Alcohol Abuse Articles Blogs and Resources

Teenage Girl with an alcohol abuse problemAlcohol addiction and Alcoholism can be defined as a physical dependence on liquor, or a condition in which the body becomes reliant on alcohol to perform physically. As a result of this alcohol abuse, liquor is consumed obsessively and in unlimited amounts.

Men and women who experience an addiction to alcohol cannot exercise power over the quantity drunk, regardless if their abuse of alcohol is harming their relationships, ability to work, or finances. Alcoholism is a crushing illness as it results in damaging mental, physical, and emotional consequences to the man or woman who may be suffering.

There are numerous interrelated factors that can lead to alcohol abuse or addiction. Examples of these events that can influence the development of alcoholism include biological, psychological, and social/environmental circumstances.

Biological influences that may attribute to alcohol addiction include a genetic element. Psychological factors related to alcoholism include but are not limited to cases of abuse, underlying traumas, feelings of depression, and anxiety. In situations of intolerable emotions, feelings, or pain, alcohol may be misused as a method of escaping these realities.

Social/environmental factors that can be a component in alcoholism include similar cases of abuse within family, availability and acceptability of alcohol within a community, and pressure from peer groups. Examples of social/environmental circumstances that may be related to alcohol dependence are circumstances such as poverty, homelessness, or inadequate housing.

Because of the connections alcoholism has with other addictive diseases, it can be co-occurring with substance abuse or eating disorders. The characteristics of addictive disorders are influenced by numerous factors, and, likely, the person fighting alcohol abuse may also grapple with other kinds of addictions.

Alcohol abuse can result in copious short and long-term consequences for the sufferer. Men and women struggling with alcoholism can be affected physically, psychologically / mentally, and socially as a result of their alcohol abuse.

Please continue reading below to see our latest blog posts on alcoholism. Under the “Substance Abuse Navigation” menu, you can click on the drop-down arrow to see evergreen, general information on abusing alcohol.


Featured Addiction Expert Article

A Neglected Crisis: Alcohol-Related Deaths Rising, Especially Among Women

Alcohol deaths have been increasing at an alarming rate, particularly among women.  McLean Hospital’s Dr. Kathryn McHugh examines this alarming trend and how early intervention and treatment can help alleviate suffering and promote recovery.

 

Ketamine in Addiction Medicine: Not Just For Treatment-Resistant Depression Anymore?

Man thinking of stopping opioid use Can Cocaine, Alcohol, Other Addictions Be Treated with Ketamine? Intranasal esketamine was approved in March 2019 by the FDA for the treatment of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in adults. The FDA-approved ketamine-like drug is called esketamine. It is one version of the ketamine molecule. Eskeamine works like intravenous ketamine but with fewer side effects. Its chemical [...]
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Teenage Binge-Drinking and Long-Term Anxiety

Boy struggling with alcohol addiction Every “coming of age” movie ever has sent the clear message that adolescence is a challenging time. Unfortunately, these movies also often send the message that it is acceptable for teens to binge-drink to socialize and cope in these times but does binge-drinking and long-term anxiety feed on each other? While this is posed as “harmless” [...]
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Booze & Social Anxiety Disorder

Teen girls drinking alcohol We’ve all heard people on a night out casually comment that alcohol helps them in social situations, stating, “it makes me more outgoing,” or, “I feel less insecure after a few drinks.” Our society seems to view it as acceptable to mix booze and social anxiety in order to cope with extroverted tendencies and feelings of [...]
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Pregnancy, Drinking, and Motherhood: a complicated matter

Alcohol and pregnancy and Perinatal Marijuana Use Motherhood, pregnancy and drinking alcohol is a complex matter. It is highly recommended for pregnant women not to consume alcohol, and as a consequence, most women  stop or significantly reduce their alcohol consumption. New data depicts a rise in the rate of women drinking alcohol during pregnancy in the United States. According to the 2017 [...]
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Alcohol Consumption and Brain Health

Image of neuron and the effects of alcohol on the human brain New research reveals that the characterization of the patterns of energy consumption and neuronal activity in the human brain may help enhance our understanding of the effects of alcohol on the human brain. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) believe that this new approach could further be useful for studying other neuropsychiatric diseases. [...]
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