Alcoholism treatment is crucial to eradicate alcohol addiction. Medics describe alcohol dependency as a disease. A disease could be defined as a mental or physical condition that impedes the standard functions of the body.

Disease may cause deviant behavior, syndromes, distress or discomfort, dysfunction, altered or even the early death of an individual. Going by this definition of disease, alcohol dependency is also a disease that might impede the subject’s control over his habit of addictive drinking. His craving for alcohol becomes as strong as the requirement for food or water.

An alcoholic might continue to drink alcohol in spite of its grave legal, health and family consequences. Excessive consumption of alcohol or its denial may cause distress, deviant behavior and withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol addiction may damage the vital organs and lead the alcoholic to death.

The need to look for alcohol addiction treatment
You may feel guilty about your uncontrollable urge for an alcoholic drink first thing in the morning and need an ever increasing amount of alcohol to stop feeling the effects of its denial. If this is your condition, you need to seek medical assistance for alcoholism treatment.

Screening and diagnosis
The obvious signs and symptoms of alcohol addiction such as loss of memory, dyspepsia, pain and weakness might be initially confused with those of the old age. Physicians prescribe a short screening test with a standard set of questions to confirm the suspected diagnosis.

Withdrawal signs and symptoms
When an alcohol addict is denied his normal quota of alcohol at his fixed hour, he shows numerous withdrawal symptoms like nausea, head aches, pains, discomfort and so forth.

Blood alcohol tests
Blood alcohol tests are generally recommended though they indicate alcohol consumption only at a specific time. These sort of tests are generally conducted in “driving under the influence” accident cases. These tests do not provide answers to the issues arising out of long term consumption of alcohol.

Tests on liver, kidney or reduced testosterone levels in case of men are also suggested to determine the effects of alcohol. Other blood tests are carried out on the size of red blood cells which enlarge due to extended alcoholism. These tests also determine the presence of a factor called carbohydrate deficient transferring which points to heavy drinking.

Treatment for alcohol addiction
The irony with alcoholics is that they don’t acknowledge the existence of health issues as effects of their nefarious addiction. They understand that the initial step in their treatment would start with decrease or stoppage of their loved drink. Plenty of patient counseling is needed on the part of the family and friends to influence the victim to take up treatment.

A number of treatment procedures is necessary based on the circumstances of the addict. It might involve evaluation, an out-patient program or a residential inpatient treatment.

Evaluating the level of dependence
The initial step is to determine the level of the patient’s dependence on alcohol. You might have not entirely lost your control over your wish for alcohol. In such a condition the treatment may begin with counseling and brief intervention. The supply of alcohol might have to be reduce to overcome its side effects.

Intervention by professionals
The treatment might involve alcohol addiction professionals who devise a particular treatment strategy including counseling, cognitive behavior therapy, aversion therapy, identification of distorted thoughts and beliefs that trigger the mental stress, learning to cope with traumatic events, developing mastery over feelings and thoughts, behavioral changes techniques, use of self-help manuals and follow-up care at the treatment facility.

Residential alcohol dependency treatment
If, however, you’ve become dependent upon alcohol, simply reducing the alcohol quantity might not prove effective. You might need to go for residential treatment programs which might include alcohol addiction treatment, abstinence, individual and group therapy, participation in alcohol addiction support groups, educational lectures on alcohol dependency treatment and so on.

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You might be of the belief that alcohol taken in moderate quantities is good for health. It might be true in some circumstances, but not in the majority of the cases, so you probably do need to stop drinking alcohol.

Alcohol Consumption even in little quantities may affect your driving ability. Blood alcohol concentrates as low as 0,02 percent may significantly impede your driving skills.

Alcohol Under Medication
Even small quantities of alcohol taken with certain drugs can aggravate their undesirable impact. There are as many as 150 drugs which when taken with alcohol might prove harmful to a drinker’s health. For instance, if you take alcohol with antihistamines (for a cold or allergic reactions), the sedative effect of the medication increases. This may hinder your ability to handle equipment or drive a vehicle.

If you take alcohol with pain relievers such as Tylenol, you take the risk of damaging your liver. The majority of us who quite often buy over-the-counter medications and take them indiscriminately with alcohol may become vulnerable to several health issues. It is recommended to check with your doctor about the advisability of alcohol consumption while you are on medication.

Social And Problems With The Law
Addiction to alcohol may create many social and legal issues specifically for heavy drinkers. You may fallout with your colleagues at work, with your partner at home as well as with friends and even strangers. Alcohol addicts are likely to get up late in the morning because of the hangover from drinking the night before, so arriving late to work, and often not even reaching the office at all. Productivity tends to be affected, leading to job loss.

