People at Alcohol Anonymous will not tell you whether you are an alcoholic or not. So it is up to you to judge if you are one, in case there are any doubts. If you feel the urges or cravings to lay hands on your favorite poison, always end up drinking more than what you wanted to, or are physically dependent on alcohol to get you through the day or the night, then you are what can be termed an alcohol dependent or alcoholic person. Self-supporting: Alcohol Anonymous is a self supporting, non- professional organization that is founded, run and managed by past or even current alcoholics, and everybody is free to join in. There are no requirements to be met to become a member, apart from the inclination to kick alcoholism. Alcohol Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous has the distinction of being the world’s largest self help organization. Branches and AA groups can be found in almost every city in the world. The group’s members meet almost every week, where they discuss the problems that they are facing as a result of being alcohol dependent, how they want to kick the habit, how they have managed to get out of the quick sands of alcoholism and what are the positive and negative changes in their lives as a result of alcoholism and as a result of getting rid of it.
Asking your doctor for advice is also a great way to get help if you think that your drinking is getting out of control. Your physician can refer you to counselors and therapists that can help you control your drinking before it becomes a serious problem that can ruin relationships with family and friends and eventually destroy your life. It may be a good idea for you to visit an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting or two in your area, so that you can talk about your feelings in an environment where you won’t be judged. You will be pleasantly surprised by the insight you will find by listening to others who may have been in your shoes at one point. You will also be able to make an honest observation about whether or not you need to get more help. No matter which methods you choose to get your drinking under control, it is important to be honest with yourself about how serious your problem is and to ask friends and loved ones for support while you’re making sure that alcohol does not take over your life.
Alcoholism is an illness marked by drinking alcoholic beverages at a level that interferes with physical health, mental health, and social, family, or occupational responsibilities. Alcoholism is divided into 2 categories: dependence and abuse. People with alcohol dependence, the most severe alcohol disorder, usually experience tolerance and withdrawal. Tolerance is a need for markedly increased amounts of alcohol to achieve intoxication or the desired effect. Withdrawal occurs when alcohol is discontinued or intake is decreased. Alcohol dependents spend a great deal of time drinking alcohol, and obtaining it. People who are dependent on or abuse alcohol continue to drink it despite evidence of physical or psychological problems. Those with dependence have more severe problems and a greater compulsion to drink.
Stopping long-term, regular, heavy drinking requires a major life change, and the difficulty of doing this should never be underestimated. The first step in the healing process for these patients is to admit that they are alcoholic and that they have a drinking problem. The second step is to truly want to stop drinking. The third step is to accept the fact that they must never drink again. For most people, the next step is to admit that they need help to stop drinking and maintain abstinence. It is important to note that there is no such thing as a “cured” alcoholic. Alcoholism is a chronic disease that can go into remission, sometimes indefinitely, but relapse can be provoked by many life situations, both good and bad. Will these problems go away? No. These problems will last for a child’s whole life. People with severe problems may not be able to take care of themselves as adults. They may never be able to work. What if I am pregnant and have been drinking? If you drank alcohol before you knew you were pregnant, stop drinking now. You will feel better and your baby will have a good chance to be born healthy. If you want to get pregnant, do not drink alcohol. You may not know you are pregnant right away. Alcohol can hurt a baby even when you are only 1 or 2 months pregnant.
There are psychical and mental diseases. Alcoholism and drug addiction are mental diseases. It falls into the category of obsession - compulsion disorder. Is O.C.B. classified as a disease? There is evidence of studies that has been going on for years that show it can be hereditary. Studies in the 90’s show there is a gene that predisposes one to be a alcoholic, but they have a chose. Sometimes all it takes is a few times drinking to unleash the obsession, the compulsion to have a drink comes next. Over time that O.C. becomes stronger and they give up the ability to stop on their own. Some people do stop on their own, very few, most continue on the road where their lives are centered on getting and using more. They may cover it up with denial,that “I can handle it” or ” I can stop when I want to”, as they pour another drink. Some people feel they control their drinking by only having a few when they come home from work, but through out the day that’s all they think about (obsession) the compulsion is when they come home from work “to unwind”, and they may do this for years and never miss work and their life is not unmanageable, They are called functional alcoholics. Over time they will be taking “liquid lunches”, just a few to hold them over, or it may be in their desk,locker or car. It is not a personality or weak will person as to why they drink. Look how many presidents, C.E.O.’s, famous people are alcoholics.?
An alcoholic can neither refrain from drinking nor control the amount of alcohol he consumes. Once the addiction has set in, physical and psychological dependency on alcohol are expected. There is an estimated 5.6 million people in the United States alone that are alcohol is and about one fourth of them are suffering from serious complications. There is a varying rate of alcoholism among populations from various geographical locations. The country with the highest incidence of alcoholism among its population is France followed by the United States, Switzerland and Sweden. There is a lower incidence rate of alcoholism in rural areas compared with urban areas. Most of these alcoholics are found in homes, factories and offices and only very few of them are the “skid row” type of people.
Craving alcohol is a complicated process that involves several different factors. We are usually first introduced to alcohol at a young age (in our teens). Since no-one under the age of 21 (in the US) is allowed to purchase alcohol, it becomes “cool” and desirable for young adults under 21 to give drinking a try. Later on people grab a bottle of booze to feel better, gain more confidence in a social setting or to forget about their problems. Since the alcohol makes them feel better, at least temporarily, they start to crave it.