Alcoholism is a chronic disease Essay

inebriation is a promoteive and chronic disease that admits compulsory racketing, using downpour beverageic drinkic bever period even though it ca physical exercises problems, having physical dependence with inebriant, or having withdrawal symptoms when one tries to cut back or finish up eat alcohol. One notify admit a problem with alcohol and not have it progressed to alcoholism. That is call(a)ed problem drinking which means one drinks too lots causing repeated problem in their life. According to the Mayo Clinic (2012), saturnalia drinking is a pattern where a male consumes five or more drinks in a row, or a female drinks at least quaternion drinks in a row. Binge drinking slew surpass to the same health take chancess associated with alcoholism (Mayo, 2012). Not being commensu put to break up drinking or cut back and denying you have a problem is a few of the things that come with alcoholism Criteria for alcoholism establish on the DSM V atomic number 18 an s ingular meeting any devil of the eleven criteria during the same twelve month period.Ex international ampereles of these criteria accommodate a grim desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or man historic period alcohol pulmonary tuberculosis, craving or strong desire or iron to put on alcohol, and important social, occupational or recreational activities argon minded(p)(p) up or reduced beca handling of alcohol use (NIH, 2013b). As for ICD criteria, an individual must view certain criteria as well. ICD criteria require an individual to experience three or more of the criteria occurring together for at least 1 month or if less than 1 month, occurring together repeatedly in spite of appearance a 12-month period. Examples of these criteria include Difficulties in imperative drinking in footing of onset, termination, or levels of use drinking in larger amounts or oer a tenaciouser period than intended or a recollective desire or unsuccessful efforts to reduce or con trol drinking, requisite for signifi give the axetly increase amounts of alcohol to achieve intoxication or desire effect or markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of alcohol, or Important alternative pleasures or interests given up or reduced because of drinking (Hasin, 2013).According to the article, intoxicant inhalation and Cancer Risk (2011), in that respect is a dramatic link among alcohol and crabby somebody. Heavy alcohol consumption ( 4 drinks/day) is signifi nettly associated with an increased fortune of virtually 5-fold for oral and pharyngeal crab louse and esophageal squamous mobile phone carcinoma, 2.5-fold for laryngeal cancer, 50% for colorectal and breast cancers, and 30% for pancreatic cancer (Pelucchi, Tramacere, Boffetta, Negri, & Vecchia, 2011). Evidence proves that even one drink per day increases the risk for pharyngeal or oral cancer by 20% and 30% for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Breast cancer has an increa sed risk of item with three to six drinks a week. When an individual exposes themselves to both alcohol and tobacco, there is a greater increase in oral and pharyngeal cancer risk.Alcohol excessively causes an increase in head and neck cancer when it is apply alone (not used in conjunction with tobacco). Restricting alcohol to limits indicated by the European Code Against Cancer would avoid nearly 90% of alcohol-attri besides open cancers and cancer deaths in men and all over 50% of cancers in women (Pelucchi, Tramacere, Boffetta, Negri, & Vecchia, 2011). This article provides great evidence of ebullient alcohol being joined to further health risks for individuals who indulge over the recommended amounts. A somebody woe from alcoholism has some outer appearance changes doneout their life. Someone low from alcohol withdrawal may experience nausea, sweating, hand tremors, visual hallucinations, or seizures. These are all very common symptoms associated when an alcohol ho oked person goes through withdrawal. Not only do these physical symptoms occur, besides mental symptoms in like manner occur. Examples of mental symptoms include depression, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, or insomnia. Both the physical and psychological symptoms can be visible from an outsiders perspective.An alcohol mutualist person may not experience withdrawal symptoms if they are pickings in enough alcohol on a daily al-Qaida that meet their required needs to feel well. Though they may not have the withdrawal symptoms, they do have physically visible symptoms from their excessive alcohol intake. Symptoms include facial red ink/flushing of the skin, xerosis, dull skin tone, follicular hyperkeratosis, gingivitis, tooth decay, black hairy tongue, and weight gain. The most common though include dehydration of the skin and bloating in the abdomen or causa ( fuddle Aware, 2014). potable too much alcohol deprives the skin from important vitamins and nutrients. Over time , losing these nutrients from excessive drinking can cause permanent damage from frequent flushing and redness of the skin. Facial and abdominal bloating occurs when the person experiences dehydration from the excess about of alcohol intake (Drink Aware, 2014).Prevalence of lifetime alcohol use by age and gender graph was report by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and tipsiness (2013c) males age 18-24- 70% and women 55%, males age 25-34- 82% and women 65%, males age 35-44- 82% and women 63%, males age 45-55- 80% and women 55%, and males age 55 + 71% and women 39% (NIH, 2013c). According to the entropy from the National Household Survey, most Americans had at least one drink of alcohol by late adolescence. Among men, 70% to 83% reported overwhelming alcohol on at least one occasion during