Alcohol Related Birth Defects
If pregnant women drink alcohol, their offspring might become vulnerable to numerous genetic defects. Children born of alcoholic mothers might contract lifelong learning and behavioral issues. They may suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome – leading to serious mental and physical problems.

Long Term Health Problems
Alcohol Consumption might cause liver and heart diseases, as well as certain forms of cancer, although these problems might not appear immediately, but are likely to over a long period of drinking. Women are more vulnerable to alcohol related problems than men are, even if they drink less.

Alcohol Related Liver Problems
Huge numbers of people across the globe contract liver diseases such as hepatitis or inflammation because of alcohol. Complications born out of alcoholic hepatitis can often lead even to death. Around 10 to 20 percent of the heavy drinkers develop alcoholic cirrhosis or scarring of liver requiring in some cases liver transplants. Many heavy drinkers may also contract hepatitis C virus-HCV-infection which can cause liver cancer.

Nervous System
Alcohol drinking may critically effect the nerves in some cases, depressing the central nervous system. Though alcohol might stimulate the mind initially, it can result in sedation after a ongoing use. Alcohol impairs your body’s defense mechanisms, and can affect your logical thinking, feelings and judgment. It may affect your speech and muscle coordination, and might even cause life threatening state of coma.

Difficulties With Diabetics
Alcohol hinders the release of glucose from the liver which can increase the risk of low blood sugar causing a disease known as hypoglycemia. This disease may prove harmful to your life if you are already taking insulin to control the level of your blood sugar.

Pancreatitis
Pancreas produces insulin that regulates the blood sugar level in your body. Alcohol Consumption may also endanger your pancreas that produces hormones to control you metabolism. The Pancreas produces enzymes that help in digesting the proteins and carbohydrates, and long-term drinking of alcohol might cause pancreatitis or the inflammation of the pancreas. Severe pancreatitis may cause severe abdominal pain which could be fatal, and can also cause diarrhea and weight-loss. So don’t take any chances, and quit drinking alcohol!

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Drinking alcohol is a widespread addiction. There are conflicting counsels about how to quit alcohol consumption. You have to chart your own plan from the lots of crisscrossing ways that are available to cease alcohol consumption.

Have a clear vision
A very clear vision about an alcohol free life can motivate you and reinforce your efforts to stop alcohol consumption. If you quit alcohol, you will improve your overall health and quality of life. Your relationship with your parents, spouse, children, relatives and friends will all improve.

Side effects of alcohol addiction
Addiction to alcohol might increase your chances of injuring yourself and others under its impact. Addiction to alcohol destroys life both emotionally and physically. It decreases a man into being his own caricature. You set a bad example for your kids and forfeit moral authority to correct them if they do anything wrong.

The self-help path
Think carefully and try to see the benefits of refraining from drinking alcohol. You may have been dumped by your boy/girl friend you loved most just because you are an alcohol addict and are given to repeated relapses. You may not have been able to realize your dream of differentiating yourself, for instance, as an art designer simply because of your alcohol dependency. Make an effort to analyze the end result of your past drinking and envision your future. How it would change if you stopped drinking. Make a determined effort to quit drinking once and for all. When you do this, you may be having conflicting thoughts about the advantages of stopping drinking and you will become vulnerable to not giving up completely.

Ambivalent thinking
This ambivalence about drinking comes naturally to all alcohol addicts. On the one hand you wish to quit alcohol and on the other hand you’re terrified of giving it up. You might be afraid of failure. “What if I relapse again? My hopes will be dashed. It’d be tremendously demoralizing. I would be stressed out more than ever before.” these problems are faced by every addict trying to quit drinking.

You may also deny your disease is chronic, incurable and progressive. Then there’s one part in you that desires to drink permanently. A voice in you may also say that you are ruined for ever to this life of drinking. This voice may advise you to take a peg right now. This self-denying pessimistic stance may impel you to continue drinking since it is not possible for you to stop it permanently.

The “voice” within
But you should try to distinguish between “that voice” and you, that’s, your own real person. “That voice” does not care anything about you, your morals, welfare, dreams and aspirations for a good, healthy and happy life. Make up your mind to fight that voice and you will surly quit alcohol once and for all.

Support groups – alcoholics anonymous
If self help doesn’t succeed, there are numerous other resources to help you quit drinking. One such popular resource is alcoholics anonymous, that arranges meetings around the globe for those who desire to stop drinking alcohol.

