most adults. Nonetheless, a large number of people get into serious trouble because of their drinking. According to the most current government information, nearly 14 million

Americans, 1 in every 13 adults abuses alcohol or are alcoholic. Several million more adults engage in risky drinking that could

lead to alcohol problems.

StatisticsAlmost half of Americans aged 12 or older reported being current drinkers of alcohol in the 2001 survey (48.3 percent). This translates to an estimated 109 million people. Both the rate of alcohol use and the number of drinkers increased from 2000, when 104 million, or 46.6 percent, of people aged 12 or older reported drinking in the past 30 days.

Approximately one fifth (20.5 percent) of persons aged 12 or older participated in binge drinking at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey. Although the number of current drinkers increased between 2000 and 2001, the number of those reporting binge drinking did not change significantly.

There are a few misconceptions about alcoholism fact. Many people have been suffering from years of alcoholism because they do not know the statistics. A look at alcoholism fact is good for anyone who wishes to know more about the disease.

People have widely varying ideas of how prevalent alcoholism is. Some think “everyone is an alcoholic; why should I be any different?” Others think the problem is rare and that the people who fall victim are just the bottom of the barrel. They do not know the alcoholism fact about this.

Actually, the percentage of people 12 and over who were alcohol-dependent in 2004 was 7.6%. That is around 18.2 million people. This is neither rare nor extremely common. The true alcoholism fact is that these people are a minority, but they are not simply the dregs of society.

There is often the image of the homeless old alcoholic man curled up with his bottle in the gutter. Or, people think of an alcohol-dependent executive drinking copiously in an office. People think this is an alcoholism fact. Actually, after the age of 25 years old, the incidence of alcoholism goes down.

For people ages 12-17, the percentage was 5.9%. The harsh alcoholism fact is that the rate of alcoholics between 18 and 25 years of age was 17.4%. From there, the percentages went down, with 11.1% at 26-34 years old, 7.5% at 35-49 years old, and only 3% over 50.

The marital status of alcoholics is not surprising, though. Alcoholism statistics were studied for alcoholics aged 18 and older. The alcoholism fact is that those who were single and never married had the highest rate, with 16%.

People who were divorced or separated were usually under stress. They were also often trying to look for mates in social settings that involved alcohol. The rate for them was 10%. Married people had a lower rate, with only 4.6% being alcoholics. The good alcoholism fact was that only 1.3% of widowed people were alcoholics.

Another alcoholism fact is that there seems to be a relationship between emergency room visits and alcoholism. For people 12 and older, 34.2% were seen in emergency rooms, while for those who were not alcohol-dependent, the rate was only 27.9%. This would indicate that those who suffer from alcoholism do have serious physical problems.

In the year of 2004, 61% of adults drank alcohol. In that same year, there were 32% of the drinkers who had at least 5 drinks on one day during the year. An alcoholism fact is that there were 20,687 alcohol-induced deaths in 2003. Besides those, there were 12,360 alcohol liver disease deaths the same year.

The incidence of other diseases and conditions that have become associated with alcoholism is staggering. Conditions like high blood pressure, pancreatitis, insomnia, and even osteoporosis have been linked to alcohol dependence. This is an alcoholism fact that cannot be ignored.

Alcoholism fact has been established by study of statistics and by research. There is little one can do about it except to seek treatment and encourage other alcoholics to do the same. Alcoholism fact supports the notion that this is a large problem. Research suggests that it is not insurmountable.

Genetic and Environmental Factors

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a person’s risk of developing alcoholism is 60% determined by his or her genetics and 40% caused by his or her environment. Assuming that these statistics are accurate, what can be done to reduce the chances of becoming addicted to alcohol?

Genetic Causes of Alcoholism

Regarding the genetic determinants of alcoholism, those who say, “nothing can be done” are not totally correct. True, a person cannot change his genetics. Knowing, however, that there is a history of alcoholism in a person’s family, for example, can help a person “prevent” this potential problem from ever starting if he practices total abstinence. This kind of preventative thinking is an example of a “proactive” approach to problem solving.

