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Addiction
(Dependence)
Definition
Addiction is a chronic, progressive, relapsing disorder
characterized by compulsive use of one or more substances that
results in physical, psychological, or social harm to the
individual and continued use of the substance or substances
despite this harm.” (Schnoll, 1986).
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 Addiction
two possible components:
-
Physical dependence
–
A state of becoming physically adapted to alcohol or other
drugs.
There are two important aspects to physical dependence:
- Tolerance – The need for higher and higher doses to
achieve the same effects.
- Withdrawal – The appearance of physical symptoms (e.g.,
nausea, chills, and vomiting) when someone stops taking a
drug too quickly.
Psychological
dependence – A
subjective sense of need for alcohol or other drug, either for
its positive effects or to avoid negative effects associated
with no use.
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Alcoholism
(Alcohol Dependence, Alcohol Addiction)
A Disease:
The craving that an alcoholic feels
for alcohol can be as strong as the need for food or water. An
alcoholic will continue to drink despite serious family, health, or
legal problems.
Genetic Predisposition:
Research shows that the risk for developing alcoholism does indeed
run in families. The genes a person inherits partially explain this
pattern, but lifestyle is also a factor. Currently, researchers are
working to discover the actual genes that put people at risk for
alcoholism. Your friends, the amount of stress in your life, and how
readily available alcohol is also are factors that may increase your
risk for alcoholism.
Treatment:
Alcoholism treatment works
for many people. But just like any chronic disease, there are
varying levels of success when it comes to treatment. Some people
stop drinking and remain sober. Others have long periods of sobriety
with bouts of relapse. And still others cannot stop drinking for any
length of time. With treatment, one thing is clear, however: the
longer a person abstains from alcohol, the more likely he or she
will be able to stay sober.
Dependence Vs. Abuse-Both Deadly |
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National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism No. 30 PH 359 October 1995
Diagnostic Criteria for Alcohol Abuse
and Dependence
Diagnosis is the process of identifying and
labeling specific conditions such as alcohol abuse or
dependence (1). Diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse and
dependence reflect the consensus of researchers as to
precisely which patterns of behavior or physiological
characteristics constitute symptoms of these conditions (1).
Diagnostic criteria allow clinicians to plan treatment and
monitor treatment progress; make communication possible
between clinicians and researchers; enable public health
planners to ensure the availability of treatment facilities;
help health care insurers to decide whether treatment will be
reimbursed; and allow patients access to medical insurance
coverage (1-3).
Diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse and
dependence have evolved over time. As new data become
available, researchers revise the criteria to improve their
reliability, validity, and precision (4,5). This Alcohol
Alert traces the evolution of diagnostic criteria for
alcohol abuse and dependence through the current standards of
the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition
(DSM-IV) (6). For comparison, the criteria found in the World
Health Organization's International Classification of
Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) also are reviewed
briefly, although these are not often used in the United
States (7).
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NOTE:
Many people wonder why some individuals can use alcohol
without problems but others cannot. One important reason has
to do with genetics. Scientists have found that having an
alcoholic family member
makes it more likely that if you choose to drink you too may
develop alcoholism. Genes, however, are not the whole story.
In fact, scientists now believe that certain factors in a
person’s environment influence whether
person with a genetic risk for alcoholism ever develops the
disease. A person’s risk for developing alcoholism can
increase based on the person’s environment, including where
and how he or she lives; family, friends, and
culture; peer pressure; and even how easy it is to get
alcohol.
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All information source
originated from "National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) website"
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