Alcohol Rehabilitation

The use of alcohol is typically divided into three different categories. The first category is that of casual drinking and is defined by the use of alcohol only on special occasions. Most casual drinking takes place only a few times a year and never to the point of drunkenness or blackout. The other two categories are more difficult to define and many times are confused with each other. These categories are 1) alcohol abuse and 2) alcohol dependence.

Alcohol abuse is defined as any harmful use of alcohol. People who abuse alcohol continue to drink alcohol despite social and even legal problems that it may have caused them in the past. Typically, people who abuse alcohol can be easily helped with minimal treatment or many times can quit drinking without intervention. It is important that alcohol abusers be taught the dangers of binge drinking and alcohol poisoning.

Alcohol dependence is defined in a similar way, as alcohol abuse except the person will also exhibit signs of withdrawal, tolerance, and compulsion. The alcohol dependent person will drink compulsively and during waking hours generally can think of nothing but getting more alcohol. When forced to go several hours without alcohol the dependent person will go into withdrawal and have extreme anxiety, sweating, and nausea. Tolerance develops when it begins to take more and more alcohol to achieve the same level of intoxication and is another aspect of the alcohol dependent person.

Chronic alcohol abuse and dependence can damage multiple organ systems and can cause heart failure, cancers, liver diseases, and neurological problems. The amount and frequency of the drinking and the general health of the alcoholic affect the degree to which complications and illness can develop.