The Sunday News
Lee-Anne
ALCOHOL abuse is one of the most common causes of accidents, domestic violence and rape in many communities. It goes without saying like for alcohol; everything in excess is toxic. This means that a glass or two of wine a week or per day may not necessarily be harmful to an individual’s life or well-being. However, we need to understand at what point alcohol is toxic and when the level of consumption has become abusive. Alcohol is absorbed quickly from the small intestine into the bloodstream.
The consumption of alcohol is lawful, and society should therefore learn to consume it responsibly.
Here are some guidelines for safe drinking
Men less than 21 units/week and women less than 14 units/week
Not daily (at least 2 alcohol free days per week)
Not all on one day (avoid binges)
Not during pregnancy
Never before or during driving, swimming, operating machinery, electrical equipment
Remember!!!!!!!!
— 10ml Alcohol = 8g Alcohol = 1 Unit
— Number of Units = volume of alcohol in ml x alcohol percentage/1 000
There are many medical complications arising from too much alcohol consumption.
Here are some Psychiatric disorders resulting from alcohol:
1 Alcohol intoxication: this is known to be a reversible substance specific syndrome due to the recent use of a substance.
2 Alcohol abuse: When the use of alcohol causes biological, psychological or social damage. Some of these people fail to fulfill important obligations at work, school or in their homes.
3 Alcohol withdrawal: Firstly, withdrawal is a substance specific syndrome due to cessation of or a reduction in substance use after heavy and prolonged use.
When someone is dependant on alcohol, he or she will experience a withdrawal syndrome characterised by nausea, sweating, fast heart beat, insomnia, craving and a profound tremor.
Patients with alcohol dependence should never be told to stop drinking abruptly without being detoxified first.
Why do people become addicted?
There are many reasons why people end up addicted to a specific substance, Although usually the decision to experiment is voluntary, it is important to note that no one uses a drug/substances with the intention of getting addicted. The reasons for alcohol consumption are a complex interplay between factors relating to a person that is; age, peer group, gender and personality or environmental factors such as; unemployment, poverty and stresses. Addiction is therefore a brain disease. It is a chronic relapsing disease characterised by compulsive often uncontrollable, alcohol seeking and alcohol consumption in the face of negative consequences.
Many abusers feel the need to change their lives however, readiness for change is determined by how much effort one is willing to put into getting better. The following are the stages in the cycle of change:
Pre-contemplation: This is the stage at which people are unaware that they have a problem and do not feel that there is any point in changing.
Contemplation: At this stage a person begins to weigh out the pros and cons of his/her habit and feels somewhat ambivalent about his/her behaviour.
Determination: This is a stage at which the balance is tipped and the person decides to do something about the habit.
Action: The stage at which a strategy for change is chosen which the person pursues.
Maintenance: This is the stage at which efforts are made to maintain the gains made in order to avoid returning to previous undesired behaviour. A person can either maintain gains and exit the cycle of alcohol abuse permanently or relapse.
Relapse: This is recognised as a frequently occurring event. If viewed as a positive learning experience it increases the chances of success the next time around.
