Alcohol and Treatment

Drinking a small or moderate quantity of alcohol to relax or enhance the social activities is quite common. This kind of drinking is not harmful to most adults. However any negative effects arising out of the drinking habits of people on any aspect of their life like relationships, work, health or finances are categorized as those with a drinking problem. There are quite a few Alcohol and Treatment centers which can help people get a handle on the issue.

The effect that alcohol may have on people may differ from person to person. It may change depending on the gender, physical health, age, the ammount of food in the stomach and any medications or drugs taken. Experts categorize drinking levels as moderate drinking, at-risk drinking, alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

Moderate Drinking:

If your drinking habits are healthy, within limits and does not cause any problems for you or society it is considered moderate drinking. As per US standards following are the quantities considered moderate:

1. Men: not more than 2 drinks in a day.

2. Women: not more than 1 drink in a day.

3. Over 65 years: not more than 1 drink in a day.

The amount of alcohol recommended for those above 65 years and women is smaller as they have a smaller amount of water in their bodies and therefore the concentration of alcohol in their blood reaches the same level with a smaller quantity of alcohol intake. Besides the older population is usually afflicted with some ailment or other for which they usually are on some medication. Their condition may become worse because of alcohol consumption and further the medications that they take may have a harmful effect when mixed with alcohol. In other words, a person needs to consult a professional or call up an Alcohol and Treatment center before popping a tablet to help them deal with the issue.

The following people should avoid alcohol altogether:

Women who are trying to get pregnant or are already pregnant.

People on some medication which may interact with alcohol.

People trying to overcome alcoholism.

People who are operating any machine or driving.

People who have a medical condition which may be further aggravated due to alcohol consumption.

Those below 21 years of age.

Despite all the ills of drinking it has been conclusively proven that drinking in moderation has a beneficial effect on the health of the heart.

At-risk Drinking:

As per US standards any drinking that poses as risk of developing into a drinking problem is considered as at-risk drinking. The quantities considered as at-risk for men and women is as below.

Men: more than 4 drinks in a sitting or more that 14 drinks in a week.

Women: more than 3 drinks in a sitting or more than 7 drinks in a day.

Alcohol Abuse:

Any pattern of drinking that involves one or more than one of the following problems within a one year period can be considered as alcohol abuse.

Neglect of responsibilities at home work or school.

Problems with the law due to alcohol.

Continued consumption of alcohol despite problem in relationships due to alcohol.

Alcohol abuse does not really mean that there is a dependence on alcohol till now. But if left untreated it would definitely lead to alcohol dependence Alcoholism.

Alcohol Dependence Alcoholism:

When a person is addicted to alcohol he is considered to be dependent on alcohol. It is a chronic disease potentially fatal which although cannot be cured but can be controlled. An alcoholic displays all the symptoms of alcoholism when he stops consumption of alcohol like tolerance drinking alcohol in increasing amounts withdrawal symptoms like anxiety depression nausea etc. giving up on work or leisure activities unable to stop drinking despite being aware of the problems caused to himself and to others.

Alcohol and Treatment.

The support understanding and love of family and friends is usually enough for people with a drinking problem to bring it under control. These are people who are not dependent on alcohol. Attending meetings at various support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous AA also can go a long in helping them get over the problem with alcohol. They may decide to cut down on alcohol or quit drinking altogether. But to do this they need to look at their drinking patterns the circumstances that cause them to drink the associated problems and the pros and cons of quitting on alcohol. Once this has been analyzed they need to decide on the ways they can handle the causative situations as and when they arise to help them stay the way.

Treating alcoholism is a different ball game altogether. Alcoholics have to deal with a lot of problems associated with their dependence on alcohol. Since alcoholism cannot be cured but only be treated and managed total abstinence is what should be aimed for as most alcoholics will not be able to control the habit just by cutting down.

When an alcoholic decides to quit drinking the first and most difficult obstacle he faces are the withdrawal symptoms associated with abstaining from alcohol. Long term alcohol and or drug treatment counseling of alcoholism and drug addiction usually involves medication to help a person deal with withdrawal symptoms and regain health. It may also involve cognitive behavior therapy and support groups.