Alcoholism is an addiction that generates a strong need and anxiety to drink alcohol, so there is a psychological dependence, which can manifest itself through withdrawal symptoms when not consumed. The excessive consumption of alcohol produces multiple health problems in the individual, can be more than 200 diseases and disorders. It is also associated with the development of health problems such as mental and behavioural disorders. Other important problems derived from alcohol consumption are the increase in traffic accidents and violence. Alcohol can also cause deaths from overdose. The World Health Organization reports that the effects of alcohol consumption on people are determined by two dimensions of alcohol consumption: the total volume of alcohol consumed and the characteristics of the drinking pattern.
The WHO continues to warn that the context of consumption plays a very important role in the occurrence of alcohol-related harm.
We can find a series of signs and symptoms that alert us to the appearance of addiction in alcoholic beverages, as the psychologist Arturo Torres comments, and the different warning signs can be
- Certain drinks are considered "non-alcoholic": As it is something very normalized and with a great social acceptance, the consumption of this substance becomes something daily that I miss is drinking something without alcohol. That is why some people with this health problem start to consider low-grade drinks, such as beer, as non-alcoholic beverages.
- Saving time with alcohol: People with alcoholism tend to drink in anticipation of times when there will be a chance to drink more.
- Checking drink reserves: It is also an everyday thing to make sure that there are plenty of bottles left over and that you will not run out. It is a situation that requires a certain amount of time but it is considered that it would be worse to run out of reserves.
- Contact with friends who do not drink is broken: People with alcohol addiction structure their social life in situations where they can drink. In this way, contact with teetotalers or light drinkers will be lost.
Although there may be more signs or symptoms, these are among the most common and characteristic.
The General Council of the Official Associations of Pharmacists explains that the treatment of alcoholism is complicated, like that of all addictions. The first sentence of the treatment is that the patient recognizes the problem since it is very rare that he or she accepts the need to be treated. In this phase it is essential that both the family and people close to them convince the person to actively participate in the therapy.
The second phase of treatment is detoxification. Medications are used to treat the withdrawal syndrome, and a diet with vitamin supplements is also followed.
Until the primary causes of alcoholism are discovered, the problem cannot be prevented. However, there are alcohol education programs for children, adolescents, and their families that can be very helpful. The right social habits are fundamental to the prevention of its abuse.
