Alcohol abuse is a pattern of drinking that can be treated and cured whereas alcoholism is a disease that can be treated, but currently there is no cure. Alcohol abuse is considered by some to be occurring if a person drinks routinely on more than 5 days of the week. Alcohol abuse is currently linked to 65 percent of suicide attempts, 76,000 facial injuries a year, 23 percent of child neglect calls to national helplines, 39 percent of fires, and 15 percent of drowning. Alcohol abuse is especially dangerous for teenagers because alcohol abuse can hinder the development of a teenager's brain.
Alcoholism is the ingestion of eight or more drinks per day which is equivalent to four ounces of alcohol per day (120g). According to a study by the research group 'Alcoholism and drug addiction', of the University of Granada (Universidad de Granada), although there are no specific reasons to become an alcoholic, many social, family, environmental, and genetic factors may contribute to its development. While alcohol abuse is basically different from alcoholism, it is important to note that many effects of alcohol abuse are also experienced by alcoholics. Often times hard drinkers or alcohol abusers are unable to seek help for their drinking problem and it progresses into full fledged alcoholism.
The most well recognized adverse effect of alcohol abuse is liver damage, leading in severe cases to liver cirrhosis. Liver cirrhosis resulting from alcohol abuse is one of the ten leading causes of death in the United States. It is unknown why some alcoholics develop liver disease while others do not. One possibility is that there are genetic factors that predispose some alcoholics to liver disease. Although cirrhosis is irreversible, alcohol abusers who stop drinking will often have a good prognosis in that progressive liver deterioration can be avoided.
Teen alcohol abuse can also result in a variety of dangerous behaviors that can put teenagers at risk for serious injury, or even death. While many teens see their alcohol abuse as just for fun or as a way to experiment, this seemingly casual abuse can lead to greater problems such as damage to brain development, liver damage, and the increased likelihood of risky behaviors.
When teens are under the influence of alcohol, they are much more likely to engage in dangerous activities such as drinking and driving, or engaging in risky sexual behaviors, such as unprotected sex. Not only do teens put their health at risk, but they may also be putting their lives and their futures at risk as well.
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Knowing the facts is the first step to helping yourself yourself and your loved ones through the struggles of addiction
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