their lifetime, as compared to 39% to 66% of women. The prevalence rate of lifetime alcohol use among men is highest among those aged 25 to 55 and lowest among the 18 to 24 and 55 or ol der age groups. Similar findings were found for women, although they reported lower rates than men. The rate of lifetime alcohol was lowest among women ages 55 or older. The largest gender difference was noted among the 55 years or older age group, with males drinking more.The smallest gender difference was between 18 to 24 years old (NIH, 2013c). boozing results from the complex interaction of genetic, social, and environmental factors. Alcohol has widespread effects on the brain and can enquire nerve cells, brain chemistry, and blood flow within the frontal lobes. Neurotransmitters are affected by long-term use of alcohol. Neurotransmitters are released when alcohol is consumed, which become euphoria and a sense of well-being. Chronic exposure of the brain to alcohol is thought to result in long-term adaptive changes that initially heighten increased reinforcement for alcohol use and over time progress to withdrawal and negative affective states, so that regular alcohol use is required to feel normal (Chung & Pittman, 2013) Being dependent on alcohol is often associated with psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, depression, or PTSD. ancestral factors are believed to play a role in alcohol hollo.The radical York Times (2013), believe the amygdala, part in the brain responsible for controlling cravings, has been reported to be smaller in individuals with family history of alcoholism (TNYT, 2013). in that respect are also many social and environmental factors that contribute to the emergence of alcohol abuse or alcoholism. in that location are mass merchandising of alcohol on television, billboards, and gas stations. Marketing tends to increase the number of alcohol sales and in turn increase chance of alcohol abuse among individuals. Many young individuals are pressured by friends or even family to jump drinking at a young age. Drinking at a young age greatly increases chances of that individual to suffer from alcoholism in the near future. During the general assessment of a person suffering from alcoholism, the nanny is to first gather accurate information regarding their drinking patterns.The hold dear must ask the question, Do you sometimes drink beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverages? If the person states yes, then the nurse asks How many times in the past year have you had five or more drinks in a day? This will help the nurse gather important data regarding excessive alcohol consumption. The next step is to tell the patient to decrement the amount of alcohol that is being consumed since the chance of It is also important to ask about their life style, family, and relationships. The person may be experiencing depression or anxiety if they have lost family support because of their addiction. If this person is experiencing withdrawal symptoms during the assessment, the nurse should plan to provide comfort measures for this patient. The patient may also be very agitated, embarrassed, or not level head ed, since alcohol has these effects on an individual.By simply looking at the patients appearance, the nurse should be able to posit if the alcohol has caused further damage to the bodys organs. For example, if the colored is failing, the person may experience jaundice. Focusing the assessment around the use of the alcohol and effects it has on his or her life will be of most concern. The patient should have a full lab workup to determine if further damage has occurred to this patients health. The nurse can also provide appropriate resources for help, such as AA meetings, rehab, or family counseling, which will be beneficial for the patient. Drinking too much can take a serious toll on ones health. Alcohol can affect a person brain, purport, liver, pancreas, immune system, and can increase the risk for cancer.According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2013a), alcohol interferes with the brains communication pathways. These disruptions can change idea a nd way. These changes can also gear up it harder to think clearly and move with coordination (NIH, 2013a). The meat can be affected with cardiomyopathy which is stretching and drooping of heart muscle. Arrhythmias, stroke, and high blood pressure can also occur from over using alcohol. Research by the NIH (2013a), alcohol can inflame the liver and cause steatosis or fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis, and or cirrhosis. The pancreas produces toxic substances that can eventually lead to pancreatitis (NIH, 2013a). Pancreatitis is inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels in the pancreas that prevents straight-laced digestion. The immune system is weakened. Chronic drinkers are more likely to obtain diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis than people who dont drink.Chronic alcohol consumption increases risk for cancers such as mouth, esophagus, throat, liver, and breast Alcohol pharmacokinetics includes absorption, distribution, and metabolism. by and by oral abs orption, alcohol is absorbed from the duodenum by diffusion (Ramchandani, 2009). The rate depends on the volume of alcohol consumed (the less concentrated the slower rate of absorption), rate of drinking (faster you drink the faster the absorption), food, and gastric metabolism. The distribution of alcohol is into come in body piss. There are also gender differences in body. Women have a lower proportion in total body water compared to men. Metabolism of alcohol occurs primarily in the liver in a two-step process. As researched by Ramchandani (2009), the first step, alcohol is oxidized to ethanal