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Alcoholism is a disease. It is chronic (in that it lasts a person's lifetime). It usually follows a predictable course and it has symptoms. Then there are the damaging effects of alcohol abuse outside the body. Many alcoholics find it difficult to manage their lives, leading to legal problems and relationship problems that can result in the destructive breakup of marriages and families. Unfortunately, such problems often lead to more drinking and even more problems - driving drunk, for example, and the chance of accidentally killing someone. The physiological aspects of alcohol dependence are associated with a much greater potential for medical problems such as acute alcohol withdrawal. The first criteria usually associated with alcohol dependence are considered to be tolerance and alcohol withdrawal. The remaining criteria usually are defined as behavioral and cognitive dimensions of alcohol dependence including impaired control when an individual consumes larger amounts of alcohol over longer periods of time than they intend to, and when persistent desires or unsuccessful attempts to cut down or control drinking are not successful despite knowledge of a persistent recurrent physical or psychological problem, and alcohol use becoming incredibly important to the individual, including spending a great deal of time drinking, recovering from its effects, or when important social and occupational activities are given up or reduced because of drinking. These are all key criteria in the diagnosis of alcohol dependence. The consequences of alcohol abuse are numerous and greatly affect the way people live their lives. At first, people don't believe they have a problem because the way they drink seems normal and the same as everyone else's drinking habits. However, drinking can become a way for people to deal with their problems, which is definitely an indication of alcohol dependence. Mental health problems as a result of drinking are also a sign of alcohol dependence. Most people feel that drinking relieves the symptoms of problems such as anxiety, panic attacks, or bipolar disorder. However, the fact is that drinking actually increases their symptoms. Physical symptoms are also a problem that drinking can cause, such as liver disease. Teens are often very susceptible to the lure of alcohol. According to a 2004 survey of high school students by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 75% of high school students have at least tried alchohol. Many of them have had episodes of heavy drinking. It is a known fact that a leading death factor in teen-related car accidents is alcohol. Alcohol can affect the way the brain fuctions, especially the areas controlling decision-making and emotions, meaning that growth and development can be greatly hindered in teens if they drink alcohol. Memory and learning abilities can be affected, harming a teen's performance in school. The worst danger is that use of alchol in a teen can progress to abuse, and perhaps to addiction. The first-ever study of its kind has found that kids as young as 12 can show a genetic-driven trend toward alcoholism. While looking to confirm that genes influence the body's response to alcohol -- how many drinks are needed to get drunk -- scientists found that the 12-year-olds who needed to consume the most drinks to get that desired "buzz" were most likely to already be on the road to problem drinking. The effects of alcohol abuse on adolescents is very different from the way problem drinking effects adult alcoholics. As you may expect, adolescents have a relatively short history of problem drinking. Because of their comparatively short history of heavy drinking, one of the major differences related to the effects of alcohol abuse on adolescents is that it is very rare to have physiological dependence on alcohol or alcohol-related medical complications. The abuse of alcohol and drugs however contributes in important ways to morbidity and mortality in adolescents, with the leading causes being motor vehicle accidents, homicide, and suicide. It is usually believed that when dealing with adolescents, given their economic and emotional dependence, whenever it is possible, it is important to have a thorough evaluation of the family in order to understand the adolescent's use of drugs as well as to understand the negative effects of alcohol abuse on them and their families. Alcohol abuse is often associated with medical illness, which frequently becomes a common consequence of heavy drinking and also may occur in the absence of alcohol dependence. Early in the course of drinking, some individual's alcohol abuse problems may show no physical or laboratory abnormalities, but as drinking continues problems begin to manifest themselves in many of the body's organ systems. Obviously, a physical examination is necessary if there is any indication whatsoever of any medical problems. This physical examination will include important information about the presence and also the extent of any organ damage, and should be geared toward examining the organ systems most vulnerable to alcohol abuse including: the cardiovascular system, the gastrointestinal system, and the central and peripheral nervous systems. The physician will also be alert to other possible concerns related to alcohol such as alcohol withdrawal or delirium, intoxication or withdrawal from other drugs, and the acute presentation of psychological problems. Other nonspecific or systemic health problems associated with alcohol abuse include malnutrition, muscle wasting, specific vitamin deficiencies, infectious diseases (such as tuberculosis, dermatitis, pediculosis, and hepatitis), and trauma secondary to fights and accidents. In order to be successful with treatment for alcohol abuse or dependence, the abuser must be willing to admit that there is a problem and that they want to stop drinking. There is also a physical aspect of the success of alcohol abuse treatment. If the drinker is physically dependent on alcohol, treatment can take a long time. Completely stopping to drink needs to be the first step, and then treatment focuses on relieving withdrawal symptoms. Afterwards, it focuses on staying sober. Some people may need medicine that help reduce the symptoms of withdrawal. Also, counseling and support groups are a fundamental part of treatment, as it helps with the mental aspect of recovering from alcohol abuse.
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