This document provides information on alcohol misuse and abuse, its health effects, and the recovery process. It discusses the differences between alcohol misuse and abuse, how the liver is affected, and other health issues like mental health problems, cancer, infections, and birth defects. It also describes alcohol withdrawal symptoms like delirium tremens, shakes, and seizures. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is explained as related to thiamine deficiency from malnutrition or alcohol use. The recovery process is outlined as sometimes requiring detoxification and noting that relapse is sometimes part of recovery according to the cycle of change model.

1. A BRIEF PRESENTATION BY SAL VARTUCA
JULY 2014
Alcohol Awareness

2. Alcohol: Misuse or Abuse?
Misuse
 mis·use (ms-ys) n.
Improper, unlawful, or
incorrect use;
misapplication.
Abuse
 a·buse (-byz) tr.v.
To hurt or injure by
maltreatment; ill-use.
 To assail with
contemptuous, coarse,
or insulting words;
revile.

3. The Liver

4. Other health issues affected by
Alcohol Misuse
 Mental health / wellbeing problems, such as depression, aggression,
anxiety.
 Cancer of throat and mouth.
 Reduced resistance to infection.
 Nerve endings damaged.
 Memory loss / damage.
 Brain Damage – Wernicke-Korsakoff’s syndrome.
 Heart failure, weakening of the heart. Anaemia.
 Vitamin deficiency, bleeding and inflamation of stomach, vomiting and
diarrhoea.
 Inflamed pancreas.
 Foetal alcohol syndrome and low birth weight babies .

5. Alcohol Withdrawal
 Delirium Tremens – ‘DTs’ – Not the classic ‘shakes’ but agitated
confusion, hallucinations, visual, auditory or tactile – almost like a
fever.
 Shakes – the body’s motor controls become overactive – this leads
to ‘shaking movements’.
 Seizures or Fits – these can be dangerous – also know as a ‘Grand
Mal’, this can affect 5% of people in alcohol withdrawal.
 Sickness and nausea.
 Palpitations and sweating.
 Broken sleep and appetite.
 Drinking to avoid these symptoms is called ‘Relief Drinking’

6. Wernicke-Korsakoff’s Syndrome.
 Wernicke Encephalopathy is the pre-cursor to Korsakoff’s
Syndrome.
 Wernicke Encephalopathy is mainly caused by a thiamine
deficiency, either because of malnutrition or alcohol use (or both),
there also a genetic factor / predisposition.
 Classic symptoms include jerky eye movements (nystagmus),
confusions and ataxia (a shaking gait/steps).
 Wernicke Encephalopathy can be treated with very high doses of
thiamine, but if left untreated, can progress to Korsakoff's
Syndrome which is not reversible.

7. CYCLE OF CHANGE ( JAMES PROCHASKA
AND CARLO DICLEMENTE )

8. Alcohol Dependence
Recovery
 Recovery can be quick, or take a lifetime depending on
the individual.
 Sometimes Detoxification is necessary, this involves the
use of tranquillisers to make the withdrawal from
alcohol safer / less uncomfortable.
 Relapse is sometimes part of the process of learning
how to recover (see cycle of change).
 If you ‘force’ someone who drinks heavily to stop
drinking suddenly, they could die from a seizure.
 Seizures or Fits are the body’s response to a change in
blood enzymes, causing nervous over-arousal.

9. Logical Argument does Not Work

10. Any Questions?