Many people are affected everyday by alcoholism. This article will cover what alcoholism is, what causes alcohol dependency, the signs and symptoms of alcoholism. You will learn the affects that alcohol has on the human body and how to begin recovery.

Alcoholism is also known as alcohol dependence syndrome. It is an uncontrollable need for alcohol. A person may feel the need to drink like everyone else feels the need to eat. Alcoholism can be characterized by: cravings, the inability to stop drinking once one has begun, withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, shakes, sweating and anxiety when the alcoholic has gone for a period of time without drinking. The symptoms usually go away after the person begins drinking again. Also, the person may need increasing amounts of alcohol just to feel "normal." Alcoholism may result in failure to fulfill work and family responsibilities, arrest, car accidents, relationship problems, being physically injured, or even death.

There are many signs and symptoms of alcoholism. One of the most important signs is thinking that you cannot live without the alcohol. Drinking may become more important than anything else such as a job, friends, or family. Judgement may also be impaired. The person may be caught in multiple lies and have memory loss.

Drinking too much alcohol has tremendous effects on the body. Alcohol can cause irregular heart beat, high blood pressure, liver poisoning, vomiting, ulcers, kidney failure, headaches, loss of body heat, anemia, infections, muscle and heart weakness, unconsciousness and even death.

Recovery from alcoholism is like recovery from any other drug, it is a life long process. First, the person must admit they have a problem with alcohol. Without this step they will fail. Recovery from an addiction is a "one day at a time" process. Everyday the person must make a commitment to not drink. There are also medications available that can aid a person with a drinking problem when they decide to get sober. These drugs help decrease the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Use of these drugs past the withdrawal stage is not recommended due to the chance of abuse. Once the person is sober, they should begin rehabilitation such as Alcoholics Anonymous. There are also medications the person can be given to discourage drinking. When they are combined with alcohol, these drugs cause unpleasant side effects such as throbbing headache, nausea, and vomiting. The only problem is that those who want to drink simply stop taking the medication.

In conclusion, alcohol caused many mental, physical, and emotional problems. Alcohol may affect your job, family and relationships if it is abused. There is hope for those suffering from disease if they want to quit and are willing to make a life ling commitment to stay sober.

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