In its most basic terms, alcoholism is a complete dependence
on alcohol. According to the World Health Association, as many as 140 million
people across the world are afflicted with varying degrees of dependence on
alcohol, while other sources estimate that around 4 million of those are in the
UK
alone.
Alcoholism is one of the more wide-spread addictions afflicting British
society, however it receives little attention from the British government.
Within the last five years, only £100 million had been set aside for alcoholic
treatment, in comparison to under £600 million for other harder drugs, such as
cocaine and heroin. Three-fifths of dependent drinkers, as a result, are often
unable to secure help and treatment.
The problem with alcoholism is that it’s exceedingly
difficult to get people to admit when they have a problem, because alcohol is
such an overlooked social drug. No one thinks much of drinking, and in truth
there’s nothing wrong with this in and of itself. However it does mean that
people often don’t recognise that they may have become dependent on alcohol,
even when they binge drink. “I don’t have a problem, I can quite when I want”
is often a phrase followed by a demonstration that, in fact, the speaker cannot quit when she or he wants. A
glass of wine after dinner becomes several cans of beer through the evening (“I
had friends round I wanted to be sociable”) and then becomes several more beers
later (“It was a one-time celebration!”). After that, they drink daily in
increasing volumes. To be sure, some can
quit drinking, however most find themselves dependent.
Causes of alcoholism are not standard. It can be a mixture
of family background, socio-economic background and even genetics. Children
from alcoholic households are, likewise, more likely to become alcoholics
themselves later in life.
Signs of alcoholism can include build ups of fluids and gas
in the stomach area that are popularly called a “beer gut”, broken capillaries
(blood vessels) in the face -- which forms the classic drunkard’s red nose --,
shaking hands, a yellowish tone to the skin and a raspy voice. Mentally
alcoholics can have bouts of amnesia, disorientation, mood swings and
depression. The latter can lock the alcoholic in question in a vicious downward
cycle: he drinks because he’s depressed and he’s depressed because he drinks.
Be aware, however, that while it’s a good chance that
someone exhibiting these signs may be an alcoholic, it’s not proof. Get alcohol addiction help at www.timetostop.net.
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