Did you know in the Scientific/Research community "Alcoholism" has been replaced with "Alcohol Dependency?"

Dependence = “addiction”

Alcohol dependence = Alcoholism

Addiction-Science>Alcohol>Facts

Provided by with Permissions, Dr. Carl Erickson,

What is alcohol "craving"? Although most of us have "craved" something in our lives (alcohol, certain types of food, comfort, sex, etc.), craving means different things to different people. It is likely that craving is not the same as alcohol dependence ("alcoholism"), for many alcohol-dependent people report that they do not always crave alcohol, but that they "need" alcohol most of the time. Scientists thus have a hard time measuring craving, and in many cases would prefer the words "urge" or "strong desire" to describe the constant seeking of a chemical or activity. (January 6, 2003)

Wouldn't getting rid of alcohol in the world reduce alcohol dependence? Probably, except that the brain "dysregulation" related to alcohol dependence would still be present, and might cause the person to use another drug or to express some other compulsive behavior. More research must be done to confirm this suggestion, however. (December 30, 2002)

If alcohol dependence is a brain disease, what is wrong with the brain? It appears as if there is a neurochemical abnormality (perhaps caused by abnormal genes) in the mesolimbic dopamine system ("pleasure pathway") of the brain. One or more of several neurotransmitter systems may be "dysregulated" (not working normally) in the pleasure pathway. Thus alcohol helps to "fix" these neuro-dysregulations, leading the person to subconsciously be unable to stop drinking without help. (December 23, 2002)

How does alcohol cause alcoholism? Recent research findings indicate that alcohol doesn't cause alcoholism. To appreciate this, people must understand that alcohol dependence (the scientific word for "alcoholism") is a brain disease. This brain disease is expressed through the compulsive drinking of alcohol. Thus if a person never drinks alcohol, the disease will not be seen. (December 16, 2002)

What is a "high-ball"? While this term is not used much anymore, most older Americans remember this alcoholic drink as a mixture of whisky or other liquor diluted with water, soda, or ginger ale, and served with ice in a tall glass. (December 9, 2002)

What is "sloe gin"? While gin is a clear alcoholic spirit made from the fermentation of juniper berries, sloe gin is a cordial or liqueur flavored with sloe -- a small, sour, blackish fruit of the blackthorn shrub. (December 2, 2002)

We often hear that alcohol is an anesthetic. Is this true? An anesthetic in pharmacological terms is a drug that reduces pain. Loosely, alcohol reduces emotional pain by making people feel good (for a brief time). Technically, alcohol has characteristics of both local and general anesthetics. When applied directly to nerve cells in the laboratory, alcohol reduces nerve transmission, and therefore can reduce pain. This use occurs in medicine when alcohol is injected around nerves to calm severe pain. In the Civil War, alcohol was given orally to wounded soldiers on the battlefield to reduce severe pain during bullet removal and other operations. It is not as effective as today's improved anesthetics, however. (November 25, 2002)

Can alcohol cure a cold? This is a piece of erroneous folklore borne of the observation that sick people feel better when they drink. There is an old saying "When you have a cold, hang your hat on the bedpost, climb into bed, drink until two hats appear, and then your cold will be cured" (anonymous). In actuality, nothing cures a cold, but alcohol does appear in some liquid cold remedies, mainly as a solvent for analgesic and antihistamine ingredients. Of course, the alcohol has its own beneficial effect of sedation. (November 18, 2002)

What is "brew"? This is another one of the many words in the English language that relates to alcohol (is it any wonder why alcohol is such a big part of American culture?). "Brew" is a colloquial name for "beer". "Brew" also relates to the making of beer or other concoctions by steeping, boiling, and fermenting ingredients such as malts and hops. "Brewage" is a fermented liquor brewed from malt. (November 4, 2002)

Does the beverage industry provide much money for researching the effects of their product? No, very little. Around 95% of the (rather minimal) research on alcohol and the problems it produces is funded by the federal government (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) in this nation. (October 28, 2002)

Alcohol, in moderation, can save lives. One or two drinks per day is protective against atherosclerotic heart disease, some cancers, and (perhaps) some other diseases. Why don't we use it more for such conditions? (October 21, 2002) Alcohol, like many other chemicals, is a poison. Used in excess, it can stop your breathing, it can rot your liver, and it can cause the fatal disease of "addiction". Why, then, is it legal to sell and use? (October 14, 2002)

Does alcohol cause you to feel "sexy"? Certainly! Shakespeare once wrote, "drink increases the desire, but takes away the performance". Anyone who has drunk alcohol has experienced this effect, but few people realize that it is strongly based on dose and a person's physiology and environment. Everyone responds differently to alcohol. One person may respond by feeling increased sexual desire, and be able to "perform" very well. Another person may feel "high", but would never think of having sex while drunk. In general, however, the relaxation produced by alcohol (ranging from mild to extreme), is the reason for Shakespeare's observation. (October 7, 2002)

Does alcohol make you more "creative"? Of course! But how much of this "creativity" is "perception" and how much of it is real? No one knows. There are a lot of "alcoholic" Pulitzer-prize winning authors. Is their success due to alcohol, or is it due to intelligence, or is it due to being able to work longer hours without fatigue, because of alcohol? We need more research like this on alcohol's effects! (September 30, 2002)

Does alcohol make you "stronger"? Yes! But everyone knows that alcohol makes you attempt things that you wouldn't do when you were sober. So, you might not hesitate to do some things (lift a heavy object, fight someone) when you have imbibed, which you might not have done before. But the research behind alcohol making you "stronger" is non-existent. Probably it would show that alcohol does not increase muscle strength. We need more research like this on alcohol's effects! (September 23, 2002)