This group is comprised mainly of those people who’ve been alcohol addicts. It might be noted that such people are more qualified in offering useful ideas and advice based upon their own efforts, agonies, experiences and successes. How can someone who has never touched alcohol all through his life tender effective and useful advice against taking it?

Alcoholics anonymous keeps your identity anonymous. They’ve a 12 step common program on how to stop drinking alcohol. It works for most alcohol addicted people. It’s being presented to the public practically through every treatment plan. In addition to alcoholics anonymous you’ll be able to speak to your family doctor, psychologists, health professionals in outpatient and inpatient treatment centers and hospitals.

You can also log onto internet to find numerous voluntary organizations which are only too happy to help you with your need to quit alcohol.

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“A Practical Approach To Understanding And Dealing With Alcoholism”
www.StopDrinkingAdvice.org/Free-Guide (Click On The Link To Change For Life)

If you experience alcohol dependency, you may delude yourself into thinking that you’re just consuming alcohol. The fact is that it is alcohol addiction that’s consuming you, your hard earned money, time, energy and most importantly your health.

Alcohol dependency means addiction to consuming alcoholic beverages in-spite of the knowledge of their detrimental physical and social effects. Doctors define alcohol dependency as a disease which disables somebody from controlling the urge to take alcohol. Alcohol dependency, therefore, implies a tendency for addictive consumption of alcohol and a failure to acknowledge its unwanted effects.

Alcohol Abuse
Many people consume alcohol, have issues with it but suppress its characteristics and symptoms. This is termed as “alcohol abuse”, classified as indulging in excessive drinking of alcohol without completely losing control over, although, becoming totally dependent on it like an alcohol addict, is not necessarily the case.

A Widespread Problem
Based on the estimates of the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, around 18 million People in America abuse alcohol. More than 100,000 American die of alcohol generated health issues. Half of road accident deaths are caused because of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Symptoms Of Alcohol Addiction
Even the hardened alcohol drinkers quite often refuse to admit they’re addicts. They, therefore, try to drink stealthily, keeping their quota of drinks hidden in unlikely places round the house, place of work or in the car. Once they start drinking, they find it difficult to control their urge to drink more, and will begin gulping down liquor greedily, while ordering “doubles”.

They tend to forget their social promises and conversations, termed as “blacking out”. They lose their interest in healthy entertainment, activities and hobbies which would normally bring them pleasure. They expose Pavlovian symptoms as their drinking time nears, and their desire for drink becomes irresistible as the minutes pass by.

They become irritable if they’re denied their daily doze of alcohol. Alcoholics, generally, get into legal disputes with their relatives, employers and financiers. They build a kind of tolerance towards alcoholic beverages, and the more they drink it, the more they want it to really feel its effects.

Physical Effects Of Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol addiction or physical dependence on alcohol takes place gradually. The rise in intake of alcohol alters the balance in brain chemicals such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which impedes its impulsiveness while glutamate excites the nerves.

Alcohol also elevates the dopamine level in the brain which is associated with the excitable aspects of drinking alcohol. Too much and continued intake of alcohol affects the status of the chemicals by either raising or depleting them. This process causes the body to crave for alcohol to restore the enjoyable feelings and to avoid the negative feelings without it.

Contributory Factors – There are many other factors that contribute to the problem of alcohol dependency, such as…

Hereditary – Dependence on alcohol may be genetic, so it may be in somebodies genes making them vulnerable to alcohol addiction.

Emotional Causes – Some times high levels of stress, anxiety, tension or emotional trauma compel a person to look for diversion in alcohol. Certain stress hormones are meant to promote alcoholism, so people take to drinking to fight out the mental turmoil.

Psychological reasons – Inferiority complex, low self respect or acute depression may lead a person to take to alcoholic drinking to distract his negative obsessions in life.

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“A Practical Approach To Understanding And Dealing With Alcoholism”
www.StopDrinkingAdvice.org/Free-Guide (Click On The Link To Change For Life)

Learning how to give up drinking is the initial step towards sobriety, and in today’s video tutorial and remaining article, we will take a look at ways to remain healthy after you have managed to quit drinking alcohol…

How To Give Up Drinking

Although there do exist links between the things you actually eat with cravings for alcohol, the food issue is not a short cut in helping us to stop drinking alcohol because other changes like medical therapy and dietary supplements are needed.