More Proactive Problem Solving

The following illustration, however, is an even more extreme example of “proactive” problem solving that can affect the genetic basis of alcoholism. Maria, a young lady who drinks very infrequently, starts to date a young man named Kirk. As their relationship develops, Maria starts to notice that Kirk gets drunk on a regular basis. In fact, Kirk gets intoxicated at least two or three nights every week. What is especially problematic about Kirk’s drinking is that he gets angry and combative when he drinks excessively. On numerous occasions, Maria has tried to encourage Kirk to seek professional help, but each time she starts to discuss his drinking, Kirk gets extremely defensive, starts yelling at her, and then goes to a bar to drink with his buddies. After a year of riding an emotional roller coaster, experiencing numerous hurtful arguments, and going through many difficult alcohol-related situations, Maria finally decides to break up with Kirk. What were the major factors for the breakup? Maria wants to have children and can’t see having them with a violent and angry man who is so dependent on drinking alcohol. Moreover, Maria figured that since Kirk is exhibiting such irresponsible behavior in a dating relationship, he could possibly get even worse if they were to get married.

In this illustration, by breaking up with Kirk, Maria has stopped a negative cycle from going any further. Stated differently, by deciding to end her relationship with Kirk, Maria “prevented” the genetics part of the equation from ever becoming an issue.

Concerning Alcoholism, Age Matters

Another important alcohol-related statistic articulated by the NIAAA is that the earlier a person starts drinking alcohol, the more likely she will continue to drink her entire life. This being the case, it therefore makes sense to look for ways that will significantly reduce alcohol abuse by teens, preteens, and by young adults.

An Environmental Framework

Employing an “environmental” approach (as opposed to a genetics-based methodology), higher education seems to be a logical starting point for ways to reduce alcohol problems manifested by our youth. Indeed, since many teenagers go to college and because teen alcohol abuse IS a serious health risk, it is relevant to ask what college administrators can do to significantly reduce student alcohol abuse, especially when teenagers are some of the main “offenders.” It is suggested that the following reactive and proactive measures help address this issue.

Reactive and Proactive Measures to Help Reduce Student Alcohol Abuse

· Establish immediate consequences for excessive drinking.

· Discipline repeat alcohol abuse offenders.

· Monitor the drinking activities in the sororities and fraternities.

· Notify parents about their children’s drinking activities.

· Talk to the owners of local drinking establishments so that minors and/or intoxicated students are not served alcohol.

· Eliminate mixed messages about alcohol (for instance, removing alcohol advertisements from stadiums and from sports brochures).

· Inform and educate students about the long-term negative consequences of alcohol abuse.

· Increase the number of alcohol-free social and recreational activities that are attractive to students.

Generalizing the Results

With additional effort and some more thought, it seems reasonable to think that alcoholism experts and college administrators will be able to generate even more ways to effectively reduce alcohol abuse at institutions of higher education. Once this is accomplished, moreover, perhaps their findings can be adapted so that they will “work” in other institutions such as junior and senior high schools, boy scouts, girl scouts, churches, camps, and so on.

Conclusion

If a person’s risk of developing alcoholism is 60% determined by his or her genetics and 40% caused by his or her environment, it is asserted that the problem of alcohol addiction can be addressed from both genetic and environmental frameworks. Indeed, by using a “proactive” problem solving approach, the genetics part of the problem frequently can be eliminated. Furthermore, by focusing on various situational and behavioral factors, the environmental dynamics that help establish and reinforce alcohol abuse and alcoholism can be significantly reduced.

Copyright 2007 – Denny Soinski. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and give the author credit.

Alcoholism is common, serious, and expensive. Physicians encounter alcohol-related cirrhosis, cardiomyopathy, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal bleeding, as well as intoxication and alcohol addiction, on a daily basis. Alcoholism is also associated with many cancers. Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff psychosis are also important causes of chronic disability as well as dementia.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is a leading cause of mental retardation. In addition, accidents (especially automobile), depression, dementia, suicide, and homicide are important consequences of alcoholism.
Alcohol-related diseases are discussed in separate articles. The focus of this article is screening, diagnosis, treatment, and new research findings on the natural history and heritability of alcoholism.

Treatment
Many people with alcoholism or those who abuse alcohol enter treatment reluctantly because they deny that they have a problem. Health problems or legal difficulties may prompt treatment. Intervention helps some people recognize and accept the need for treatment. If you’re concerned about a friend or family member, discuss intervention with a professional.

Various treatments are available to help people with alcohol problems. Depending on the circumstances, treatment may involve an evaluation, a brief intervention, an outpatient program or counseling, or a residential inpatient stay.

Symptoms of Alcoholism
There are many symptoms related to drinking problems. Alcoholism is considered a progressive disease, meaning that the symptoms and effects of drinking alcohol become increasingly more severe over time.
Those who use alcohol may begin to show early signs of a problem, then progress to showing symptoms of alcohol abuse; if drinking continues, they may later show symptoms of alcoholism or alcohol dependence.

