Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
The number of cases of alcoholism and substance abuse is increasing.
The physicians in the emergency rooms regularly encounter patients looking for treatment for substance abuse or alcohol problems. First part in the assessment may seem routine, but the important part of recovering from alcoholism and substance abuse is to scrutinize every emotional and physical factors that should be focused on.
Substances that are commonly abused include hallucinogens, amphetamines, cocaine, opiates and alcohol. This article will provide a brief evaluation of the psychological effects of substance abuse along with the physiological effects and signs of withdrawal that family members and patients should be familiar with.
Alcohol is considered as CNS depressant (Central Nervous System). Alcohol in normal doses acts on the inhibitor centers. At higher doses it slows down the brain excitatory center connections. People may show degradation of normal thinking to deficiency of motor coordination. Alcoholism may cause disorientation of the person: the person is drinking because his body ask him to do it. He finds satisfaction in it and as the day goes by so goes the volume of alcohol he takes. As a result, his work, attitude, outlook on life and future is badly affected.
Counselling and other activities is the best approach in treating alcoholism and substance abuse.
Some of the psychological effects of alcoholism are:
- Gastrointestinal disorder – inflammation of the liver
- Cardiovascular – cardiomyopathy and hypertensive
- Neurological –minor neuropathy that result to ataxia
- Immunologic –control of neutrophil function
- Endocrine – in male decrease in testosterone and increase in estrogen
- Obstetric – fetal alcohol situation
Among the most common substances that are being abused, Heroin is the most popular. It relieves pain and other discomfort in the body. At first the person may feel contented on the lower dose he is taking, but it eventually increases since his body will become immune on the effect of the substance. The signs of substance overdose are pinpoint pupils and decreased respiratory rate.
Some of the complications involved in the over use of this substance are most of the time communicable and include
- Aneurysms,
- Endocarditis,
- Noncardiogenic,
- Pulmonary edema
- Hepatitis
- HIV
* It is never too late!
If you want to go out of alcoholism and substance abuse, you need someone to help you get there and rehab centers are there to provide that services in a natural way. You don’t have to undergo a painful treatment and other medications that sometimes worsen the addiction. Counselling and other activities is the best approach in treating alcoholism and substance abuse where you should involve yourself in.
Are you aware on the secret formula to recovery that may free yourself from alcoholism or drug addiction? Actually the secret formula is not secret at all. Maybe you just have forgotten it.
* The secret is to remember who you really are!
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