Modern Homoeopathy

Monthly E-Newsletter January 2008

ALCOHOLISM…. A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

by

Dr. Poonam Godbole B.H.M.S.

 

Introduction:

Alcoholism is becoming a very serious problem in recent years. It has been a grave problem in the teenagers in certain countries and there is a great need for more social awareness in people about the facts of alcoholism. According to the survey, about 20% of teens are considered as 'problem drinkers' which means that after getting drunk they are responsible for majority of the road accidents and fatalities. They also might create problems with the law, family members, and friends at school due to alcohol consumption. Alcohol and caffeine are the two substances that are most widely abused in the world. Alcoholism affects 10% -20% of men and 3%-10% of women. Most of the industrial and road accidents are result of chronic alcoholism. It also contributes to domestic abuse and child abuse in majority cases. Most of the alcoholic drinkers start off as a social drinker and may be knowingly or unknowingly, get indulged into the habit of chronic alcoholism. Tolerance to alcohol varies widely among individuals but it increases as drinking gets heavier and then this becomes a very serious issue for the individual.

What is Alcoholism: 

Alcoholism is a disease in which an individual continues to crave for alcohol despite of repeated alcohol-related problems. There is a loss of control over self which means there is frequent inability to stop drinking once a person has begun.  According to some case studies, if a person is drinking more than 20 units (for women) or 30 units (for men) of alcohol per week, where 1 unit is equivalent to 1/2 pint of beer or 1 glass of wine, there are chances that he or she has a drinking problem.  Alcoholism has very little to do with what kind of alcohol one drinks, how long one has been drinking, or how much alcohol one has been consuming, but it has a great deal to do with an individual’s uncontrollable desire for alcohol. Alcoholism is treatable.

Risk factors:

Various studies of twins have shown that heredity plays a more powerful part in alcoholism than environment. People who have parents with a drinking problem are exposed to more risk. Recently, it has been suggested that excess lead in the diet or environment may be a predisposing factor. People with preexisting psychiatric disorder or who are under great mental pressure and stress are also more liable to develop chronic alcoholism. It is also studied that individuals who began consuming alcohol at an early age are at higher risk.

Symptoms and sphere of action: 

Alcohol is as good as a poison which affects every cell in the body, especially those in the liver, heart, and brain. It produces increasing tolerance. Alcoholism also leads to nutritional deficiencies because it disturbs one's appetite and destroys nutrients in the gut. Chronicity of the condition leads to gastritis and cirrhosis of the liver. The signs of increasing dependence include a tendency to start drinking earlier and earlier in the day. This grows to such a level later that the individual starts drinking not just in public but also secretly. Symptoms include increasing irritability, aggression, blurred memory, blackouts, and a general drop in performance at all levels. Psychological problems such as depression, paranoia, marked difficulties with memory and concentration develop as a result of excessive drinking. Physical complaints such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety also develop with this longstanding problem.

Delirium tremens is a manifestation of rapid reduction in the excessive alcohol drinking. The main symptoms are confusion and disorientation. There are also hallucinations which include tactile and visual hallucinations, uncontrollable tremors, anxiety, and panic attacks.

Treatment: Alcoholism requires professional medical help. While alcoholism is a treatable disease, a cure is not yet available. Even if an individual is sober for a long period, he remains susceptible to relapse and must continue to avoid all alcoholic beverages.  In the early stages, where the person is not a chronic alcoholic, it is possible to wean a person off alcohol by using vitamins, tranquilizers, forms of aversion therapy, and counseling. As in case of chronic alcoholics who have been drinking for years and years, detoxification program and thorough counseling comes into picture. The actual hard work for these people starts once they leave the hospital or clinic after detoxification, and realize that they must never touch alcohol again. The nature of treatment depends on the severity of an individual's alcoholism and the available resources. Individual and/or group counseling is generally carried out for such patients. There are types of counseling that teach recovering alcoholics to identify situations and feelings that trigger the urge to drink. It also helps to find new ways to cope up to stay away from the alcohol use.

Role of Homeopathy:

An experienced homeopath can prescribe a regimen for treating alcoholism that is designe Content-Type: appld especially for an individual. Homeopathy does not offer treatment for alcoholism as such, but can be used to relieve the symptoms of withdrawal. Also, it does offer constitutional treatment to boost general health and vitality and develop self-confidence once the habit has been broken.  Homeopathic drugs can be used in cases of chronic effects of alcoholism such as cirrhosis of the liver, loss of control over the nervous system, and others. The most common remedies that can be used are Nux vomica which is a great anti-alcoholic remedy, Hyoscyamus and Opium which are great relievers for nervous affections in alcoholism, Lachesis, and Sulphuric acid. Homeopathy plays a very important role in counseling which needs to be done thoroughly and a good homeopath can carry this out very well as the principle is TREAT THE PATIENT AS A WHOLE. Therefore, we can relieve the patient at the physical as well as the mental levels during and after the phase of alcoholism.


Author:

Dr. Poonam Godbole B.H.M.S.