What is alcohol dependence?
Alcoholism, or alcohol dependence is a medical term with a deliberately more precise meaning than the problems that can occur, sometimes as one-offs, through an uncharacteristic binge. In alcohol dependence a number of features come together in the behaviour of the person affected.

What problems are caused by too much alcohol?

The major health risks of alcoholism include liver disease, heart disease, certain forms of cancer, pancreatitis, and nervous system disorders. These conditions often develop gradually and may become evident only after long-term heavy drinking. The liver is particularly vulnerable to diseases related to heavy drinking, most commonly, alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation) or cirrhosis (scarring of the liver).

Women tend to be more sensitive to the effects of alcohol and may develop alcohol-related health problems sooner and after consuming less alcohol than men do. Alcohol use in pregnant women can lead to miscarriages, and to the malformation of organs (such as the brain and heart) in their unborn children. According to the March of Dimes, up to 40,000 babies a year are born with some degree of damage related to alcohol.

How is alcoholism treated?
Treatment for alcoholism can be different for each person. If the person has a serious physical illness due to the alcohol, he or she must get medical care right away.

Treatment often begins with “detox,” or detoxification, which is the body’s withdrawal from alcohol. After the body is clean of alcohol, the alcoholic enters a counseling program. The goal of counseling is to help the alcoholic face emotional issues that lead to drinking and to learn ways to stop drinking. Medications may be given to curb a physical craving for alcohol.

If you personally make the choice that you are going to drink alcohol, whether on a regular basis or occasionally, you need to be sure that you always drink responsibly.

There are a variety of different habits that you need to get into if you are going to drink in a responsible manner. Remember that you will be held responsible for your actions, whether you were drinking or not, so it is important that you only drink in a responsible manner.

The following are a few tips that can help you with responsible drinking habits.

1. Only Drink When YOU Want To

It may be easy for you to be pressured into drinking alcohol by friends, but you should only drink whenever you feel like you want to. If you are not comfortable drinking in a certain environment, or you are just not in the mood to drink, stick to how you feel and do not let others dictate when and where you drink.

2.Know When To Stop

If you decide to drink alcohol, you need to be responsible enough to know when you need to stop drinking. If you want to test your limits, make sure you do it at home with someone you trust so you can get an idea of when you should stop before you become out of control and unaware. Many people find that drinking any more than one drink in an hour can cause problems.

3. Drink Slowly

If you are going to drink responsibly you need to be sure that you drink slowly. People get drunk quickly when they gulp down drinks and do not realize how much they are consuming. Take the time to enjoy what you are drinking and focus on the wonderful flavors instead of drinking a large quantity quickly.

4. Double Fist Your Drinks

If you are drinking an alcoholic beverage it is a great idea to have a glass of water there as well and drink the two together. Drinking the water in between sips of your alcohol can help to keep the concentration of the alcohol down in your blood stream. You are also less likely to have a hangover the next day if you keep hydrated as well.

5. Designate a Driver

If you are going out and plan on drinking, always make sure that someone is designated to drive and that they have no alcohol whatsoever. If there is no designated driver, you should be the responsible one and abstain from drinking. Remember that driving under the influence, no matter how little, can kill.

Having responsible drinking habits is very important if you are planning to consume alcohol. Being responsible while drinking can keep you healthy, keep you out of embarrassing situations, and most important of all – it can save your life.

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Alcoholism signs and symptoms are clues that alcohol may be a problem. If left untreated, alcoholism signs and symptoms and alcoholism can affect the quality of life of the person as well as those around them. Alcoholism is a disease where alcohol consumption (beer, wine, or hard liquor) is at a level that interferes with the person’s physical and mental health, and negatively impacts family, social or work responsibilities.

Alcoholism symptoms can be recognized relatively early in the disease’s progression, but if not dealt with, alcoholism can be fatal. Here are alcoholism signs and symptoms that indicate alcohol may be a problem:

• Becoming Angry When Confronted About Drinking

• Daily or Frequent Alcohol Consumption Needed to Function

• Drinking Alone

• Finding Excuses to Drink

• Food Intake Neglect

• Hiding Alcohol Related Behavior

• Inability to Stop or Reduce Alcohol Consumption

• Memory Loss, Blackouts

• Morning Shakes

• Nausea, Vomiting

• Physical Appearance Neglect

• Violent Episodes Occur When Drinking

When considering alcoholism signs and symptoms, alcoholism can be broadly divided into two categories – alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. Alcohol abusers may drink heavily at various times, but they have not yet become alcohol dependent. Alcoholism signs and symptoms for alcohol abusers can be problems that happen while being intoxicated such as drinking and driving, violent episodes, or missing appointments, work or school.

