Chapter 9: Chronic Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

abstinence

The avoidance of some consumable item or behavior.

acamprosate

A GABA-related drug for the treatment of alcoholism. (Campral)

alcohol abuse

a syndrome characterized primarily by the continued use of alcohol despite the drinker’s knowledge of having a persistent physical problem or some social or occupational difficulty.

alcohol dependence

a syndrome in which alcohol abuse involves a variety of significant physical, psychological, social, and behavioral problems.

alcoholic cirrhosis

A disease involving scarring and deterioration of liver cells as a result of chronic alcohol abuse.

alcoholic dementia

A condition in which chronic alcohol abuse produces cognitive deficits such as difficulties in problem solving and memory.

alcoholic hepatitis

A disease involving inflammation of the liver as a result of chronic alcohol abuse.

Alcoholics Anonymous

A worldwide organization devoted to the treatment of alcoholism through self-help groups and adherence to its principles, which include absolute abstinence from alcohol.

alcoholism

a condition in which the consumption of alcohol has produced major psychological, physical, social, or occupational problems.

alcohol use disorder

A diagnostic term used in the DSM-5 for clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and other health professionals to identify an individual with significant problems related to alcohol use.

alcohol withdrawal syndrome

the more common of two general reactions to the cessation of alcohol consumption in cases of chronic alcohol abuse. It is characterized by physiological discomfort, seizures, and sleep disturbances.

children of alcoholics

Individuals who reside within a family with either one or two alcohol-abusing parents.

codependency

the concept that individuals who live with a person who has alcohol (or other drug) dependence suffer themselves from difficulties of self-image and impaired social independence.

concordance rate

The likelihood that one member of a twin of family relation will have a condition if the other member has it.

confabulation

The tendency to make up elaborate past histories to cover the fact that long-term memory has been impaired.

delirium tremens

The less common of two reactions to the cessation of drinking in cases of chronic alcohol abuse. It is characterized by extreme disorientation and confusion, fever, hallucinations, and other symptoms.

disulfiram

A medication that causes severe physical reactions and discomfort when combined with alcohol. (Antabuse)

employee assistance programs

Corporate-based services designed to identify and counsel employees with personal problems that are related to substance abuse or dependence and to provide referrals to community agencies where these individuals can get further help.

enablers

Individuals whose behavior consciously or unconsciously encourages another person’s continuation in a pattern of substance abuse.

fatty liver

a condition in which fat deposits accumulate in the liver as a result of chronic alcohol abuse.

fetal alcohol syndrome

A serious condition involving mental retardation and facial-cranial malformations in the offspring of an alcohol-abusing mother.

member assistance programs

Institutional programs for workers or employees to help them with alcohol and other drug-abuse problems, set up by established unions within the organization and tailored the meet the needs of union members.

nalmefene

a long-lasting opioid antagonist for the treatment of alcoholism. (Revex)

ondansetron

a serotonin-related drug for the treatment of alcoholism (Zofran)

SMART Recovery

“Self-Management And Recovery Training” a treatment program for abuse of alcohol and other drugs that emphasizes a nonspiritual philosophy and a greater sense of personal control in the abuser.

symptomatic drinking

a pattern of alcohol consumption aimed at reducing stress and anxiety.

systems approach

a way of understanding a phenomenon in terms of complex interacting relationships among individuals, family, friends, and community.

teratogenic

capable of producing specific birth defects.

thiamine

Vitamin B1

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

A condition resulting from chronic alcohol consumption, characterized by disorientation, cognitive deficits, amnesia, and motor difficulty.