There is a fairly large amount of investigation about the possible benefits of supplements during periods of alcohol withdrawal. The highest emphasis here is for the B-complex vitamins, although each one of the main vitamins;- (vitamins A, C, D, as well as E as well as the B-complex vitamin supplements) have been discovered to perform a really good function.

Research indicates that considerably cutting down intake of sugars and caffeine can directly lower alcohol urges. In the case of sugars, this will mean prohibition of prepared desserts and goodies having greater than around ten grams of sugar per serving; avoid fizzy drinks; avoid dehydrated fruits as well as fresh fruit juices except in limited amounts (like a 4 ounce glass of juice or perhaps a few tablespoons of raisins on cereal); and obviously, almost no using table sugar.

Caffeine as well has to be cut straight out of the diet that means not less than zero tea and coffee (unless it is decaffeinated), and merely to add insult to injury chocolates is also listed, therefore just a couple of squares when you get really frantic. Interestingly enough it’s been proved that simple sugar and caffeinated drinks affect the blood sugar levels regulation and that if we are in a position to control the blood sugar levels level, we’ll in fact reduce the alcohol/sugar SS desires. In a nutshell, if you are able to forget about caffeine and sugars then you are on the road to eliminating alcohol craving.

Another crucial step to consider is to ensure you are taking on a lot of nutrient-rich food items to ensure that your body really does feel good and you’ve got total strength both mentally and physically, and also internally so that your liver can cope with the detoxing processes.

The best way to accomplish this goal is through eating as healthily as you can because healthy food sources contain the vast majority of the nutrition that we need to meet our own goals. We will probably have extremely low supplies of all of the essential vitamins and minerals as alcohol has a way of reducing them, so let’s make a real attempt for once and become healthy.

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“A Practical Approach To Understanding And Dealing With Alcoholism”
www.StopDrinkingAdvice.org/Free-Guide (Click On The Link To Change For Life)

Alcoholism is a decease that needs understanding, recognition, acceptance, and treatment… And of course, you also need to know the best way to stop drinking, as explained in this video… and then followed with a summary about understanding the different stages about alcoholism.

Best Way To Stop Drinking

Understanding The Stages Of Alcoholism
There are three stages of alcoholism. As many people know, alcoholism can take years to develop. Alcoholism begins when drinking starts affecting the physical and mental health of the drinker – they have crossed that invisible line into alcoholism.

In the early stages of alcoholism the drinker has started to drink for new reasons. They drink to change their mood or maybe to help daily stress or a problem. At this point friends and family don’t know he or she has become an alcoholic. Chances are neither does the drinker.

As alcoholism develops into the intermediate stage, the drinker no longer needs a reason to drink and may even create a reason to drink. By now the drinker is drinking over socially and legally acceptable limits. They may even experience loss of control and blackouts.

They may experience legal problems such as a DUI. Friend and family cannot escape the fact that drinking has become a problem for everyone. Should they try to confront the drinker, they are often met with anger and denial. The drinker has the false impression that they can stop drinking any time they want to. Even if the drinker does want to stop, they find the addiction has advanced to the point that the desire and craving for a drink is now too strong.

The advanced stages of alcoholism are many times devastation to the drinker and those around him or her. Friends and family have become despondent and disgusted with the destruction the drinker has brought upon themselves and others. There is irreversible damage to internal organs as the body and mind are destroyed by alcohol. Those who now try to get the drinker to stop drinking are wasting their time. The drinker is controlled by their alcoholism.

Once in the advanced stage, it will take a event of enormous proportions to get the drinker to decide they genuinely want to stop drinking. At this point the drinker will find that if they do attempt to stop their addiction, they will experience extreme withdrawal symptoms.

Quitting alcohol is a tremendous challenge. There are many success stories of people who were able to overcome their addiction to alcohol can be done. But for all of the success stories, there are those who battled alcohol and wanted to win that were unable to beat the strong hold alcohol has. The most important thing to remember is that you can do it and no matter what obstacles come, never give up.

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“A Practical Approach To Understanding And Dealing With Alcoholism”
www.StopDrinkingAdvice.org/Free-Guide (Click On The Link To Change For Life)

Lots of people are referred to an expert drug and alcohol unit for detox. Normally, this is better for those with little home or social support, those with a history of extreme withdrawal symptoms, those with physical illness due to alcohol, and those where previous efforts to quit alcohol have failed.

The medications used to detoxification in specialist units are a lot the same as GPs prescribe, other than clomethiazole that should just be used in hospitals. Hospital units have a lot more employees and expertise for giving aid and counseling than GPs have. People with serious alcohol related problems might be better off being admitted to hospital for detoxification.

