Alcoholism is a disease
...get sick because they are mentally and physically worn out. When someone becomes extremely stressed they turn to alcohol because it is the cure to their disease. An alcoholic is a common name used to refer to people affected by alcoholism. Alcoholics can show specific signs or symptoms or none at all. Alcoholics may blackout when one drinks to the point where he or she cannot remember, excessive drinking when alone, and a high tolerance to alcohol. Also some alcoholics can become irritated when a usual drinking time arrives and they cannot drink. Alcoholics may suffer from physical withdrawals when they are unable to drink for a period of time. The physical withdrawal can cause nausea, shaking, vomiting, and sweating. Alcoholics can usually drink at anytime of day and do not like to have drinking habits pointed out to them because often they are in denial about the situation. Alcoholism as many other diseases has a treatment. The treatment is offered at many facilities nationwide; these facilities usually follow the 12 Step Program developed by Alcoholics Anonymous. Treatment is offered to alcoholics who admit they have a problem or those who are there because of an intervention. Intervention is when an alcoholic does not realize they have a problem and is placed in a treatment facility because of legal problems or by someone who cares about the person. The process of treatment usually begins with detoxification where one who is affected by alcoholism undergoes physical withdrawal so that their body can be cleaned of the toxic substance of alcohol. Detoxification is like a resting period for the disease so one can further treat the disease with medicines and other solutions. After detoxification a person begins counseling whether it is impatient, outpatient, or group counseling. Alcoholics usually begin counseling with a psychiatric evaluation to establish the cause of alcoholism. Some people are placed on psychiatric medications to help with the chemical imbalance in their brain that lead to their development of the disease. The intensive therapy then begins to help alcoholics to learn how to cope with their disease on a daily basis. There are also support groups for people who need emotional support throughout the process, these groups have regular meeting times and are always will to help alcoholics cope with their disease. Like any other disease alcoholism is treatable, however it is on going and controlled by medications. Although alcoholism seems like it is an addiction a person chooses to have, in most cases can be considered a disease. Ones body becomes physically and mentally dependant on the substance and is unable to make it through a day without a drink. When ones body is affected by a disease that goes untreated they become more susceptible to other physical conditions. Alcoholism can lead high blood pressure and liver damage. Often society looks at someone who drinks too much and labels it as a character flaw. Many people think ...