Alcohol dependence can develop over the years and follows a generally predictable pattern. A tolerance of alcohol develops first, which means a person needs to consume greater quantities of alcohol before the same effects are noticed. Over time, the person may lose control over their drinking and may not be able to stop even if they want to. And if alcohol consumption is reduced or stopped, withdrawal symptoms can be experienced which can range from annoying to life-threatening.

If the alcoholic continues drinking, he or she may become obsessed with drinking to the exclusion of almost everything else. Many of the above alcoholism signs and symptoms may be noticed. The most severe kind of drinking is called ‘binge drinking’, periods of time with continuous heavy alcohol consumption.

If alcoholism continues to progress, the mental and physical health of the alcoholic can seriously deteriorate. Many of the body’s organs can become damaged which lowers resistance to disease and infections. Relationships at home or socially may become damaged, and there can be financial and legal problems due to the alcoholic’s inability to stop drinking.

If the alcoholic continues to drink, alcohol can ultimately cause their death one way or another. Accidents and related injuries, suicide, drownings and falling asleep in bed while smoking and intoxicated and burning to death are examples of the consequences of alcoholism. Health-wise, damage to the body’s organs and systems due to long-term excessive drinking means the person will likely suffer from a number of diseases and conditions such as heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver, malnutrition and cancer.

Are there different stages of alcoholism? Yes, most definitely. If the alcoholism signs and symptoms indicate that alcohol consumption is becoming or is already a problem, there are resources available to help with alcoholism and the serious consequences of this disease.

Copyright 2006 InfoSearch Publishing

Alcoholism is defined as an irresistible urge to consume alcohol. People suffering from alcoholism are very well aware of the dangerous effects alcohol could have on their bodies, but still they are unable to resist the urge to consume it. They will usually drink beyond acceptable limits and will be in an inebriated state most often, causing embarrassment and inconvenience to the people with them.

Most people who consume alcohol have more than they can manage. This is seen in alcohol drinkers who lose control of their senses when they have one drink too many. Such an overstepping of limits is called as alcohol abuse. People who abuse alcohol are having more alcohol than their body allows them, but they have not yet come totally under the control of their alcohol habit. However, if they continue drinking for long, then they will not be able to resist alcohol and will become totally addicted to it. This situation is called as alcoholism.

Constant alcoholism will interfere with the functioning of all the vital organs of the body. The major organs affected are the liver, brain, heart and kidneys.

Liver is perhaps the most seriously affected in the long run. With prolonged alcoholism, the liver may develop cirrhosis, which is scarring of the liver tissue. Once cirrhosis sets in, it is very difficult to return the health back to normal.

In the stomach, alcohol can cause several gastric problems which may interfere with digestion. At the same time, each time a person has alcohol, it numbs his/her nervous system. In due course, the person may lose some or all of the fundamental senses.

(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Alcoholism

1. Aloe vera (Aloe vera)

Aloe vera helps to strengthen the liver which is the first organ to be affected by the habit of alcoholism. Aloe vera can improve the functions and strength of the liver, and can prevent cirrhosis which is developed due to continuous intake of alcohol.

2. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

Ashwagandha is an herb that is taken to reduce vata vitiations. This is important since vata plays and important role in strengthening the brain and nervous coordination. Use of ashwagandha can make the alcoholic person stronger.

3. Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)

The gotu kola herb revitalizes the brain. This is essential in people who want to overcome the withdrawal symptoms accompanied with alcohol.

4. Musk (Nardostachys jatamansi)

Known commonly in Ayurveda as Jatamansi, musk is a nervine for the vata vitiation. Its cooling effect helps the body to fight against then effects of alcoholism.

(2) Ayurvedic Treatment for Alcoholism

Ayurvedic treatments for mada work on various levels. There are different kinds of treatments for people with different degrees of alcoholism. Common therapies employed are cold irrigations on the head, providing a cold diet and applying cold mud packs on the body.

However these therapies work only for people who are not habitual alcoholics. These are the people who are beginners to drinking and hence get intoxicated easily. Ayurvedic medicines like Brihat vata chintamani rasa, Vata Vidhwansa rasa, Brahmi ghritam and Sarvatha choorna can be given to the alcoholics.

