Alcoholism (chronic alcohol use disorder) is associated with serious accidents, overdose, cancer, heart and liver disease, and weakened immune systems. Regular heavy drinking can also cause less life-threatening problems that run the spectrum from major disability to persistent nuisance. One example is alcoholic neuropathy, a variety of unpleasant symptoms...
People with alcohol use disorder tend toward irrational thinking even when sober: repeatedly insisting, “I’ve got it under control” in the face of all evidence, finding any excuse for why nothing is really their fault. Even trained therapists struggle to get through to people who stubbornly believe that “only...
Alcohol is a caustic substance that can wreak havoc on the mind and body. Beer, spirits, and wine are the most commonly used and abused addictive substances. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated 95,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually. The mind-altering substance is the third...
The month of April is the perfect time to open up a dialogue about a mental health condition that impacts millions of people. April is Alcohol Awareness Month: “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow.” Sponsored by Facing Addiction with NCADD, the national observance provides communities an opportunity to recognize...
The impact that addiction has on the family is immeasurable. Those who contend with alcohol and substance use disorder put enormous stress on their loved ones. In the field of addiction medicine, experts refer to alcoholism and chemical dependency as family diseases. They do this for two primary reasons...
Binge drinking is a practice that is quite common among teenagers and young adults. The behavior is most often defined as having four drinks for women and five for men, in a two-hour period. Young people often don’t realize the true consequences of their actions early in life, partly...
It is widely accepted that people, with a family history of alcoholism, are themselves at a greater risk of developing an alcohol use disorder than their peers, who do not have a similar background. People who have a family history of alcoholism are four times more likely to experience...
