The encyclopedia of alcoholism and alcohol abuse

407 Pages·2010·1.92 MB·English

by  Mark S Gold

The encyclopedia of
alcoholism and
alcohol abuse

The encyclopedia of
alcoholism and
alcohol abuse
mark s. Gold, m.d.
and
christine adamec
The Encyclopedia of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Copyright © 2010 by Christine Adamec
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gold, Mark S.
The encyclopedia of alcoholism and alcohol abuse / by Mark S. Gold and Christine Adamec.
p. ; cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8160-7709-0 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8160-7709-6 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4381-3173-3 (e-book) 1. Alcoholism—Encyclopedias.
I. Adamec, Christine A., 1949– II. Title.
[DNLM: 1. Alcoholism—Encyclopedias—English. WM 13 G6176e 2010]
HV5017.G65 2010
362.29203—dc22 2009037200

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Text design by Annie O’Donnell
Composition by Hermitage Publishing Services
Cover printed by Sheridan Books, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich.
Book printed by Sheridan Books, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich.
Date printed: July 2010
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
conTenTs
foreword vii
acknowledgments xi
introduction xiii
entries a–Z 1
appendixes
appendix i: important national organizations 272
appendix ii: u.s. state and Territorial organizations
on alcoholism and substance abuse 281
appendix iii: state mental health agencies 288
appendix iV: state child protective services agencies 293
appendix V: state child abuse Reporting numbers 299
appendix Vi: past year and month alcohol abuse and
dependence among underage users, 2002–2006 302
appendix Vii: alcohol use in the united states,
lifetime, past year, and past month among persons
ages 12 to 20, by Gender, 2002–2007 304
appendix Viii: alcohol use, binge alcohol use,
and heavy alcohol use in the past month in the
united states among persons ages 12 to 20,
by demographic characteristics, percentages,
2006 and 2007 305
appendix iX: federal citations on the national
minimum drinking age 307
bibliography 309
index 328
foRewoRd
Alcohol is the most popular psychoactive sub- opmentally, the teenage brain is not ready for
stance in the world, and this has been true for alcohol, and binge-drinking episodes appear to
millennia. It is also one of the most damaging and sow the seeds for later alcohol abuse and early
dangerous substances known to humans, second alcoholism. Teen and college drinking is a major
only to the harmful effects inflicted on the human problem. Young adults who drink risk accidents,
body by tobacco smoking. At the same time, the injury, and death and also many dire conse-
judicious and moderate use of alcohol has been quences, including contracting sexually transmit-
widely reported as clearly effective at preventing or ted diseases, initiating unplanned pregnancies,
delaying aging, heart disease, and stroke and other and suffering from violence engendered by inhi-
cardiovascular manifestations of disease. Drink- bitions that are markedly decreased by alcohol. In
ing red wine has been correlated with all sorts of the worst case, young people who binge drink die
health benefits, such that the likely “French-effect” of alcohol poisoning or they drive drunk and kill
chemicals, resveratrol and resveratrol-related phar- or harm others.
maceuticals, are likely to be evaluated in clinical There are some who support the lowering
trials soon. It is now clear that in males, alcohol of the drinking age to 18 years, arguing that an
has significant positive effects, and in women 18-year-old can vote and go to war, and, thus,
the beneficial effects of alcohol are tempered by it is only fair that an 18-year-old should be able
the increased risk for breast cancer. Alcohol also to consume alcohol too. However, the minimum
reduces social inhibitions and anxiety and produces drinking age restriction has saved thousands of
an overall feeling of well-being. It is an important lives since its inception, and rescinding it would
element in social, political, and religious rituals, at not be consistent with Hippocrates’ admonition to
which, without it, most participants would find the “First, do no harm.”
ceremony essentially meaningless. For example, Of course, the limitation of 21 years does not
what is a Catholic mass without wine? Yet the use prevent all young people from drinking, but deaths
of alcohol is proscribed by many prominent faiths, due to drinking and driving have decreased so
most notably Islam, arguably the fastest-growing much over the past decade that in many states,
religion in the world. drugged driving exceeds or contributes to the
Alcohol is a legal substance, and one that is majority of arrests for driving under the influence.
easily obtained, often even by those who are law- The law helps by serving as a mental barrier for
fully forbidden from its use, such as individuals many people, just as many (but not all) adults
in the United States who are younger than the refrained from drinking during Prohibition in the
age of 21. It is this group, the underage popula- 1920s because alcohol was illegal. This reduced
tion, which concerns many experts, particularly drinking from the very high level that preceded
high school or college students who drink. Devel- that period.
vii
viii The Encyclopedia of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
A major problem with alcohol arises when ics are often individuals with untreated depression
people become addicted to (or “dependent on”) or anxiety who turn to alcohol for some emotional
this substance; at that point, the problem of relief and escape, however transient. Others drink
alcoholism is extremely difficult to treat. Prior one or two drinks on occasion and have no particu-
to the onset of alcoholism, however, when the lar affinity toward alcohol; clearly there is no family