142. Recent numbers from The University of Michigan's "Monitoring the Future" project indicates that the following teenagers had used alcohol during the previous year: 43% of eighth-graders, 65% of tenth-graders, and 73% of twelfth-graders. Those who had "been drunk" in the past 30 days, according to this report, were 8% of eighth-graders, 24% of tenth-graders, and 32% of twelfth-graders. (September 16, 2002)

141. What effect does alcohol have on the lungs? Unlike another highly "addictive" drug (nicotine) alcohol has no major effect on the lungs. And nicotine itself probably does not have a major effect on the lungs; rather, the cigarette, with its tars, carbon monoxide, and other ingredients play the largest role in increasing the risk for lung cancer with smokers. Interestingly, about 70-90% of heavy drinkers also smoke. (September 9, 2002)

140. There are several reasons why alcohol helps people to have "fun". First, it "disconnects" the frontal brain areas, so that people feel less inhibited about doing things. Second, it activates the pleasure pathway of the brain so that people actually feel good when they drink. Finally, it provides "euphoria", or a sense of well-being. Of course, all of these effects are similar, but exactly how alcohol affects the brain to produce these actions is still under investigation. (September 2, 2002)

139. Unfortunately, the word "alcoholic" means different things to many people. To the public, this word is usually pejorative, meaning someone who drinks too much, too often, and only cares about drinking. Many people drink "alcoholic-ly", but usually only during brief periods. For example, college students often drink "alcoholic-ly", but are simply having a good time. The more scientific term for "alcoholic" is "alcohol dependent", which relates to pathological drinking in people who have a brain disease. (August 26, 2002)

138. If you suffer "withdrawal" from alcohol, even a hangover, aren't you an alcoholic? Absolutely not! Many people who drink too much alcohol (even one time!) suffer from hangover, and they are not alcoholic. Even people who drink very much, very often, and who suffer severe withdrawal symptoms, may not be alcoholic! "Alcoholism" is now scientifically defined as an "alcohol dependence" disease. Withdrawal is only one of several criteria that help diagnose alcohol dependence, so withdrawal from alcohol alone is not the same as "alcoholism". (August 19, 2002)

What are other names for someone who drinks a lot? According to several dictionaries: drunkard, inebriate, sot, soak, bibber, bibbler, barfly, dipsomaniac, rummy, guzzler, swiller, soaker, sponge, boozer, boozehound, lush, souse, wino, alchy, juicehead, juicer, hooch hound, gin hound, swillbelly, swillpot, stew, stewbum, elbow-bender. All of these terms are now felt to be derogatory, for many peopleee (but not all) who drink a lot are known to have a chronic medical illness. (August 12, 2002)

Why are so many Native Americans alcoholic? They may not be. We see more drinking among Native Americans, but this doesn't mean they're alcoholic. Remember that "alcoholism" is a broad, overused term that (to some people) means the same as problem drinking. But the better term for alcoholic today is "alcohol dependent", and new research is indicating that some American tribes have a low rate of alcohol dependence, while other tribes have a higher rate of alcohol dependence. But to broadly state that all Native Americans have a high rate of alcohol dependence is probably wrong. (August 5, 2002)

Why do some people who drink a lot become addicted to alcohol, and others who drink a lot do not? The easy answer is that some people have "what it takes" to become addicted (newer term: dependent). Some people have a vulnerability for the disease (some of which is genetic), while others will never develop the disease. Scientists are trying to understand exactly why this happens. (July 29, 2002)

What is ondansetron? Ondansetron (Zofran) is a drug that is used for the treatment of nausea and vomiting. It has also been shown, in several studies, to reduce the "craving" in alcohol-dependent patients who have a more severe, genetically-driven form of the disease. If future research continues to confirm such results, the drug may be approved for the treatment of alcohol dependence, joining other drugs such as naltrexone as an aid to helping people who are trying to stop drinking. (July 22, 2002)

What is nalmefene? Nalmefene (Revex) is an opioid antagonist that is on the market for the treatment of known or suspected opioid (for example, heroin) overdose. It is presently being investigated in human clinical studies for the treatment of alcohol craving. It has a similar effect as its more well-known chemical cousins, naloxone (Narcan) and naltrexone (ReVia). (July 15, 2002)

Is liquor in any quantity good for you? Whereas good scientific studies have shown that wine (in moderation, 1-2 glasses per day) has health benefits, there are inconclusive studies about liquor (spirits, such as vodka or scotch) having such benefits. However, some studies indicate that alcohol, not wine alone, can be beneficial with modest consumption. Some physicians prescribe a glass of wine, beer, or warm sherry to aid sleep at bedtime in the elderly. And it makes sense that small amounts of alcohol can be useful as a relaxant and sleep-aid. (July 8, 2002)

Can someone become "addicted" to Nyquil, which has 10% alcohol as an ingredient? Although the alcohol is added as a mild sedative, there is very little chance of a person becoming dependent on therapeutic doses ("when used as directed"). First, the quantity of alcohol is not sufficient to produce dependence. Second, we know that alcohol does not cause dependence, unless the person has the "vulnerability" for the disease (formerly known as "alcoholism"). (July 1, 2002)

Why do different states have different legal limits for driving while intoxicated (DWI)? As most people know, the DWI limit varies from 0.08 to 0.10% among the states. There is clear evidence that most people are unable to safely drive a car at either level, but some states are more conservative than others. In actuality, there is strong scientific evidence that 0.05% (about 2-3 drinks per hour) is related to driving impairment, but the commercial alcohol lobby in the United States has so far been able to place profit over human safety in the eyes of state legislatures and Congress. The American Medical Association and Mothers Against Drunk Driving support an 0.05% DWI level, and this is the level allowed in most European nations. (June 24, 2002