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How Are Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Diagnosed?

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are different forms of drinking problem. Alcoholism is when a person continues to drink alcohol despite of having such health problems like physical health and mental health as well as problems in social aspects like family and work. More so, alcoholism is one of the common psychiatric disorders which is commonly accompanied with other abuse disorders like personality and mood disorders as well as anxiety. While alcohol abuse is when drinking alcohol will lead into problem but not to the extent of physical addiction to alcohol.

Indeed, alcoholism and alcohol abuse has a negative effect to person’s life. Thus, it needs to determine if a person has alcohol drinking problem especially if a person is drinking alcohol oftentimes. How to know that a person has an alcohol problem? There are several tests in order to determine whether a person has an alcohol problem or not. Doctors will ask questions regarding your medical and family history with regards to alcohol.

In addition, the doctor will also conduct a physical exam such as blood alcohol level. This is to determine whether someone is drinking alcohol recently. Moreover, the doctor will also let you to have a Complete Blood Count (CBC), Magnesium blood test and Liver function tests. As such, the doctor will also pay attention to the parts of the body that are commonly affected by alcohol like liver, heart and brain.

They will also ask about your drinking habit in order to determine how often and extent you drink and how much drinking already affects your life. Here are some of the questions that doctors will ask you in case you are suspected having an alcohol problem.

  • Have you lost your job because of drinking?
  • Is there someone worried about your drinking?
  • Have you experience any blackouts after drinking?

Furthermore, even not a doctor can determine if you have a serious etoh abuse problem. There are symptoms that occur during the process of determining such alcohol drinking problem. Once a person shows three or more of these symptoms within a 12-month period, he or she has a serious drinking problem. The symptoms are:

  • Drinking more alcohol than you intended over a long period of time.
  • Spending more time and money for alcohol drinking.
  • Continue use of alcohol even if you are having health problems.
  • Giving up important activities like job just for drinking.
  • Withdrawal
  • Tolerance

So, check out the info given above and see where you stand!

Vishal K 

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