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alcoholism

Also known as alcohol use disorder, alcohol dependence syndrome, chronic alcoholism, Alcohol addiction, AUD

Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic alcohol use has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated there were 283 million people with alcohol use disorders worldwide . The term alcoholism was first coined in 1852, but alcoholism and alcoholic are considered stigmatizing and likely to discourage seeking treatment, so diagnostic terms such as alcohol use disorder and alcohol dependence are often used instead in a clinical context.

AI overview

Alcoholism is a condition where a person continues to drink alcohol even though it causes serious problems in their life, and it often involves physical dependence on alcohol. It affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, though modern medical professionals tend to use less stigmatizing terms like "alcohol use disorder" to encourage people to seek help.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Medical condition (new).name: Alcoholism
Medical condition (new).synonyms: Alcohol addiction, alcohol dependence syndrome, alcohol use disorder (AUD)
Medical condition (new).image: A wife asking her drunkard husband to hand over a bottle Wellcome L0067935.jpg
Medical condition (new).caption: A French temperance organisation poster depicting the effects of alcoholism in a family, : "Ah! When will we be rid of alcohol?"
Medical condition (new).field: Psychiatry, clinical psychology, toxicology, addiction medicine
Medical condition (new).symptoms: Drinking large amounts of alcohol over a long period, difficulty cutting down, acquiring and drinking alcohol taking up a lot of time, usage resulting in problems, withdrawal occurring when stopping
Medical condition (new).complications: Mental illness, delirium, Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome, irregular heartbeat, cirrhosis of the liver, cancer, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, suicide
Medical condition (new).duration: Long term
Medical condition (new).causes: Environmental and genetic factors
Medical condition (new).risks: Stress, anxiety, easy access
Medical condition (new).diagnosis: Questionnaires, blood tests
Medical condition (new).treatment: Alcohol cessation typically with benzodiazepines, counselling, acamprosate, disulfiram, naltrexone Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other Twelve Step Programs, AA/Twelve Step Facilitation (AA/TSF)
Medical condition (new).frequency: As of 2015, globally, 8.6% of people had or currently have an alcohol use disorder (AUD), and 2.2% had an AUD in the past 12 months
Medical condition (new).deaths: In 2012, globally, 3.3 million deaths or 5.9% of all deaths were due to alcohol

via Wikipedia infobox

Research

209,535 papers

Alcoholism and amphetamine.The British journal of addiction to alcohol and other drugs · 1947DENT JYDOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1947.tb04493.x
Alcoholism and alcoholics.Mississippi Valley medical journal (Quincy, Ill) · 1951NORBURY FG
[Alcoholism and the treatment of alcoholics as a social and medical problem].Lijecnicki vjesnik · 1955DOJC J
[Alcoholism and care of alcoholics].Wiener Beitrage zur Hygiene · 1955KOGERER H
Hidden alcoholics.California medicine · 1958O'HOLLAREN P, WELLMAN WM
[Alcoholism and care of alcoholics; report on the 24th International Congress on Alcoholism, Paris].Svenska lakartidningen · 1953AMARK C
Emotional Communication in Long-Term Abstained Alcoholics.Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research · 2018Harmsworth C, Paulmann SDOI: 10.1111/acer.13813
ALCOHOLICS, ALCOHOLISM AND IOWA PHYSICIANS.Journal of the Iowa Medical Society · 1964MULFORD HA

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Image: Walter Geikie - Drunken Man - WGA8520.jpg

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ICPC 2 ID: P15
Commons category: Alcoholism
social media followers: 60030

Sources (8)

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~62 min read

Article

44 sections

Contents

Signs and symptoms
Long-term misuse
Warning signs
Physical
Short-term effects
Long-term effects
Psychiatric
Social effects
Alcohol withdrawal
Causes
Availability
Gender difference
Genetic variation
DNA damage
Diagnosis
Definition
Alcoholism
DSM and ICD
Social barriers
Screening
Urine and blood tests
Prevention
Management
Cessation of alcohol intake
Psychological
Moderate drinking
Medications
Research
Dual addictions and dependencies
Epidemiology
Prognosis
History
Evolution
Overview
Fermented fruit consumption
Ancestral ethanol consumption
Hormetic effect
Humans frugivory
Modern alcoholism
Society and culture
See also
Notes
References
External links

Alcohol is addictive, and heavy long-term use results in many negative health and social consequences. It can damage all organ systems, but especially affects the brain, heart, liver, pancreas, and immune system. Heavy usage can result in trouble sleeping, and severe cognitive issues like dementia, brain damage, or Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome. Physical effects include irregular heartbeat, impaired immune response, cirrhosis, increased cancer risk, and severe withdrawal symptoms if stopped suddenly.