Myths about alcohol consumption

Posted by Ilona Ernest | July 20th, 2010 in Alcohol Info, Alcohol Treatment | No Comments »

alcohol consumption

For a long time have been taken as irrefutable truths myths associated with alcohol consumption. Many people have believed and still believe, that alcohol is a stimulant, but it is not. Alcohol, by contrast, is a depressant. While initially people may notice an improvement in their mood, the reality is that their use inevitably leads to depression.

The other big myth is that “alcohol enhances sexual activity.” Here something similar happens in the previous misconception. Although you may feel a greater sexual arousal, the truth is that the indiscriminate consumption of alcoholic drinks ends up causing problems with impotence and even lack of orgasms.

Treatments available for those addicted to alcohol

Certainly, the vast majority of alcohol addicts do not recognize to be, nor do they seek professional help. However, those who receive medical care fail to control the disease greatly. The key is intervention (medical and family support), detoxification (withdrawal monitored and supervised by specialists) and rehabilitation (education about alcohol and its effects to prevent relapse).

In the interest of avoiding such a decline, sometimes prescribed medications such as Acamprosate, which decreases relapse rates, the Antabuse, which produces unpleasant side effects if the person returns to drinking and naltrexone, which reduces the uncontrollable desire for alcohol.

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Alcohol consumption and its consequences

Posted by Ilona Ernest | July 15th, 2010 in Diseases of Alcohol, Effects of Alcohol | No Comments »

Alcohol consumption

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), alcoholism is the fifth most important risk factor for premature death and disability:
* Reduces life expectancy by 12 years.
* It is responsible for at least 200,000 deaths annually.
* Is involved in half of all deaths from motor vehicle accidents.
* It is the fourth leading cause of suicides.
* It is related to more than 65% of the murders.
Y * is considered the main health problem in developed countries.

Diseases associated with alcohol addiction
The cerebrum and cerebellum are the primary organs affected by alcohol. The first damage usually cause hallucinations, dementia and delirium tremens, which can be fatal. The damage in the second, meanwhile, tend to cause loss of coordination, vertical and memory.

The liver, for its part, is the organ most affected is responsible for metabolizing the alcohol in 90%. Fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis, are among the ailments caused by harmful habit.

But not just the brain and liver are affected by alcoholism: the stomach, pancreas, kidneys, heart, and to the testes and ovaries, may also be harmed.
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Alcoholism: vice to disease

Posted by Ilona Ernest | July 10th, 2010 in Alcoholics, Diseases of Alcohol, Effects of Alcohol | No Comments »

Alcoholism

As binge drinking poses serious health risks
Alcohol dependence reduces life expectancy, is linked to half of all deaths in traffic accidents and is one of the causes of suicide.

Miguel is an inveterate alcoholic. At 60 years, has nothing good to tell of his life because of his addiction to alcohol lost family, jobs and prestige. Their only child abandonment can not forgive. Her relatives do to one side. His friends … Miguel has no friends, except for loneliness. Never sought help from a doctor. Never felt sick. But, suffering from alcoholism.

Alcoholism is a chronic disease

More than just a vice, alcoholism is a chronic progressive disease caused by intoxication with ethyl alcohol on a regular and prolonged. Such wasteful consumption often interferes with physical and mental health of those affected and their family responsibilities, work or social.

While noting primarily male, an increasing prevalence in females and between young people in general, reporting a high incidence worldwide.

Role of genetics in children of alcoholics
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, United States, studies have shown that genetic factors are closely linked to the likelihood of alcoholism. In fact, today it is known that children of alcoholics are four times more likely to develop this disease than the rest of the population.

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How to get to addiction

Posted by Ilona Ernest | July 5th, 2010 in Alcohol Info, Alcoholics | No Comments »

alcohol addictions

Generally, alcohol addictions begin safely. There are people for whom life becomes boring and not find a way to cheer for a natural way. Likewise, those who suffer from antisocial personality disorder are more likely to move from being simply drinkers become alcoholics. That is, take refuge in drink as a way to escape reality.

And although most people achieve a better life through intellectual stimulation, to converse with others, reading, listening to music or go to the movies or the theater, unfortunately, a certain percentage are looking to improve their lives, wrongly through alcohol or other drugs.

In general in our society it is customary to identify alcohol with fun and thought that a party is not fun if you do not drink much, an idea that the media is responsible for promoting a continuous parade of pleasure provided by the alcohol. And so, the success of any event is inconceivable without wine. However, we must never forget that alcohol is a drug and is toxic until proven otherwise.

However, the good news is that the human body is better able to enjoy life without taking any type of drug. We have an almost unlimited range of activities that can have fun and be happy, but healthy.

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Alcohol and Sexuality

Posted by Ilona Ernest | June 30th, 2010 in Alcohol Info | No Comments »

Alcohol and Sexuality

Alcohol can be one source of pleasure, but consumed in excess have devastating effects.

