Alcoholism

Alcoholism

Definition of alcoholism

It is not easy to define and diagnose alcoholism in a single word.

Alcoholism is not just a mental disorder that is diagnosed based on the amount of alcohol you drink or the type of alcohol you drink. Instead, the diagnosis of alcoholism depends on

1) how much control you have over alcohol;
2) how much physical problems you have from drinking;
3) whether you have problems with social, family and professional activities due to alcohol.

For example, if you suffer from physical problems such as malnutrition, liver failure, memory problems, or social problems such as domestic violence, job loss, drunk driving, drunk driving, or mental problems such as anxiety, depression, or hallucinations, you should suspect alcohol addiction regardless of the type or quantity of alcohol you drink.

The American Psychiatric Association Diagnosis and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) sets out the diagnosis criteria by dividing alcoholism into alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse as follows:

Diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence: You will experience three of the following seven symptoms within the last 12 months.

1. There is a tolerance for alcohol. In other words, the same amount of alcohol cannot produce the desired effect, leading to more and more drinking.
2. In order to relieve withdrawal symptoms, alcohol (i.e. ' hangover magic') is continuously sought. withdrawal symptoms are symptoms of withdrawal period (during a period of not drinking or reducing the amount of alcohol), which can cause trembling of the hand, insomnia, upset stomach, anxiety and tension, and in severe cases, hearing or hallucination.
3. Drink more alcohol than you thought before drinking or long-term.
4. I'm going to cut back on or quit drinking. He/she is determined and tries hard, but continues to fail.
5. Too much effort and time is wasted to get or drink alcohol (e.g. looking for stores that are open for hours at night to buy alcohol or waiting for families to go to bed).
6. Abandon or reduce social, professional and leisure activities that are important because of alcohol.
7. I Just keep drinking even though I have serious problems with my body and mind because of alcohol. For example, if you drink alcohol, you get into a fight, or you continue to drink even though you know that your liver has already degraded a lot.

Alcoholism is a family problem

Alcoholism causes a lot of pain not only to the person involved but also to the people around him, especially his family. So alcoholism is not an "individual disease," but a "family disease." So what do alcoholics' families and families look like? For one thing, the home atmosphere of an alcoholic is dominated by the mood of the addict. When an addict is in a good mood without drinking, the family acts with caution and acts as if nothing is wrong with him. On the other hand, when an addict drinks alcohol and makes aggressive words and actions (e.g., verbal abuse, spousal beating and rape, and child violence), families hold their breath and control their emotional expressions. As such, families avoid open dialogue, focusing more on meeting the needs of addicts than on their own. Also, families with addicts are largely disconnected from the outside world. they also feels lonely and isolated because they are afraid that things will get worse and can't open his mind to others and tell them about addicts' problems.

The treatment of alcoholism

Treatment for alcoholics includes personal treatment, marriage therapy, family therapy, group therapy, inpatient treatment and outpatient rehabilitation treatment, which is most effective in combination with these treatments. For example, because alcoholism is a "family disease," it is better to do both personal and family therapy. In the process of recovering from addiction, getting personal and group therapy together helps prevent the recurrence of addiction. And, for families of alcoholics, a group of people who can share personal counseling or problems with each other can be great help. We strongly encourage alcoholics and their families to come out of the world and receive professional treatment before they become more hurtful.