Alcohol addiction; It is the situation where a person cannot stop himself/herself after a certain point when he/she drinks alcohol and cannot resist the constant desire to continue and maintain his/her habit.
Alcohol Misuse;
One or fewer of the following events per year:
- Failure to fulfill essential role obligations as a result of repeated use,
- Repeated use in dangerous situations,
- Recurrence of alcohol-related legal problems,
- Driving under the influence of alcohol,
- Continued drinking despite social and interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by alcohol,
- Drinking alcohol, often in larger quantities or over a longer period of time than intended
3 or less of the following events per year:
- Tolerance increased quantity to achieve the desired effect,
- The same amount of alcohol but with less effect,
- Abstinence, taking considerable time to obtain, use and recover from the effects of alcohol,
- Reduced social activities due to alcohol and complete withdrawal,
- Drinking longer and in larger quantities than intended.
The main defining characteristic of an addiction syndrome is a craving for alcohol. This can range from frequent cravings to irrepressible cravings for alcohol.
According to the World Health Organization (ICD10), a person has alcohol dependence if three or more of the following have been present in the past year.
- A strong desire to drink alcohol,
- Difficulty controlling drinking behavior (comfort, intoxication, pleasure),
- The need for increasing amounts of alcohol (development of tolerance),
- Increasing time and effort spent on obtaining, using and concealing the effects of alcohol to the exclusion of other interests and pursuits,
- Continued alcohol use despite the mental, social and physical harms caused by excessive alcohol use.
In addition to experiencing both the medical and social consequences of long-term alcohol use, alcohol addicts also experience the inability to control their drinking behavior and the physical and psychological dependence on alcohol.
Loss of control over drinking behavior is the boundary between alcohol abuse or harmful use and alcohol dependence.
Generally, alcohol dependence occurs between the ages of 20-35.
Although there is no generalization for the development of alcohol dependence, 5-10 years of regular alcohol intake is required.
Disorders related to alcohol dependence are seen in all socioeconomic classes.
Alcohol Deprivation
- Withdrawal symptoms occur after abrupt cessation of frequent and intensive alcohol intake.
- Sweating, increased pulse rate, trembling, sweating, restlessness, restlessness, insomnia, irritability, intolerance, temporary hallucinations, nausea and vomiting are some of the withdrawal symptoms of alcohol dependence.
- Convulsions may also be observed when internal and neurological diseases accompany alcohol withdrawal.
Effects of Alcohol During Pregnancy on the Baby
Alcohol passes directly into the baby's blood through the placenta and is equalized with the amount in the womb.
Alcohol intake in the early stages of pregnancy can cause miscarriage with its direct effect on the embryo, developmental defects in many organs with its effects on cells during organ development, and damage to the central nervous system with its toxic effect on cells during the period of rapid cell proliferation starting from the second period of pregnancy.
The risk of the baby dying increases in every period of pregnancy due to the effects of alcohol.
As the daily alcohol intake increases, the risk of unwanted conditions in the baby increases in a linear relationship. However, a safe threshold for daily alcohol intake has not yet been established and is unlikely to be established in the future.
Alcohol intake during pregnancy can have a spectrum of effects on the baby, starting with low birth weight and extending to serious sequelae such as mental retardation.
The most advanced condition caused by alcohol on the baby is defined as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. It is estimated that two out of 1000 live births in the world have fetal alcohol syndrome.
Race and Ethnicity in Alcohol Addiction
Compared to other groups, Caucasians had the highest rate of alcohol dependence with 56%.
No statistically significant racial or ethnic differences were found in heavy drinkers.
Gender in Alcohol Dependence
In alcohol dependence, 60% of men and 45% of women have used alcohol in the previous month.
Education for Alcohol Addiction
In contrast to illicit substance use, the rate of alcohol dependence increases as educational attainment increases.
Seventy percent of those with university level education and 40% of those with high school education or less still use alcohol.
Socioeconomic Class in Alcohol Addiction
Less than 5% of people with alcohol dependence in the US are stereotypically low socioeconomic alcoholics.
Rates of alcohol dependence are higher among those with advanced academic degrees and those from lower socioeconomic classes.
Similar to other psychiatric conditions, alcohol dependence probably involves a heterogeneous group of disease processes.
In individual cases, psychosocial genetic or behavioral factors may be more important than others.
Childhood History
Because one or both parents were affected, researchers have identified many important elements in the childhood histories of those who were later diagnosed with alcohol dependence and children at high risk of alcohol-related disorders.
In experimental studies, children at high risk of alcohol dependence were found to have significant deficits in neurocognitive tests, decreased p300 waves in evoked potential tests and abnormalities in EEG recordings.
Psychodynamic Theories
Psychoanalytic theories of alcohol dependence have focused on the punitive super ego and fixation theories in the oral period of psychosocial development.
According to the psychoanalytic theory, people with a punitive hard superego resort to alcohol to reduce their unconscious stress.
In individuals focused on the oral period, anxiety can be reduced by oral alcohol intake. Some psychodynamic authors describe the general personality characteristics of people with alcohol dependence as shy, isolated, impatient, restless, anxious, hypersensitive and sexually repressed.
Behavioral and Learning Factors
Not only cultural factors can influence drinking behavior, but also habits within the family, especially parental drinking habits.
Some evidence suggests that family drinking habits, which influence a child's drinking behavior, are less related to the development of alcohol dependence than previously thought.
According to the behavioral perspective, the positive reinforcing effect of alcohol leads to feeling good and euphoric effects.
It also reduces fear and anxiety and leads to more alcohol use.
