酗酒：知道警告信号吗？

Do you know the warning signs for alcoholism?  Or what to do if you spot them?

“Alcoholism is more than having a few drinks occasionally with your friends.  It’s the inability to control or stop drinking due to a physical and emotional dependence on alcohol,” explained Dr. Jeffrey Watts, a psychiatrist at Cook County Health (CCH) who specializes in addiction therapy.  “Just like other diseases, alcoholism is a chronic disease that will only get worse over time unless you get treatment. This is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit.”

但他强调，有帮助。 “酗酒是一种人们可以而且确实可以康复的疾病，”瓦茨博士说。

适度饮酒的定义是任何一天男性最多喝 4 杯酒精饮料，女性最多喝 3 杯酒精饮料，男性每周最多喝 14 杯，女性最多喝 7 杯。任何更多都被认为是酗酒。

瓦茨博士说，无论一个人喝多少酒，如果饮酒导致家庭、工作、人际关系或健康出现问题，则可能患有酒精使用障碍。

根据国家酒精滥用和酒精中毒研究所 (NIAAA) 的数据，大约 1500万 American adults have alcohol use disorders.  Men have historically suffered from this disease at a ratio of 2 to 1 to women, but over the past several years, there has been an increase in women suffering from alcohol addiction as well.

People with known genetic predispositions or a family history of addiction are more likely to have an alcohol use disorder.  People that work in highly-stressed environments or locations with ready access to alcohol, such as restaurants and bars, also have higher rates of alcohol use disorders.

许多研究表明，大量饮酒会对健康造成多种长期影响，例如胃病、出血问题、心脏问题、癌症、严重记忆丧失、肝硬化以及大脑和神经损伤。

饮酒问题也会对心理健康产生负面影响。例如，瓦茨博士指出，酗酒和酗酒可能会使现有状况变得更糟，例如抑郁症或双相情感障碍，并可能导致新问题的出现，例如焦虑。

“Signs of alcohol dependence or addiction can include a need to drink more alcohol to get the same effect, constantly craving alcohol no matter the time of day or having withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking—such as feeling sick to your stomach, sweating, or shaking,” Dr. Watts said.

“Another sign that you might be an alcohol-dependent person is if you keep drinking even though it harms relationships with others, interferes with your work/school, or causes health problems.  You may also give up other enjoyable activities so that you can spend time getting and drinking alcohol,” said Dr. Watts

“To get a proper assessment of your symptoms, you should seek out a health professional who can see if an alcohol use disorder is present,” he said.  “The sooner you identify any issues you or a loved one may have with alcohol, the sooner you can get help.”

库克县卫生局为酗酒或吸毒成瘾者提供药物滥用评估和治疗。如需联系可评估您对心理健康或药物滥用治疗需求的持照临床社会工作者，请拨打 CCH 行为健康热线 (844) 433-8793。

April is Alcohol Awareness Month.  For more information on alcoholism, treatment and recovery, visit NIAAA’s web site at https://www.rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/ .