A very closely related problem with alcohol abuse is that people tend to develop suicidal tendencies when they are too much into the habit. These thoughts can be triggered by the circumstances they live in, but because of the great number of alcoholics who actually end up committing suicide or making an attempt for it, it can be fairly assumed that alcohol consumption can cause suicidal tendencies in people.
One more reason why alcoholism and alcohol abuse are bad for one’s health has been discovered. Research has shown that consuming large amounts of alcohol over an extended period of time might actually shrink the person’s brain. The amount that an individual drinks and the frequency with which they do so is directly related to the size of their brain, according to this study. The effect of alcohol abuse on brain size was even more pronounced in women and people who are in their seventies. This information was publicized at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology and written by a researcher at Wellesly College, Carol Ann Paul.
The results of this study on alcohol abuse showed that participants who drank more than fourteen servings of alcohol per week had brains that were 1.6 percent smaller than people who did not drink, on average. The size of an individual’s brain is an indication of how well it is aging.
Participants were 1839 individuals between the ages of 34 and 88. They were divided into the categories of heavy drinkers, moderate drinkers, light drinkers, former drinkers, and non-drinkers. The volume of their brains was an average of .25 percent smaller between every category of drinkers. For example, individuals who were former alcohol drinkers had .25 percent less brain mass than people who didn’t consume alcohol at all. Those who’d had a problem with alcohol abuse for a longer period of time showed more significant differences. Researchers used MRI scans to determine the participants’ brain volumes.
People who have an alcoholism or alcohol abuse problem should seek help from an addiction treatment facility. The risks of these conditions to one’s health are immense. New discoveries are being made all the time about the effects of alcohol abuse on the human body. For most people, getting involved in an addiction treatment program is the only way to overcome alcoholism.
For some reason many people think that rehab is an easy process to go through. The only thing worse than an alcohol addict thinking that alcohol rehabilitation programs are easy, is the fact that certain alcohol rehab treatment facilities promote that their programs will be easy for alcohol abusers to go through and that afterwards they can guarantee the addict that he or she will leave and continue to stay sober. (more…)
Many schools in the United States have jumped on the bandwagon of instituting zero tolerance policies against alcohol and drug abuse for their students. While the concept may sound good in theory, harsh consequences are often handed out for simple actions like bringing Tylenol or mouthwash to school. This sends the message to young people that their authority figures are out of touch and unrealistic, leading teens to ignore their education tactics. (more…)
Alcohol detox is the first step in recovering from an alcohol addiction or abuse. This is the withdrawal period that occurs soon after the addict quits drinking, and the worst symptoms typically last for a few days to a week. The body needs to get rid of the alcohol that is left, along with toxins that have been stored from long-term alcohol abuse. When these substances are gone, cravings for alcohol will lessen. Further addiction treatment cannot happen until the alcoholic has been through this initial detox process. (more…)
Detox is usable slang for detoxification. When a person undergoes a detox program, whether it is alcohol detox or drug detox, the main intention is to purge all the toxins accumulated in the body due to the addiction. Certainly, detox programs are quite difficult to live through. The person was probably in an addiction for several years, and suddenly restricting the use of the addictive substance will cause some drastic withdrawal pangs. With alcohol detox, the withdrawal symptoms are much milder than they are with drug detox, but they are difficult for the person to pass through nonetheless. (more…)
Alcoholism is the subtle form of drug addiction. But make no mistake, it is a drug. Taking control of the alcoholics life, causing them to make decisions the they normally wouldn’t, and probably most difficult of all, it’s completely legal nature means that it is available and even offered every where they turn. From the neon signs in convenience stores, to the wait staff of your local restaurant, and the well-meaning coworker, the presence of alcohol makes defeating alcohol addiction a difficult proposition. (more…)