Why Is Alcohol Use Disorder A Chronic Disease?

why is alcoholism considered a chronic disease

Addiction does not occur because of moral weakness, a lack of willpower or an unwillingness to stop. This finding stems from decades of work investigating the effects of substance use on the brain. Understanding the brain’s role in addiction can help break the stigma surrounding the illness — and encourage individuals to seek help. In addition to getting professional treatment and support, there are things that you can do to help feel better and improve your chances of recovery. Hosted by Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares strategies for coping with alcohol =https://ecosoberhouse.com/ cravings and other addictions, featuring addiction specialist John Umhau, MD. Tim enjoys writing about addiction and recovery, this topic has personally affected him, fuelling his desire to help others.

  • Remission can be achieved through various treatment approaches, including therapy, counseling, support groups, and lifestyle changes.
  • Pathways where dopamine is present are involved in many different functions, one of which is reward-motivated behavior.
  • Prolonged alcohol abuse can lead to changes in the brain’s reward system, making it increasingly difficult for individuals to control their alcohol consumption and leading to a chronic pattern of alcohol dependence.
  • Alcohol is a known carcinogen, and long-term use increases the risk of several types of cancer, like head and neck, esophageal, liver, colorectal, and breast cancers.

Why Is Alcoholism Considered a Chronic Disease?

why is alcoholism considered a chronic disease

By modifying the required response (e.g., increasing the number of lever presses required before the alcohol is delivered) researchers can determine the motivational value of the stimulus for the animal. In operant procedures, animals must first perform a certain response (e.g., press a lever) before they receive a stimulus (e.g., a small amount of alcohol). This disruption of your brain’s communication network makes it harder to walk steadily, remember events, speak clearly, and make good judgments. The effects are intensified in the areas of your brain involved in these functions, like the cerebellum, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. Alcohol dependency is not only a personal struggle but also a condition filled with societal challenges and stigma. Our admissions coordinators are available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have as you consider whether treatment at Banyan is right for you or your loved one.

why is alcoholism considered a chronic disease

Physical Changes in the Brain

Understanding its medical, social, and psychological aspects is vital for effective treatment. Chronic alcohol dependency is a condition characterized by long-term difficulties in controlling alcohol consumption, despite its consequences on health and life. It involves persistent misuse of alcohol and challenges in reducing or abstaining from drinking altogether. Moreover, psychiatric disorders such as depression often accompany AUD, increasing the risk of developing the disorder.

Brain Responses in Chronic Pain and Alcohol Use Disorder

Still, the first and most crucial step that a person can take is to acknowledge and accept that a problem is present. Alcoholism is a chronic disease because it has distinct characteristics and a progressive nature that sets it apart from simple excessive alcohol consumption. The biological characteristics of alcoholism are a major factor in its classification as a chronic disease. As why is alcoholism considered a chronic disease with all chronic diseases, treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder is a lifelong process. Learning to manage triggers and commit to a healthy lifestyle without alcohol has enabled many suffering from AUD to enjoy a long, fulfilling life in recovery. Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in the U.S., accounting for about 70 percent of all deaths.

why is alcoholism considered a chronic disease

People who drink too much alcohol are at risk of developing a host of health conditions and disorders including certain types of cancer, liver disease, and heart disease. Excessive alcohol consumption can damage the brain and other organs, and it also increases the chances of developing sleep problems, depression, and other mental health problems. Alcohol can interfere with a person’s ability to care for their other medical conditions or make other medical conditions worse. More recently, however, researchers have been turning their attention to the heroin addiction evaluation of changes in withdrawal symptoms that extend beyond physical signs of withdrawal—that is, to those symptoms that fall within the domain of psychological distress and dysphoria.

  • Withdrawal symptoms are a common occurrence in individuals who are dependent on alcohol.
  • It is also a relapsing disease, which means that even if an individual stops drinking for a period of time, they may still struggle with cravings and potentially relapse back into unhealthy drinking.
  • Moreover, American Medical Association counts alcoholism as a disease under both medical and psychiatric sections.

Environmental Factors

  • It acknowledges that alcoholism is not solely a behavioral problem but rather a complex interplay of various factors that contribute to its development and progression.
  • This explains why individuals who chronically abuse drugs or alcohol begin to appear lethargic, unmotivated and depressed, and report a lack of pleasure in things that were once pleasurable.
  • It can be hard to identify the lines between casual and occasional drinking and unhealthy alcohol use including alcohol use disorder.
  • The hormonal stress response is mediated by a system known as the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical (HPA) axis.

Many of these people make numerous attempts to curtail their alcohol use, only to find themselves reverting to patterns of excessive consumption. A relatively novel approach to continuing care of alcohol and other drug (AOD)-dependent patients that is aimed at increasing treatment participation by reducing the burden for patients is telephone-based counseling. Several such interventions have been developed (e.g., Horng and Chueh 2004); this sidebar describes one protocol developed at the University of Pennsylvania (McKay et al. 2004, 2005).

For example, clinical studies have indicated that a history of multiple detoxifications increases a person’s susceptibility to more severe and medically complicated withdrawals in the future (e.g., Booth and Blow 1993). One possible solution is to incorporate continuing-care services into the specialty treatment programs so that the program counselor who works with the patient during the initial treatment phase also is responsible for coordinating the continuing care phase. All of these options have their advantages and disadvantages, and research is needed to determine which approach is most effective and cost-effective. Several investigators have looked at extending and augmenting currently used behavioral treatment strategies to address specific subgroups of AOD-dependent patients.

why is alcoholism considered a chronic disease

Outpatient Treatment as Initial Phase

Greater treatment retention, in turn, increases the likelihood of positive outcomes. Nevertheless, these traditional approaches do not appeal to or benefit all patients. Therefore, additional continuing care strategies are needed to augment the number of patients with AOD dependence who can participate in continuing care and achieve positive AOD-related outcomes. Self-help groups such as AA, NA, or Cocaine Anonymous (CA) are the most commonly available type of continuing care for people with AOD use disorders, although they should not be considered formal treatment interventions. All of these groups are based on 12-step programs that provide a spiritual and behavioral guide to self-improvement and offer social support for people seeking to achieve abstinence.