Key Signs to Know If your Casual Drinking Is Turning Into an Addiction

 

By Janice Killey | 

Alcoholism is a chronic disease which affects a lot of people in the society nowadays. Although this is no longer a new topic for everyone, alcoholism should not be taken lightly as it can bring severe effects to the affected person.

Symptoms of Alcoholism come as signs and markers that are manifested during the disease’s early stage. Even if there are many signs of knowing if someone is an alcoholic or not, it is not that easy to detect.

Have you been drinking too much, too often lately? Ask yourself this question along with others listed below. All of these will eventually help you determine if your casual drinking has turned into an addiction. 

1. Are you lying and hiding whenever you drink?

The scene: You just got home from a casual drinking session without your partner knowing that you went into one. Curious why you are home late than usual, she asks you if you were out with your friends, drinking. Without any hesitation, you respond to her with a resounding “no.” If this situation is all too familiar to you, you might be an alcoholic.

The explanation: Denial is typical to people who have problems with alcohol. They would often lie to people on how much and how frequently they drink to not make an issue out of it. Alcoholics would even heed these questions just to put their friends’ and family’s mind at ease thinking that everything is fine.

2. Are you drinking to relax?

The scene: You had a stressful day at work because your boss gave the promotion you expected to another employee. You immediately crave for a bottle of beer the moment the news broke. You were depressed the next day because your car stopped in the middle of the road and so, you can’t stop thinking of drinking again. Whatever your emotional status is for the day, you always look forward to drinking beer to ease all the negativities you are experiencing.

The explanation: Using alcohol as an escape from real-life dilemmas is risky. Yes, you might be relaxed the moment you drink beer, but it can also create problems which can spiral in the long run.

3. Do you black out every time you drink?

The scene: Most of the time, you do not remember what happens next the moment you are intoxicated. The day after a drinking session would usually involve your friends informing you of what you did while you were drunk.

The explanation: You drink way too much – simple. Not being able to learn when to stop is one indication that drinking has become your addiction. After all, no one requires you to “blackout” before you can have fun.

4. Do you drink in dangerous situations?

The scene: You function well at work if you are able to drink before your working schedule. You still choose to drink even if you are to drive for a five-hour trip. You drink excessively despite your doctor’s reminders. Do these situations sound familiar to you? If yes, you can tick this off as one of the most important signs of problem drinking. 

The explanation: Every time you do any of the scenarios laid out for you, you are putting yourself at risk and more significant consequences. Taking these risks just to get a hold of a beer, means that drinking has become a priority in your life.

5. Are you neglecting your responsibilities?

The scene: You forgot to submit an important business presentation because you had a hung-over from the night before. Upon arriving home, you also realized that today was supposed to be your child’s family day and once again, you forgot to attend. You wait for your partner to arrive home and the minute she does, she lectures you of how irresponsible you have become because of drinking too much.

The explanation: Once your responsibilities are taken for granted because you drink too much, you have a drinking problem. Alcohol obviously crossed the boundary from an occasional enjoyment to something which impacts your daily functions.

To conclude

Experiencing one of the things listed above does not necessarily make you an alcoholic. But if you have been answering yes to all of these questions, there is a possibility that your drinking has gone too far. For you to be sure of your symptoms, it is always best to seek professional help.

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Janice Killey has a wealth of experience and training. She holds a Diploma of Education, Bachelor of Arts (Psychology), Master of Arts (Counselling), Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy (ASH) and is a Registered Psychologist at Psychologists Southern Sydney. She’s also a member of the Australian Psychological Society.

The post Key Signs to Know If your Casual Drinking Is Turning Into an Addiction appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Study: Moderate Drinking Linked with Fewer Heart Problems

An ice cold beer can be refreshing, and a glass of wine can be relaxing, but is alcohol safe for your heart? Alcohol consumption in moderation has a reputation for being heart-healthy, and a new study of nearly 2 million people seems to confirm that, but only to a certain degree.

For the study, published in the BMJ, researchers analyzed the link between alcohol consumption and 12 different heart problems, including heart attack, heart failure, and chest pain linked with heart disease, within a large group of U.K. adults. None of the participants had cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the study, and all were 30 years of age or older. The researchers zeroed in on the first heart problem that each participant developed. [1], [2]

They also looked at other information in the records, including how much alcohol the subjects reported drinking. Based on their drinking habits, each participant was placed in one of five groups: nondrinkers, former drinkers, occasional drinkers, moderate drinkers, and heavy drinkers.

Moderate alcohol intake is considered up to 1 drink a day for women, and up to 2 drinks a day for men. [3]

One drink contains 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol and is defined as:

• 12 fl. oz. of regular beer (5% alcohol)

• 4-5 fl. oz. of wine (12% alcohol)

• 1.5 fl. oz. of 80-proof distilled spirits (40% alcohol)

• 1 fl. oz. of 100-proof distilled spirits (50% alcohol)

Source: CNN

The Findings

According to the study, there were no heart conditions for which the nondrinkers had the lowest risk. In other words, they found that drinking was not necessarily bad for the heart. [2]

Compared with those who never drank, moderate drinkers were actually less likely to be diagnosed with chest pain, heart failure, stroke, peripheral artery disease, and several other conditions. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups for other conditions.

