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Alcohol Abuse Symptoms

According to Alcohol Abuse Basics, "More than 13,000 young people in America take their first drinks every day." Drinking alcohol is a common practice in North America. Many people drink but do not abuse alcohol. Those who do abuse alcohol are sometimes unaware that they are causing harm to themselves or others.

  1. Definition of Alcohol Abuse

    • Alcohol abuse occurs when an individual's drinking habits affect his life in a negative way. Alcohol abuse differs from alcoholism because the drinker does maintain a certain level of control over her alcohol consumption. To say that someone abuses alcohol does not necessarily mean that the individual drinks alcohol frequently. Alcohol abusers risk becoming dependent on alcohol. To better understand when drinking becomes a self-destructive behavior, it is helpful to define moderate drinking. Generally, it is safe for women to have one drink per day and for men to have two drinks per day.

    Physical Symptoms

    • The physical symptoms of alcohol abuse include blackouts. The term blackout refers to a period of time that an individual has no memory of, as a result of excessive drinking. Blackouts occur due the affect that alcohol has on the brain. Many health problems such as: heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver, and stomach ulcers can also be symptomatic of long-term alcohol abuse. Even young people show physical signs of alcohol abuse. According to Alcohol Abuse Basics, "More than 150,000 American college students develop alcohol-related health problems every year."

    Behavioral Symptoms

    • WebMD describes several behavioral symptoms that present themselves when an individual is abusing alcohol. Often, individuals who abuse alcohol will engage in risk taking behavior while intoxicated. This behavior commonly results in personal injury or legal problems. People who abuse alcohol also frequently neglect work-related, educational, family-related or social obligations.

    Social Relationships

    • People who abuse alcohol experience negative changes in their relationships with other people. They may find that friends and family members notice that their drinking has become problematic. Often, other people will criticize alcohol abusers because of their drinking habits. Their relationships become strained when people who were once very close lose trust in them and become distant. Friends and family may also notice that the individual who is abusing alcohol is associating with others who also abuse alcohol.

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