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Once viewed as a simple lack of control over one’s excesses, alcoholism is now recognized as one of the more debilitating diseases of modern society which affects millions of people all over the world. And yet this disease continues to be dismissed by many as an “It can’t happen to me” malady until the individual is so intertwined in the clutches of alcoholism that desperate measures have to be resorted to. Society today, not only accepts consumption of alcoholic beverages at social events, but also seems to regard it with a favorable eye. And hence, an individual is almost encouraged to participate in social, celebratory drinking. However, when he finds himself unable to curtail the amount he drinks, or begins to long for these instances which call for the consumption of alcohol, or even begins to experience psychological symptoms such as feeling the urgent need to get drunk as soon as possible, and wanting to stay that way for every moment of his wakefulness, that his drinking habits are perceived as a threat, not only to himself, but also to others around him.

Alcoholism is defined as the compulsive need to drink, even when the practice of drinking begins to hamper your health, cause strains and tensions in the family and when you need to resort to ever increasing quantities to derive that ‘high’ that alcohol gives you. It also involves you worrying about not having enough alcohol to consume and obsessing about ways to wean out more sources. Similarly, if you feel the need to be intoxicated in order to function ‘normally’ then you might be in the category of people who are not indulgent, but dependent on alcohol.

The most common, and also the most grave, symptom of alcoholism, is when the individual fails to see the damage his addiction is causing himself, as well as those around him, even when the effects become apparent to those he interacts with. He is unable to comprehend the fact that his drinking habit is indeed doing him harm, and deludes himself with the reasoning that he is in control. And this is what leads him to start drinking secretly, and making up reasons to justify his drinking patterns, simply because he believes that he is being unnecessarily nagged, or even victimized.

There are several factors which determine how susceptible you are to addiction. Although many of these causes are rooted in your psychological patterns of behavior, it could also depend on how genetically pre-disposed you are to teetering on the verge of alcohol abuse. Hence, if you have had several instances of alcoholics up your family tree then chances are that you’re pretty close to becoming one yourself. Also, if you tend to restart to numbing yourself with a round of drinks when the stress is simply too high, or have been experiencing an emotional slump, then you are more likely to fall prey to alcoholism.

The ill-effects of long term abuse of alcohol are many. Alcohol directly impacts your liver, wherein you will find a significant loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain and sometimes even a fever. These are sure signs of Alcoholic Hepatitis or inflammation of the liver, which over time can deteriorate to yellowing of the skin or jaundice and finally cause irreversible scarring of the liver tissue, which is termed as Liver Cirrhosis. Alcohol can also aversely affect your stomach lining, thus interfering with the absorption of several essential nutrients, or even raise your blood pressure, eventually leading to heart failure or stroke. Alcohol abuse also causes several complications in the menstrual cycle for women and is one of the most common causes of erectile dysfunction in males. Excessive intake of alcohol has also been directly linked to an increased risk of cancer and several neurological maladies. Long term abuse also causes a number of social problems, which range from domestic abuse and violence to a marked decline in performance and productivity at the workplace.

The most important aspect of your treatment for alcohol addiction is to just talk. Your physician will be the best person to gauge your drinking patterns and can suggest an appropriate counselor as per your level of dependence. If you are just at the higher end of the indulgence phase, your counselor will recommend that you simply cut down on your habit. However, for later stages, absolute abstinence is considered mandatory. Your physician may also recommend medication such as Valium and Campral to help alleviate withdrawal symptoms like palpitation and nausea. The most important part of your treatment is the phase which follows your therapy sessions. Here, sharing your own experiences and learning those of others proves to be of invaluable support in encouraging you to stick to your decision. It is also essential that during the initial phases of your recovery, you avoid any situations which may involve a round of drinks like ‘nights out with the boys’ or even cocktail events. There are also several other alternative therapies which have been known to considerably aid the process of de-addiction like hypnosis or even acupuncture. So, the next time you reach into the refrigerator for an ice cold beer or decide to head back to the bar for the second round of drinks take a minute to consider whether you really want to go that way. It’s just a single step that leads you to cross the fine line between celebrating an event with a drink, and creating an event which will celebrate the drink. As they say, it’s never too late to begin. So, take that first step to a healthy and fruitful journey down life’s myriad lanes and let’s not raise a toast to that!