Drinking alcohol in moderate amounts can promote relaxation, reduce anxiety and inhibitions, and even increase confidence in ourselves. That is, its effects seem to us to overcome many problems. Therefore, is very present at the time of social relations.

But if alcohol consumption is excessive, also paid an important bill: the hangover is the result of an agency that has been seriously damaged and, if repeated often, the damage will be irreversible. For example, in sexual terms, although the alcohol increases the desire, is an inhibitor of sexual response, altering their normal functioning.

How excess alcohol affects men
Alcohol tends to inhibit erections. Many young people have their first sexual intercourse after drinking a large amount of alcohol, which normally produce them with erection problems and they create enormous suffering, to attribute failure to their own personal characteristics rather than the effects of drink. The result is often a psychological erectile dysfunction by the fear of further failures.

According Walji and Kingston, has shown that even not too high quantities of alcohol, but continuously ingested, can affect the reproductive system, as the male hormone testosterone is eliminated more rapidly and occurs in smaller quantities, so the drinker will therefore diminished sex drive as the production of sperm.

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Alcohol Treatment: Pharmacotherapy

Posted by Ilona Ernest | June 12th, 2010 in Alcohol Treatment | No Comments »

Pharmacotherapy

It is complementary to other therapies used. Pharmacological Possibilities include:

1 .- Anti-craving drugs.
They are used therapeutically in the prophylaxis of relapse of alcoholic patients. There are mainly two types of drugs:

1-a) Acamprosate
Drugs whose main mechanism of action is inhibition of the excitability of neurons, by antagonism of the activity of excitatory amino acids, especially glutamate, and also by a reduction in flow by blocking calcium channels for transporting them. This is achieved by removing the consumer craving induced by alcohol withdrawal.

It’s a fairly safe drug and well tolerated, its most common side effects of gastrointestinal or dermatological, but transitory duration. Without risk of abuse and lack of anxiolytic, hypnotic, or muscle relaxants. The treatment period is approximately one year.

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Alcohol Treatment: Psychotherapy

Posted by Ilona Ernest | June 8th, 2010 in Alcohol Treatment | No Comments »

Psychotherapy

1 .- Behavioral treatments.
This type of alcohol therapy believe that alcohol consumption is based on learned behavior, with a number of causes which prompted its inception and a series of consequences that perpetuate consumption. This behavior must be changed by acting on the individual who is the main goal of therapy and should be supported at all times to avoid situations or places of consumption and with the complicity of relatives or friends who support you in your task.

Unfortunately though it is assumed that fast recovery is achieved, the danger of relapse is high, so that the patient is trained in various techniques such as relaxation, social situations and managing training programs assertive behavior, not to relapse again on ingestion.

2 .- Psychotherapy group
Many times the support of others motivates us and increases our power to ensure achieving specific objectives, this is based on this type of psychotherapy. So we are increasing our relationships, we motivate and note any defects that we have.

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Stop Drinking

Posted by Ilona Ernest | June 4th, 2010 in Alcohol Detoxification | No Comments »

Stop DrinkingIt is the first step to be taken by the addict, and leads to immediate and total abolition of alcohol in the drink, which implies the appearance of a withdrawal must be prevented or treated.

This will happen at an essential ambulance, although there are a number of circumstances that require such processing is performed in a hospital such as:

* No responsible person who controls the whole process.
* Co-existence of an organic illness or severe psychiatric affected person.
* Personal history of seizures or delirium by alcohol dependence.
* Multiple failures in previous attempts at outpatient detoxification.
* Presence of a significant withdrawal despite all the means employed to prevent their occurrence.

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Alcohol Behavior

Posted by Konbanwa | May 30th, 2010 in Alcoholics | No Comments »

The damage caused by alcohol in the workplace are not always apparent to the naked eye. The alcoholic is a sick often hidden and concealed. His serious behavior disorders are not usually attributed to alcohol, until recently have been applied in industry discipline. This attitude stems from inaccurate and incomplete knowledge of the problem. Cause misunderstandings with his attitude and undermines the morale of his comrades.

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Alcohol Addiction

Posted by Konbanwa | May 27th, 2010 in Alcohol Detoxification | No Comments »

On the other hand, and very often when there is alcohol addiction, hallucinations may be experienced between six and forty-eight hours after they quit. They are usually visual hallucinations, but may involve sounds and smells, and last from hours to weeks. Also in this period of leave or stop alcohol consumption, seizures can occur. These symptoms can lead to delirium tremens.

Delirium tremens alcohol withdrawal typically begins between 48 and 72 hours after the last intake of alcohol and it is preceded by early symptoms of withdrawal, although these may be masked or delayed by other diseases or medications. Signs of sympathetic hyperactivity (tachycardia, hypertension, fever and excessive sweating) are often deep and are the leading brands of delirium tremens, along with others as profound confusion, disorientation and severe cardiovascular disorders. Once the delirium tremens begins, there may be very severe seizures, heart attacks and strokes that can be fatal. The death rate is between 1% and 5%, and increases with delayed diagnosis of alcoholism, inadequate treatment and concurrent medical conditions.

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