酒精中毒是由于过度饮用含酒精的饮料而引起的疾病。酒精中毒,也称为酒精依赖,是一种包括以下四个症状的疾病:
Physical dependence-戒酒后戒断症状, 例如恶心,出汗,颤抖和焦虑
公差-需要喝更多的酒精以达到“高”
渴望-强烈需要或敦促喝酒
失去控制-一旦开始饮酒就无法停止饮酒
大量饮酒十分普遍。根据国家统计局(2013)的数据,男性中有34%的男性和女性中有28%的女性的饮酒量超过了建议的每周合理饮酒量,这使他们未来健康或社会问题的风险增加,而男性中有十分之一的人饮酒。英国和十分之一的英国妇女表现出酒精依赖的迹象-依赖所有形式药物(包括处方药)的人数是酒精依赖的两倍。
酗酒的主要健康风险包括肝病, 心脏病, certain forms of cancer, 胰腺炎和神经系统疾病。这些状况通常是逐渐发展的,并且只有在长期大量饮酒之后才会变得明显。妇女也往往比男子容易出现健康问题。肝脏特别容易受到与大量饮酒有关的疾病的影响,最常见的是酒精性肝炎(炎症)或肝硬化 (肝脏疤痕)。
Experts have defined a second problem, called alcohol abuse, as something different from alcoholism. The difference is that those who abuse alcohol do not have an extremely strong craving for alcohol, loss of control over drinking, or physical dependence. People who abuse alcohol can also develop the physical symptoms related to alcoholism, however. Alcohol abuse is defined as a pattern of drinking that results in particular situations, such as failure to fulfil work, school or home duties, or having recurring alcohol-related legal problems, such as arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol.