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ALCOHOLISM
WHAT IS ALCOHOLISM?
A disease that causes a person to lose control of
his or her drinking behavior.
 Person is both physically and emotionally
addicted to alcohol.

An alcoholic craves alcohol
 An alcoholic also suffers painful physical symptoms
with they don’t have alcohol

STATISTICS
18 million Americans are alcoholics
 11 million children currently live in a home with
an alcoholic
 20% of adults have lived with an alcoholic at
some point while growing up
 About half of all American adults have some
family history of alcoholism
 75% of domestic violence cases involve alcohol

WARNING SIGNS OF ALCOHOLISM:
Drinking to deal with anger, frustration, and
disappointment
 Changing friends, personal habits, and interests
 Being defensive about drinking
 Feeling depressed
 Drinking more for the same high (tolerance)
 Drinking alone
 Drinking to get drunk
 Experiencing memory lapses as a result of
drinking
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RISK FACTORS OF ALCOHOLISM:

Age
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Social Environment
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Teens who start drinking before 15 are 4 times more
likely to become an alcoholic
Peer pressure, advertising, and desire to fit in can
influence a person’s decision to drink
Genetics
Alcoholism tends to run in families
 Male children of alcoholic fathers have a 25% risk of
becoming alcoholic

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Risk-taking Personality

Impulsive personalities add to the risk of alcoholism
STAGES OF ALCOHOLISM …

PROBLEM DRINKING

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TOLERANCE

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Drinker needs more alcohol to produce the same
effect
DEPENDENCE

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Drinker cannot drink alcohol in moderation or at
appropriate times
Drinker’s body needs alcohol to function normally
ALCOHOLISM - ADDICTION

Drinker has lost control of his or her drinking
behavior
FAMILY ROLES:
Victim – chemically dependent person
 Chief Enabler – closet emotionally to victim
 Scapegoat – problem child
 Family Hero – caretaker of the family
 Lost Child – forgotten child

**Not ALL of these roles necessarily will be seen in
every family with an alcoholic, however most
often family members will take on a role.
TREATING AN ALCOHOLIC …
Individual will likely go through withdrawal
 Need support from family/friends
 Treatment programs
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Inpatient and outpatient programs
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Al-Anon – designed to help give advice to the family
members of alcoholics
Alateen – specifically designed to help teens cope
with an alcoholic in their family
Check the phone book or internet for local agencies
that can provide help