But if the person is a habitual alcoholic, then severe treatments are necessary. The medication is done based on the doshic constitution of the person.

1. For people with a vata constitution, the prescribed Ayurvedic treatments are Suvarachala choorna, Shuktapana and Amla Snigdhaadi yoga.

2. For people with a pitta constitution, the prescribed Ayurvedic treatments are Vata Srugadi pana and Kshundramalaki hima.

3. For people with a kapha constitution, the prescribed Ayurvedic treatments are to induce vomiting, fasting and to provide digestive medicines.

(3) Home Medications

Fruit juices are very effective in lowering the effects of alcoholism. For removing the effects of a hangover, the juice of a lemon or orange will be very effective. Eating an apple or banana helps to flush out the toxins from the body which collect due to alcoholism.

Both grapes and dates are very beneficial in reducing the urge to consume alcohol. If alcoholics are kept on a diet of only grapes for a couple of weeks, then most likely the temptation to drink will be totally gone.

Introduce many other drinks in the person’s diets so that the craving for the alcoholic drink is reduced.

When the person feels the urge to consume alcohol, having a glass of carrot juice will help to reduce the temptation.

For an alcoholic, avoiding alcohol could be a very difficult task. The withdrawal symptoms of alcoholism may be very severe. So it is not advisable for a hardcore alcohol to stop drinking entirely. Instead, the alcohol should be carefully phased out.

The following steps can be taken to reduce alcohol intake

1. The person must be made to take interest in constructive hobbies and sports.

2. Love and affection from family members and friends could strengthen the resolve of the person to give up alcoholism.

3. Attending meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous will show the alcoholic how people have managed to kick their boozing habits. This will create a very positive outlook in the alcoholic.

4. Instead of alcohol, other drinks with less alcohol in them can be used, such as wine and cocktails. Eventually even these can be stopped.

Alcohol abuse can be a tricky term to use, considering that ‘abuse’ can have different meanings to different people. However, it is often understood as referring to the excessive use of alcohol, and causing problems or negative consequences. While it may not automatically mean addiction to alcohol, alcohol abuse remains as one of the topmost public health concerns facing our society today and is in fact, the most common substance that often causes chemical dependencey.

Is it alcohol abuse or alcoholism?

Can you have an alcohol problem is still not be labeled as an alcoholic? Some experts say yes, alcohol abuse can occur without a person actually becoming an alcoholic. In alcohol abuse, the intake of alcohol can occur often and in big quantities but may not often result to alcohol dependency.

Alcoholism, on the other hand, is characterized by physical and psychological dependence, the lack of control over the frequency and amount of drinking, along with the strong craving to drink. Alcoholism is also marked with tolerance, a state where the amount of alcohol needed by the body to get the feeling of ‘high’ continually increases. Alcoholism is also chronic and may exhibit certain withdrawal symptoms.

Can alcohol abuse be inherited?

There are certain research studies that show the tendency of alcoholism or alcohol abuse to occur in families. It seems that a gene exists that predisposes an individual toward addiction to substances such as alcohol. However, this is not always the case. While certain genes may be to blame for alcohol abuse, lifestyle and the environment are also strong contributing factors.

Is there a specific group of people who are more likely to develop alcohol abuse?

Alcohol abuse does not depend on sex, race or nationality. However, certain generalities exist. More men, for example, have alcohol problems than women. There is also a higher incidence of alcohol abuse among people between 18 to 29 years old compared to people 60 years old and older.

Young people who start drinking alcohol earlier, say, at 13 or 14 years old, are more likely to develop alcohol problems when they get older, compared to people who start drinking when they are already adults.

Is there such thing as safe drinking?

Alcohol isn’t all bad, provided it is taken in moderate amounts. By moderate, we mean 1 to 2 drinks a day for men and less for women and people who are older. This type of alcohol drinking is possible if you do not have the proclivity toward addiction.

People taking medication or have certain diseases, for example, are advised to stay away from alcoholic drinks. For informational purposes one serving of alcoholic drink should consist of:

1.5 oz. of 80-proof drinks (few people measure with tis accuracy)
5.0 oz of wine
12 oz. of beer, wine coolers and mixed spirits

Is there a cure for alcoholism and alcohol abuse?

There is no magic pill, drug, cream or ointment that will cure alcohol abuse. However, it can be treated, although the efficacy of treatments is highly dependent upon an individual’s willingness to avoid or control alcohol intake and the frequency of exposure to circumstances that lead to alcohol use.