The medicine does not make you quit drinking. You need dedication to stop. The medication just helps you to feel better whilst your body re-adjusts to not having alcohol. Even after the time of detoxification you might still have a little craving for alcohol. Thus you will still need self-control and coping techniques for when you feel lured to drink.

Other medication sometimes used for alcohol issues
* Vitamins, specially vitamin B1 (thiamine), are often prescribed if you are alcohol dependent – particularly during detox. This is because a lot of people who’re dependent on alcohol don’t eat properly and may lack certain vitamins. Deficiencies of vitamin B1 is the most common. Deficiencies of this vitamin may cause severe brain conditions known as Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis.

* Acamprosate and naltrexone are medicines that can help to relieve alcohol craving. Either of these might be prescribed to many people after a successful detox to assist them to stay off alcohol.

* Disulfiram is another medicine which is sometimes used following a successful detoxification. Once you take disulfiram you get very unpleasant symptoms if you drink any alcohol (such as flushing, vomiting, palpitations and headache). Thus, in effect, the medicine works as a discouraging factor for when you’re influenced to drink. It can help many people to stay off alcohol.

* Olanzapine, haloperidol and lorazepam are all used in treating delirium tremens.

After detoxification and staying off alcohol
A lot of people who successfully detox return to drinking heavily again at some point. There are numerous reasons why this may happen. It is believed that you’re less likely to go back to drinking heavily if you’ve counseling, or other support to aid you to stay off alcohol. Your physician, practice nurse, or local drug and alcohol unit may provide ongoing support when you are trying to stay off alcohol. Self help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous have also assisted a lot of people to stay off alcohol.

If you do go back to heavy drinking, you may always try again to quit or cut down. Some people take many attempts before they quit drinking, or keep within the safe limits, for good.

FREE Alcoholism Guide
“A Practical Approach To Understanding And Dealing With Alcoholism”
www.StopDrinkingAdvice.org/Free-Guide (Click On The Link To Change For Life)

What can assist me to decrease or quit alcohol consumption? – No one can make you quit or decrease drinking. You should be devoted and determined to do it yourself. But, it could be challenging, and one or more of the following might help…

Realising the issue
Some people reject to themselves that they’ve a problem. The type of thoughts that some people deceive themselves with include: “I can manage”, “I am only drinking what my mates drink”, “I can stop at any time”. Accepting that you might have a problem, and looking for aid where needed, are often the greatest steps to decreasing alcohol, or cutting it out completely.

Self help
Some people are assisted by books, web sites, leaflets and their own determination. It is thought that about one in three people who have a difficulty with alcohol return to reasonable drinking, or stop drinking, without any specialist. Look at end of this leaflet for a list of resources.

Talking treatments
Lots of people are helped by guidance and advice from a doctor or practice nurse. Sometimes a referral to a specially skilled counsellor may be recommended. They may help you to talk through the problems in more detail and aid you to plan how to control your drinking.

Often, more extensive talking treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), inspirational interviewing, or inspirational enhanced therapy may be appropriate. For example, cognitive behavioural therapy enables you to change particular ways that you think, feel and behave, and may assist many people with alcohol issues.

Talking treatments are specially useful for children with alcohol related problems who’re aged between 10 and 17. Children might also be offered family therapy in which other members of their family might be involved in a treatment course.

Treating some other illnesses
Alcohol might seem to be a rapid answer to the alleviation of stress, panic, depression, or other mental health issues. However, the effect is short lived and drinking a lot of alcohol often makes these conditions even worse. If you think that these conditions are the underlying problem then see your doctor. Medication and talking treatments such as CBT usually work well for these conditions, and are a much better long-term option than extreme drinking.

Detoxification (detox)
This is an option if you are alcohol-dependent.

What’s detoxification?
Detoxification, or detox, involves taking a short course of medicines which helps to prevent withdrawal indications when you stop alcohol consumption. Benzodiazepine medicines like chlordiazepoxide or diazepam are used for detox.

Many GPs are very happy to prescribe for detox from alcohol. A standard plan is to prescribe a high dose of medicine for the 1st day that you quit alcohol consumption. You then gradually decrease the dose over the next 5-7 days. This usually prevents, or drastically reduces, the withdrawal signs or symptoms.

You have to agree not to drink any alcohol when you are taking the detox medication. Your GP or practice nurse will usually see you regularly during the time of detox. Furthermore, during this time, support from friends or family can be of great help.

