Passage: Alcoholism (Problem Solving)

For most adults, moderate alcohol use is not harmful. However, nearly 17.6 million adults in the United States are alcoholics or have alcohol problems. Alcoholism is a disease with four main features:

1. Craving - a strong need to drink.
2. Loss of control - not being able to stop drinking once you've begun
3. Physical dependence - withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating or shakiness after drinking has stopped
4. Tolerance - the need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to get "high".

Alcoholism carries many serious dangers. Heavy drinking can increase the risk of certain cancers. It can cause damage to the liver, brain, and other organs. It can cause birth defects. It increases the risk of death from car crashes and other injuries as well as the risk of homicide and suicide. Other complications include diabetes, high blood pressure, seizures, severe malnutrition, and shortened life expectance.

Guidelines: Stick to a regular diet. Eat a low-fat diet. Get more protein, complex carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. Vitamin and mineral supplements may be helpful during recovery (this may include B-complex zinc, and vitamins A and C).

Balanced nutrition helps improve mood and health. It is important to encourage a healthy diet. It is more important that people avoid returning to substance abuse than that they stick to a healthy diet.

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