Alcohol Facts

Many people these days suffer from alcoholism and it can be a very damaging condition, physically, mentally and emotionally.

However, there is help available. The first step to stopping drinking after a sustained period of heavy drinking is alcohol detox. After this has been done, therapy, rehabilitation and aftercare can begin. These alcohol detox facts describe a little more about how the process helps.

What is detox?

Detox is the first stage of overcoming the effects of alcohol abuse. It takes the individual through the difficult stage of the withdrawal symptoms from alcohol. Once someone has been drinking heavily and regularly for a significant period of time, their body becomes physically dependent on alcohol. If they stop drinking, they may experience unpleasant and serious side effects such as nausea, vomiting, trembling and even hallucination.

The side effects can actually be very serious and in some very sever cases, fatal. That’s why detox should always be done under medical supervision and in a safe environment. The purpose of alcohol detox is to rid the body of alcohol completely.

Sometimes medication is used to minimise the worst symptoms of detox side effects. This is usually used in especially severe cases. In some cases, detox can be done safely from home but should always be discussed with a medical professional before going ahead.

What is rapid detox?

In some situations, rapid detox is also available. This is where the process is carried out in a more compact time frame. Sometimes this involves being anaesthetised and prescribed drugs which speed up the cleansing process.

What else happens?

During the detox phase, individuals will also be given social and emotional support and counselling. Attention will also be paid to their diet – they will be given a nutritionally balanced diet and may also be given additional vitamins such as Thiamine. This is because alcoholics are often deficient in nutrients, particularly Thiamine (B1), due to a negligence of their diet and also alcohol blocking the absorption of some vitamins and minerals.

What happens after alcohol detox?

Detox is not a silver bullet for dealing with alcoholism. Counselling and therapy are also important. A doctor, alcohol professional or rehab clinic can outline exactly what treatment and support would benefit an individual most.

Treatment may include individual or group counselling, behavioural therapy, 12-step programmes or even complementary therapy. Even after a stay in a residential rehab clinic, individuals will usually need some ongoing support in order to stay dry.

The term used for alcohol abuse and dependence is alcoholism. It is responsible for creating many problems in the life of a person which can affect adversely on your life as well as on the lives of your loved ones. Alcoholism does not just affect on the relationships but it can devastate your body as well. It can be the reason of many heart problems, liver diseases, memory disorder, anemia, high and low blood pressure, gastrointestinal inflammation, high fat content, high and low blood sugar and many other linked diseases. Many researchers have revealed the alcohol facts which are not only scary but also disturbing.

All over the world, this menace is increasing day by day. The alcohol facts that have been revealed through many surveys are very disturbing. It is revealed that among 1000 adults, about 48 are probably to be reliant on alcohol. There are some other facts that probably nobody would like to hear. The figure of people reliant on alcohol is exactly the double of number who are reliant on prohibited drugs. There are many people who are not said to be reliant on alcohol, as they do not drink daily and they do not lose their consciousness while drinking. Nonetheless, it is a fact that alcohol harms the body in spite of how much you drink. However, the quantity determines the speed of damaging the organs in the body.

The metabolic rate of alcohol is different in men and women. According to the facts gathered, on an average, men metabolize one drink in 1-1.20 hours while women metabolize the same in 1.4-2 hours. Alcohol facts show that about 28% of men and 14% of women consume alcohol more than the suggested quantity. The alcohol facts concerning the young people are far more alarming. It is estimated that over 8,000 Americans below the age of 15 years are admitted to sanatorium every year as a result of alcohol poisoning. Children of age 11 and below have admitted that they have tasted alcohol. Not only this, the alcohol facts regarding to the crime rate are scarier. The alcohol facts reveal that 40 percent of aggressive offenses are committed when the offender is in the sway of alcohol. Alcohol is also a reason of many accidents as lots of people are murdered every year in distracted driving accidents. The alcohol facts reveal that 1 in 6 people are died on the road. Juvenile drinking outlays the US about $56 billion each year.

A research by CASA (research wing of Columbia University) reveals the alarming alcohol facts. It reveals that the young people of America who become dependent on alcohol before the age of 15 are more prone to the risk of turning alcoholics as compared to those not drinking before 15. Each year, about 1500 college students (between the age of 18 and 24 years) expire from injuries or accidents that are linked with alcohol ingestion. This entails many car accidents.

The catalog of alcohol facts is much lengthier however it is worth mentioning here that consumption of alcohol destroys 6.4 times more adolescent lives than all other illegitimate drugs collective.