Psychological Effects of Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a world known term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the impairment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing. It is medically considered a disease, specifically an addictive illness, and in psychology several other terms are used, specifically "alcohol abuse" and "alcohol dependence," which have slightly different definitions. People suffering from alcoholism are often called "alcoholics". Many other terms, some of them insulting or informal, have been used throughout history. It is estimated that there are 140 million people with alcoholism worldwide. The biological mechanisms that cause alcoholism are not well understood. Significant alcohol intake produces changes in the brain's structure, though some alterations occur with minimal use of alcohol over a short term period, such as tolerance and physical dependence. These changes maintain the person with alcoholism's strong inability to stop drinking and result in alcohol withdrawal syndrome if the person stops.
Identifying alcoholism is difficult for the individual afflicted because of the social humiliation associated with the disease that causes people with alcoholism to avoid diagnosis and treatment for fear of shame or social consequences. The evaluation responses to a group of regular questioning is a common method for diagnosing alcoholism. These can be used to identify harmful drinking patterns, including alcoholism. After detoxification, other support such as group therapy or self-help groups are used to help the person remain sober. Compared with men, women are more sensitive to alcohol's harmful physical, cerebral, and mental effects. The risk of alcohol dependence begins at low levels of drinking and increases directly with both the amount of alcohol consumed and a pattern of drinking larger amounts on an occasion....