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Line 1: − Addiction to [[Alcoholic Drinks|alcoholic beverages]].+ + + + + + + + + + + +
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'''Alcoholism''' refers to [[addiction]] to [[Alcoholic Drinks|alcoholic beverages]]. The medical term used to refer to alcoholism is ''alcohol dependence''. A person can be diagnosed with alcohol dependence if at least three of these criteria occur during the same 12-month span: (a) tolerance (i.e., more alcohol is needed to produce the same effect); (b) alcohol withdrawal; (c) alcohol is used in larger amounts or over longer periods than intended (i.e., loss of control); (d) chronic desire or unsuccessful attempts to reduce drinking; (e) a great deal of time is spent obtaining or using alcohol; (f) other activities are reduced in order to use or recover from using alcohol; (g) drinking continues despite persistent problems that it either causes or makes worse<ref>American Psychiatric Association (1994). ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'', Fourth Edition. APA, Washington, D.C.</ref>.
==Health and other effects==
People with alcoholism have difficulty controlling their drinking, and thus tend to continue to drink despite problems that it causes. For example, being intoxicated or hung over can cause poor performance at school or work, leading to poor grades or loss of employment. Intoxication also impairs judgment, which may lead to legal problems when people engage in behaviors that they would think better of when sober (e.g., driving under the influence). Alcoholism can also be damaging to the family, leading to marital discord or divorce, and can contribute to [[domestic violence]].
Chronic, heavy drinking also causes a number of health problems, including cirrhosis of the liver, heart disease, cancer, pancreatitis, sexual dysfunction, and alcohol-induced dementia.
==Alcohol withdrawal==
As noted above, alcohol withdrawal is a primary feature of alcoholism. Withdrawal can occur when a person who is normally a heavy drinker tries to quit or is unable to obtain alcohol. Unlike withdrawal from other drugs, alcohol withdrawal can lead directly to death. Heavy drinking reduces the brain's supply of [[GABA]]. Both alcohol and GABA limit the firing of [[synapse]]s in the brain. When neither is present in sufficient amounts, uncontrolled firing of synapses may occur, causing [[delirium tremens]] ("the DTs"). Symptoms of delirium tremens include hallucinations, convulsions, seizures, and heart failure. Delirium tremens can be controlled fairly easily with medical supervision, often with the use of [[benzodiazepine]]s.
==References==
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