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What Is Long-Term Alcohol Abuse?

Long-term alcohol abuse is defined as the misuse of intoxicating beverages that result in social problems and/or health consequences. With over 18 million people within the United States abusing alcohol many individual lives are being greatly affected by the effects of alcohol use.

  1. Long-Term Abuse

    • The length of time for long-term alcohol abuse varies for each person since not all individuals are the same. The primary issue with long-term alcohol abuse is how alcohol affects the individual. Problems with relationships, employment, and health due to alcohol consumption or the inability to stop drinking indicate long-term abuse.

    Alcoholism

    • Alcohol dependence is considered alcoholism by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Most long-term alcohol abusers may be alcoholics if they display these characteristics: habitual drinking, repeated interpersonal problems that derive from the misuse of alcohol, and the addiction to alcohol. Biological factors such as tolerance, withdrawal, and behavior abnormalities can also contribute to the long-term abuse of alcohol and lead to alcoholism.

    College Campuses

    • Long-term alcohol abuse occurs frequently for many college aged students. Binge drinking is a problem for nearly half of all college students and at least a fourth of them will consume alcohol in a continuous manner. Also, it is estimated that nearly 360,000 undergraduates will die in their lifetime from the long-term abuse of alcohol.

    Social and Health Problems

    • Long-term alcohol abuse greatly increases the chances of social problems such as criminal behavior and drunk driving. The effects on health from long-term alcohol abuse could include damage to vital organs, the possibility of cancer, malnutrition, and lowered resistance to disease.

    Treatment

    • With nearly 2.5 million people reportedly going without treatment for long-term alcohol abuse many do not receive the proper care for this problem. Outpatient facilities, inpatient facilities, Christian care, and adolescent treatment programs are some of the common treatment options that are available for people who have a drinking problem.

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