individual has begun abusing alcohol but has not history of alcoholism in this group.
yet become addicted, an early drinking problem is In this book, my coauthor and I cover the key
often treatable with what is referred to as a brief issues of alcoholism and alcohol abuse today,
intervention with a trusted physician. Many stud- including the latest research on who are the major
ies have confirmed this fact, yet some physicians users and abusers (in terms of gender, age, and
are uncomfortable talking freely about alcohol other factors), what are the effects of their use
and drugs with their patients. In general, physi- on themselves and others, and how alcoholism is
cians are used to the doctor-patient relationship treated. Medications are available for treatment,
being very truthful. So it is not a surprise that they but the most effective means to resolve alcoholism
are uncomfortable asking questions that provoke is with the assistance of Alcoholics Anonymous.
defensive responses and to which many patients We also describe in detail the common psychi-
routinely lie or deny or minimize. Yet, asking their atric “comorbidities” (disorders that occur con-
patients about their use of alcohol, providing an currently) that occur with alcohol dependence.
office-based brief intervention, or even challeng- For example, anxiety disorders and depression
ing unhealthy use when it is identified can help frequently occur with alcoholism, and it is often
patients reduce their abuse or dependence. difficult to tease out which disorder came first, the
Many people have confused and contradictory alcoholism or the comorbid psychiatric disorder.
attitudes toward alcohol. On the one hand, among Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disor-
many families and friends, alcohol is a substance der (ADHD) and antisocial personality disorder
that is often approved for celebrations, such as grad- (ASPD) have an increased risk for an alcohol use
uations, birthdays, and holidays. On the other hand, disorder. In addition, often there are multiple
the extreme use of alcohol and the concomitant psychiatric comorbidities, making diagnosis and
embarrassing drunken behaviors of family members, treatment challenging for the physician.
coworkers, and others are subject to gossip and criti- We also cover the physical effects of alcohol
cism, and the alcoholic person is often “convicted” abuse and alcoholism on the body, including an
by a jury of his or her peers as guilty when unable increased risk for cancer and many other diseases.
to refrain from drinking to excess. Most experts The alcoholic is unlikely to take needed medica-
know that alcohol dependence is a disease. Some tion and is at risk for harm from existing untreated
laypeople regard alcoholism as a disease, while oth- diseases, including such common and chronic dis-
ers view it as a moral failing or a weakness. eases as diabetes and hypertension. An estimated
Females who drink are often particularly stig- 80 percent of all alcoholics also smoke, further
matized, and this has been true for centuries. The escalating the risk for disability and death. Alcohol
alcoholic man who stops drinking is lionized as a dependence is also harmful to the brain and can
hero; in contrast, the societal attitude toward the lead to an alcoholic dementia.
female alcoholic in remission is that she should The actions of the person who abuses alcohol
have known better than ever to drink to excess in are not performed in a vacuum and affect many
the first place. people around them, including strangers. For
Yet there are reasons for excessive drinking. For example, the individual who drives drunk may
example, some individuals apparently have a genetic kill or permanently maim others that he or she
predisposition toward alcoholism, and if they drink, crashes into with a motor vehicle. For years,
they are likely to drink to excess. Some experts drunk drivers repeatedly drove drunk with few
believe that it is the feeling of euphoria that they legal repercussions, until bereaved mothers started
seek to duplicate, while others believe that alcohol- Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Our
Foreword ix
book discusses drunk driving, its consequences As of this writing, progress on the full effects
and its punishments, in detail. of alcohol on the brain and behavior is rapidly
Individuals who abuse or depend on alcohol are ongoing, and these findings will ultimately result
more likely to behave aggressively toward others, in the development of newer and more powerful
exhibiting violence toward their spouses, partners, medications to help block the effects of alcohol
their own children, and the children of others. Our and prevent relapse. In the meantime, I have
book discusses violence and child abuse that stem been guided by the exceptionally good five-year
from abuse of and dependence on alcohol. outcomes that have been reported with physician
I am a medical school professor and chair of alcoholics as well as by the experiences over more
the psychiatry department at a prestigious medical than the past two decades at the Betty Ford Center
school. I am also a researcher and addiction expert in understanding effective interventions and gold
who has studied substance use, abuse, and depen- standard treatment and follow-up.
dence for many years, as well as mentored young —Mark S. Gold, M.D.
scientists in this area of research. I am well versed Donald R. Dizney Eminent Scholar
in the pros and cons of the use of alcohol as well and Distinguished Professor,
as the devastation that alcohol dependence inflicts University of Florida College of Medicine &
upon the individual sufferer and those around McKnight Brain Institute Departments of
him or her. It is my hope that readers will find Psychiatry, Neuroscience, Anesthesiology,
the answers that they need from the information Community Health & Family Medicine
provided in my book. Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry