1. Alcohol Abuse

2. Alcoholism Also known as alcohol dependency
Alcoholism is drinking alcoholic beverages at a level that interferes with physical health, mental health, family, social, or job responsibilities

3. What is Alcohol? Alcoholism is a disease
The craving that an alcoholic feels for alcohol is as strong as the need for food and water
Like many other diseases, alcoholism is chronic, meaning it usually lasts a persons lifetime
It follows a pretty predictable course and its symptoms that is life ruining

4. The risks of developing alcoholism is a person’s genes and life style
Research shows that developing alcoholism does indeed run in families
Just because alcoholism runs in family doesn’t necessarily mean a child of an alcoholic parent
Some people develop alcoholism even though there are no alcoholism in the family

5. Symptoms of Alcoholism
Confusion
Abdominal pain
Drinking alone
Episodes of violence with drinking
Hostility when confronted about drinking
Lack of control while drinking – being unable to stop or limit your intake
Making excuses to drink

6. Symptoms of Alcoholism
Nausea and vomiting
Need for daily or regular use of alcohol to function
Neglecting to eat
Not caring for physical appearance
Numbness or tingling
Secretive behavior to hide alcohol use
Shaking in the morning

7. If I’m not an alcoholic I don’t have a problem?
This is not exactly true
Alcohol abuse can be just as harmful
A person can drink too much and too often but not be dependent on alcohol
some incidents of alcohol abuse can be not being able to meet work, friend or family responsibility, drunk driving crashes or arrests, drinking related medical conditions

8. How Do I know if I have a problem?
Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
Have people annoyed you by criticized your drinking?
Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to rid your body of a hang over?

9. Health Risks with drinking
Cancer of larynx, colon, esophagus and liver
Depression
Heart muscle damage
High blood pressure
Severe memory loss
Cirrhosis of the liver – scarring and poor functioning, a chronic liver disease

10. Detoxification Detoxing from alcohol usually takes 4-7 days
Eating a balanced diet with vitamin supplements is very important
After detox is rehab recovery – this is a program to guide the alcoholic to a life style change