The heavy drinkers, on the other hand, were found to be more likely to be diagnosed with conditions like heart failure, cardiac arrest, peripheral artery disease, and stroke compared with moderate drinkers, which supports earlier findings that heavy drinking is not good for heart health.

Yet the heavy drinkers were less likely to be diagnosed with a heart attack than moderate drinkers. The researchers wrote that this doesn’t mean that heavy drinkers are not at risk for having a heart attack. It simply means a heart attack is less likely to be the first heart problem heavy drinkers have.

As for former drinkers, the researchers found that they were more likely than current drinkers to be diagnosed with certain heart conditions, including chest pain, heart attack, cardiac arrest, and aortic aneurysm. This doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t quit drinking. The finding suggests that some people quit in part because they are developing health problems from drinking.

Additionally, alcohol does not appear to protect against four less common heart problems: certain types of milder strokes caused by brief periods of blocked blood flow to the brain, and cases of bleeding in the brain. [1]

Overall, the study suggests that moderate drinking is associated with a lower risk for several heart conditions.

But if you don’t drink, or you drink rarely, the researchers advise against becoming a moderate drinker to protect your heart. It’s much safer to quit smoking, eat right, and get enough exercise.

The science behind the health effects of drinking have always been murky. Past studies showed that having two alcoholic drinks a day increased the risk for atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, by 17%. This condition can lead to stroke and heart failure. And while moderate wine consumption has been linked with a lower risk for breast cancer, recent research suggests that the risk increases as alcohol intake increases.

So if you don’t drink, don’t start for the sake of your health. And if you drink a lot, you should consider cutting back for your health’s sake.

Sources:

[1] Time

[2] Live Science

[3] Atlanta Journal-Constitution

CNN

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The Dark Relationship Between Alcohol and the Liver

The liver is one of the most robust and capable organs in the body. It has to be, its function is to process toxins that have entered the body. However, some toxins, like alcohol, can be too much for the liver to process in excessive amounts. Despite the fact that many people do consume alcohol without immediate repercussion, it’s important to understand the hardline facts of what alcohol is, what the liver does, and how one affects the performance of the other.

Alcohol is processed differently than food; the stomach and intestines do not contribute to the digestion of alcohol, the liver does. Alcohol is a small molecule and passes directly through the membranes of the digestive system into the bloodstream to the liver. The liver receives almost all the blood flow from the digestive tract; hence the quick effect that happens when you drink alcohol; it’s been absorbed directly and the liver is receives most of it. The highest concentration of alcohol are found in blood flowing through the liver.

How the Liver Metabolizes Alcohol

The liver is the only organ in your body that can metabolize alcohol. Enzymes secreted by liver cells recognize alcohol as a toxin. In an attempt to break it down, one enzyme in particular, acetate dehydrogenase, transmutes alcohol into a substance known as acetaldehyde. Unfortunately, acetaldehyde is even more toxic than alcohol and it’s damage is not limited to the liver. Acetaldehyde can combine with liver proteins to form toxic compounds that impair other cellular components and enzymes in the body. Eventually, acetaldehyde is metabolized into acetate which metabolizes into carbon dioxide and, finally, water. Your body then discharges this stuff through the lungs, urine, and perspiration.

How Alcohol Affects the Liver

The Liver Center of Excellence, Virginia Mason Medical Center doesn’t mince words in their analysis, stating that alcohol consumption is often a factor in chronic liver diseases and may exacerbate liver problems. Alcohol increases inflammation in the liver and accelerates fibrosis. Or, rather, scarring. To top it off, alcohol increases the risk for liver cancer and death from liver disease. ^[1] Although the liver is the primary target, to a degree, regular alcohol consumption irreparably damages nearly every organ. ^[2]

Alcohol offers no nutritional value to the body, yet it is high in empty calories which provide no nutritional benefit to the body. Alcohol is converted to fat that accumulates in the liver and, to a degree, all who consume alcohol will get fat deposits. Fatty liver can progress to alcoholic hepatitis which can progress to cirrhosis. ^[2]

Your Liver May Be Getting a Beating

Think it only happens to other people? Think again. It’s sobering to learn that alcohol-induced liver damage is usually not evident. The liver has the capacity to regenerate and surviving with only 10-20% of liver function isn’t unheard of. Liver efficacy on a constant decline can sometimes cause the symptoms of liver disease unnoticed until it has progressed substantially How many people probably thought their alcohol consumption was harmless- only to later be shocked by a liver disease diagnosis? Balancing the pleasures of today with the consequence of tomorrow is a delicate scale.

3 Things You Can Do Immediately

1. Stop drinking alcohol.


2. Eat foods that known to support the liver.


3. Perform a full liver cleansing to combat the effect of toxins on your liver.

References

1. Lee M, Kowdley KV. Alcohol’s effect on other chronic liver diseases. Clin Liver Dis. 2012 Nov;16(4):827-37. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2012.08.010. Review.


2. Ströhle A, Wolters M, Hahn A. [Alcohol intake–a two-edged sword. Part 1: metabolism and pathogenic effects of alcohol]. Med Monatsschr Pharm. 2012 Aug;35(8):281-92; quiz 293-4. Review. German.