Signs of Alcohol abuse
Symptoms of Alcohol abuse
The list of medical symptoms mentioned in various sources
for Alcohol abuse may include:
List of 15
Alcohol abuse Symptoms
Note that Alcohol abuse symptoms usually refers to various medical symptoms known to a patient,
but the phrase Alcohol abuse signs may often refer to those signs
that are only noticable by a doctor.
Signs or Symptoms of Alcohol abuse:
Alcohol Abuse and Treatment: NWHIC (Excerpt)
The four known symptoms are:
Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink.
Impaired control: The inability to limit one’s drinking.
Physical dependence: Withdrawal symptoms (nausea, sweating,
shakiness, anxiety) when alcohol is stopped after a period of heavy
drinking.
Tolerance: The need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order
to feel its effects. (Source: excerpt from Alcohol Abuse and Treatment: NWHIC)
Alcohol Abuse and Treatment: NWHIC (Excerpt)
An alcoholic is dependent upon alcohol. This dependence grows as
the disease progresses. A person who abuses alcohol may not be dependent
upon it but still drinks excessively. Even if you are not an alcoholic,
abusing alcohol has negative results. This includes failure to meet major
work, school, or family responsibilities; alcohol-related legal trouble;
automobile crashes due to drinking; as well as a variety of medical
problems. Under some circumstances, problems can result from even moderate
drinking--for example, when driving, during pregnancy, or when taking
certain medicines. (Source: excerpt from Alcohol Abuse and Treatment: NWHIC)
Alcohol Abuse and Treatment: NWHIC (Excerpt)
Menstrual disorders (e.g. painful menstruation, heavy flow,
premenstrual discomfort, and irregular or absent cycles) have been
associated with chronic heavy drinking. These disorders can have adverse
effects on fertility. Further, continued drinking may lead to early
menopause. (Source: excerpt from Alcohol Abuse and Treatment: NWHIC)
Aging and Alcohol Abuse - Age Page - Health Information: NIA (Excerpt)
Not everyone who drinks regularly has a drinking problem. You
might want to get help if you:
- Drink to calm your nerves, forget your worries, or reduce
depression
- Lose interest in food
- Gulp your drinks down fast
- Lie to try to hide your drinking habits
- Drink alone more often
- Hurt yourself, or someone else, while drinking
- Were drunk more than three or four times last year
- Need more alcohol to get "high"
- Feel irritable, resentful, or unreasonable when you are not
drinking
- Have medical, social, or financial problems caused by drinking
(Source: excerpt from
Aging and Alcohol Abuse - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)
Aging and Alcohol Abuse: NIAAA (Excerpt)
Not everyone who drinks regularly has a drinking problem. You might
want to get help if you:
- Drink to calm your nerves, forget your worries, or reduce depression
- Lose interest in food
- Gulp your drinks down fast
- Lie or try to hide your drinking habits
- Drink alone more often
- Hurt yourself, or someone else, while drinking
- Were drunk more than three or four times last year
- Need more alcohol to get "high"
- Feel irritable, resentful, or unreasonable when you are not drinking
- Have medical, social, or financial problems caused by drinking
(Source: excerpt from
Aging and Alcohol Abuse: NIAAA)
Alcoholism Getting the Facts: NIAAA (Excerpt)
Alcohol abuse is defined as a pattern of
drinking that results in one or more of the following situations
within a 12-month period:
• Failure to
fulfill major work, school, or home responsibilities;
• Drinking in
situations that are physically dangerous, such as while driving a
car or operating machinery;
• Having recurring
alcohol-related legal problems, such as being arrested for driving
under the influence of alcohol or for physically hurting someone
while drunk; and
• Continued
drinking despite having ongoing relationship problems that are
caused or worsened by the drinking.
Although
alcohol abuse is basically different from alcoholism, many effects
of alcohol abuse are also experienced by alcoholics. (Source: excerpt from Alcoholism Getting the Facts: NIAAA)
Alcoholism Getting the Facts: NIAAA (Excerpt)
How can
you tell whether you may have a drinking problem? Answering the
following four questions can help you find out:
• Have
you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
• Have
people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
• Have
you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
• Have you ever
had a drink first thing in the morning (as an “eye opener”) to
steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover?
One “yes”
answer suggests a possible alcohol problem. If you answered “yes” to
more than one question, it is highly likely that a problem exists.
In either case, it is important that you see your doctor or other
health care provider right away to discuss your answers to these
questions. He or she can help you determine whether you have a
drinking problem and, if so, recommend the best course of
action. (Source: excerpt from Alcoholism Getting the Facts: NIAAA)
How to Cut Down on Your Drinking: NIAAA (Excerpt)
If you are drinking too much, you can improve your life and
health by cutting down. How do you know if you drink too much? Read these
questions and answer "yes" or "no":
- Do you drink alone when you feel angry or sad?
- Does your drinking ever make you late for work?
- Does your drinking worry your family?
- Do you ever drink after telling yourself you won't?
- Do you ever forget what you did while you were drinking?
- Do you get headaches or have a hang-over after you have been
drinking?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may
have a drinking problem. Check with your doctor to be sure. Your doctor
will be able to tell you whether you should cut down or abstain. (Source: excerpt from How to Cut Down on Your Drinking: NIAAA)
More Symptoms of Alcohol abuse:
More detailed symptom information may be found on the symptoms of Alcohol abuse article.
In addition to the above medical information, to get a full picture
of the possible signs or symptoms of this condition
and also possibly the signs and symptoms of its related medical conditions,
it may be necessary to examine symptoms
that may be
caused by:
Medical articles on signs and symptoms:
These general reference articles may be related
to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:
What are the signs of Alcohol abuse?
The phrase "signs of Alcohol abuse" should, strictly speaking,
refer only to those signs and symptoms of Alcohol abuse that are not readily apparent to the patient.
The word "symptoms of Alcohol abuse" is the more general meaning; see symptoms of Alcohol abuse.
The signs and symptom information on this page
attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Alcohol abuse.
This medical information about signs and symptoms for Alcohol abuse has been gathered
from various sources,
may not be fully accurate,
and may not be the full list of Alcohol abuse signs or Alcohol abuse symptoms.
Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Alcohol abuse may vary on an individual basis for each patient.
Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they
are indeed Alcohol abuse symptoms.
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