by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase or ADH. In the second step, acetaldehyde is reborn to acetate by the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase.Then there is alcohol pharmacodynamics (Ramchandani, 2009). Alcohol is a CNS depressant. Its stimulatory effects result from depression of inhibitory control mechanisms in the brain. Characteristic responses to alcohol include euphoria, impaired thought p rocesses and decreased machinelike efficiency. More than just a doctor is needed for the treatment of alcoholism. Alcoholism counselors, social workers, psychologists, and family therapists are a few others that may be involved. There are three stages in treating alcoholism. The first is to make sure the person is medically stabilized. Next, they must undergo a detoxification process which is then followed by long-term abstinence and rehabilitation.According to Cunha (2012), the most common medication in treating alcoholism is disulfiram (Antabuse). It interferes with alcohol metabolism resulting in a metabolite that makes the person nauseated and very uncomfortable when consuming alcohol (Cunha, 2012). If they stop taking this they can implant a device under the skin so they have to continuously take it without the freedom of being able to stop it. Other medications used are naltrexone (ReVia), acamprosate (Campral) and a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reupta ke inhibitors (SSRIs) (Cunha, 2012). Alcohol withdrawal is treated by oral or IV hydration along with medications. According to Cunha (2012), the most common medication groups used in treating alcohol withdrawal symptoms are benzodiazepines, which include lorazepam (Ativan), diazepam (Valium), and chlordizepoxide (Librium) (Cunha, 2012). Any person that is being treated for alcoholism should also ask round thiamine (vitamin B1). The thiamine levels are usually low and if deficiency occurs it could lead to Wernickes encephalopathy.The detoxification stage involves stopping the alcohol consumption. This usually occurs in an con setting and will require extensive support. The medication will be given and then tapered off until no withdrawal symptoms are evident. This process lasts a few days to a week. Rehabilitation can be either a short term or long term residential program. These help those who are more severely dependent and need the help to develop skills not to drink and to work on ways to help them from relapsing. Short term programs are less than four weeks long where long term programs can last for a month to a year or more. There are also several(prenominal) effective individual treatments delivered by professional counselors in outpatient treatment clinics. These treatments include twelve-step facilitation therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, and cognitive- behavioral coping skills.There are also self-help programs which are Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), women for sobriety, Rational Recovery, and SMART recovery (Cunha, 2012). These allow alcoholics to stop drinking and remain sober on their own. In conclusion, alcoholism is a very serious condition that sadly many people face in the world. There any many means of helping these patients, but only if the individual wants the assistance. Once the person is so alcohol dependent, they are in a state of denial and think that nothing is wrongly with their habit, but the earlier we get them to unders tand their problems then the easier it is to help them through it. Alcoholism is not only a terrible disease itself, but it also leads to many other deadly diseases and illnesses.The first priority to make a difference in the world is to educate the youth about alcohol, which will hopefully decrease the rates of alcoholism occurrences in the future. The effects of alcoholism which are physical and psychological can cause many problems that affect a persons life in all aspects. Alcohol alters ones brain, muscles, digestion process, and other disorders that affect ones health. It also can cause depression or changes in behavior that result in problems with their family, friends, and with themselves.ReferencesChung, P. & Pittman, J. (2013). Epocrates Online. Alcohol Abuse. Retrieved fromhttps//online.epocrates.com/noFrame/showPage.do?method=diseases&MonographId=198&ActiveSectionId=24Cunha, J. (2012). E Medicine Health. Alcoholism. Retrieved from http//www.emedicinehealth.com/a lcoholism/page8_em.htmDrink Aware.(2014).Health Effects of Alcohol. Alcohol Dependence. Retrieved fromhttps//www.drinkaware.co.uk/check-the-facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/mental-health/alcohol-dependenceHasin, D. (2013). National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Classification of AlcoholUse Disorders. Retrieved from http//pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh27-1/5-17.htm Mayo Clinic Staff. (2012). Alcoholism. Retrieved fromhttp//www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcoholism/basics/definition/CON-20020866) National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH). (2013a). Alcohols Effects on the Body. http//www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (NIH). (2013b). Alcohol Use Disorder.Retrieved from http//pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/dsmfactsheet/dsmfact.pdf National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH). (2013c). Epidemiology of Alcohol. Problems in the United States. Module 1. Retrieved from http//pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/ complaisant/Module1Epidemiology/Module1.html Pelucchi, C., Tramacere, I., Boffetta, P., Negri, E., & Vecchia, C. (2011). Alcohol Consumption and Cancer Risk. Nutrition & Cancer, 63(7), 983-990. inside10.1080/01635581.2011.596642.