FREE Alcoholism Guide
“A Practical Approach To Understanding And Dealing With Alcoholism”
www.StopDrinkingAdvice.org/Free-Guide (Click On The Link To Change For Life)

Welcome back to part 2 of “Alcoholism and Drinking Problems“, so let’s get started with an understanding of what the the signs of alcohol dependence are…

If you’re alcohol dependent you have a strong desire for alcohol. Sometimes the desire is overpowering. You’ve huge difficulty in controlling your drinking. Also, your body becomes used to a lot of alcohol. Therefore, you may start to develop withdrawal symptoms 3-8 hours after your last drink as the effect of the alcohol wears off. Thus, even if you want to quit drinking, it is often challenging due to the withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal symptoms include: feeling sick, trembling, sweating, craving for alcohol, and just feeling awful. Convulsions occur in some cases.

For that reason, you drink alcohol regularly and depend on it to prevent withdrawal symptoms. If you do not have any more alcohol, withdrawal signs or symptoms normally last 5-7 days but a craving for alcohol might persist longer. The seriousness of dependence can vary. It may develop gradually and become more serious. You might be developing alcohol dependence if you:-

* Sometimes have a strong desire to drink alcohol and need a drink every day.

* Overlook other interests or pleasures due to alcohol drinking.

If you are alcohol dependent you’re usually tolerant to the impact of alcohol. This means that you need more alcohol to notice any effects and to become drunk. This can make things worse as it can make you drink even more.

If you’re alcohol dependent you may get drunk frequently. However, you may not get drunk. You might drink small amounts regularly to keep any withdrawal indications away. You might then be able to hide your issue from others. However, you are still at severe risk of developing conditions because of heavy drinking (cancers, liver damage, Delirium DTs, etc).

FREE Alcoholism Guide
“A Practical Approach To Understanding And Dealing With Alcoholism”
www.StopDrinkingAdvice.org/Free-Guide (Click On The Link To Change For Life)

Alcoholism is a word that lots of people use to mean alcohol dependence (alcohol addiction). Lots of people are problem drinkers without having to be reliant on alcohol. If you’re alcohol dependent then detoxing (detox) may help you to quit drinking.

Issues with drinking alcohol
There are roughly four levels of alcohol drinking – social, heavy, problem and dependent. As a rule, each level increases the risk to your safety and health.

Social drinking
Most people drink some alcohol. But, even a tiny amount of alcohol may be hazardous if you drive, run machinery, or take some types of medication.

Heavy (dangerous) drinking
This is drinking over the suggested safe limits which are:

* Men should drink no more than 21 units of alcohol per week and no more than four units in any one day.

* Women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol each week, and no more than three units in any single day. (Expectant women shouldn’t drink at all.)

A single unit of alcohol is in about half a pint of beer, or two thirds of a small glass of wine, or one small pub measure of spirits.

Drinking over the suggested safe limit is harmful. That’s, it increases your risk of developing diseases such as cirrhosis (liver damage), damage to the pancreas, particular cancers, heart disease, sexual problems, and other conditions. About 1 in 3 men, and about 1 in 7 women, drink over the safe limit. Normally, the more you drink, the greater the risk.

For instance, if a man drinks 5 units each day (not significantly over the suggested limit) then, on average, he doubles his risk of getting liver disease, raised blood pressure level, some cancers, and of having a severe death.

Problem (harmful) drinking
Here you continue to drink heavily even though you have caused harm, or are causing harm or issues to yourself, family, or society. For example, you may:-

* Have cirrhosis or another alcohol related condition.

* Binge drink and get drunk very often. This may cause you to lose time off work, or act in an anti-social way when you drink. But note: not everyone with problem drinking binges or gets drunk.

Many people with an alcohol-related condition like cirrhosis drink small amounts often but don’t get drunk.

* Waste your money on alcohol than you can afford.

* Have problems with your relationships or at the office because of your drinking.

Many problem drinkers aren’t reliant on alcohol. They might quit drinking without withdrawal symptoms if they wanted to. But, for one reason or another, they still drink seriously.

Alcohol dependence (addiction)
This is a severe situation where drinking alcohol takes a high-priority in your life. You drink every day, and often need to drink to prevent unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. In the united kingdom, about 2 in 100 ladies and about 6 in 100 men are alcohol dependent.

FREE Alcoholism Guide
“A Practical Approach To Understanding And Dealing With Alcoholism”
www.StopDrinkingAdvice.org/Free-Guide (Click On The Link To Change For Life)