Alcohol Dependence

Alcohol dependence is a substance related disorder. This disease manifests when a person uses alcohol despite evidence of physical dependence on this substance.

People with an alcohol dependency may have areas of significant dysfunction in their lives, or they may appear to function without problem.

Statistics show that around 12 percent of American adults will have an alcohol dependence problem at some time in their life.

This disorder has been termed a disease by the American Medical Association as it has its on set of symptoms, signs, and will progress along a specific course if it’s not treated.

Diagnosing Alcohol Dependence:

The diagnosis of alcohol dependence is given if a person has three out of seven of the following criteria manifesting during one 12 month period:

• A clinical diagnosis of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, or experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
• Developing a higher tolerance for alcohol. In other words being able to drink more before signs of affect.
• Drinking more, or drinking for longer amounts of time than intended.
• Being unable to cut down on the amount or frequency of alcohol use.
• Being unable to do anything without including alcohol. Reducing or giving up social, recreational, or occupational activities because of alcohol use, or because you can not use alcohol when you are doing them.
• Having to spend time getting alcohol.
• Spending time recovering from the effects of drinking.
• Even though a person has alcohol-related problems that may be psychological, physical, or sociological, they are unable to stop drinking.

Natural Cures for Alcohol Dependency:

There is no known permanent cure for alcohol dependence or alcoholism. It can be treated, and a person can be clear of use for years, even decades, but like any other substance abuse disorder, a relapse can occur with just one drink.

Therefore it is important that anyone diagnosed with an alcohol dependence problem gets to a point where they can totally refrain from drinking alcohol and then avoid all alcoholic beverages for the rest of their life.

Long-term sobriety can be difficult to achieve. Relapses are very common and the important thing is to recognize the relapse and get all the help you can to stop drinking again.

Cleansing:

One of the best things you can do for your body to help with alcohol dependency is to cleanse your body of the toxins and hopefully rid yourself of some of the cravings. There are several things that you can do to help your body cleanse itself, these include:

• Drink lots of water. Add lemon and honey if you like as these substances will help your body cleanse itself.
• Start with an all fruit diet during the initial phase of abstinence. This helps cleanse the body of the toxins by keeping your nourishment simple, high in fiber and liquid. Once you’ve used the all-fruit diet for a week or so—phase into a light, nourishing diet.
• Use heat and cold. Whether it’s a hot bath followed by cold towel massages, or soaking in a hot tub, then taking a cold shower, or sweating in a dry sauna followed by a dip in the arctic plunge pool…any combination of hot/cold will help your body eliminate waste. This elimination will allow your body to revert to natural functions and restore balance.
• In moderation try laxative herbs or combinations that will help you eliminate waste. Try golden seal, hyssop, psyllium, senna leaf pod, or Oregon grape root to help with the cleansing process.
• Talk to a holistic health practitioner about doing a specific liver cleansing regiment to eliminate the stored toxins and to stimulate healing to this organ that is drastically affected by alcohol.