In Science Daily, a recent article suggests that there are other factors that increase the risk of alcohol onset among teens such as age, race, team sports and their position in the social network arena. The study further found that being in close proximity to the most popular peers was a definite factor in the onset of drinking. The study surveyed over 2,600 students in 7th through 11th grade from 1995 to 1996 and also interviewed their parents in two different groups.

The study showed that the density of the networks magnified the spread of influence among the adolescents and also amplified the dynamics. The findings also suggest that limiting the size of these social peer groupings may have a positive influence on delaying the onset of alcohol usage. Some experts argue that smaller schools and their ability to provide a smaller group of peers could be positive in decreasing this problem.

Fascinating enough is the new era of social networks online popping up such as GroupMe, Path and Rally Up, which all focus on limiting the size of friendship groups. The study also pointed out the role parents play in their children’s’ lives. Having family fun together is beneficial to delaying the onset of alcohol use. Results parallel previous studies that show low family interaction and drinking among parents are further linked to initial alcohol usage.

Researchers hope to explore more ways to understand how the density of online social activity influences and increases this problem among adolescents.

The study was part of a September issue that focused on alcohol and aggression. Researchers reviewed a sample of 365 male college students: 42.4% had no history of sexual assault, 31.2% were considered sexual perpetrators while drinking alcohol and 26.4% were perpetrators without any alcohol consumption.

The study showed that there were very few differences between those who committed sexual assault whether sober or drinking. The perpetrators who drank alcohol differed from the others in their belief that alcohol increased their sexual appeal and women’s interest in engaging in sex and thus drank the most in potential situations where they thought they might get sex.

The results found that alcohol was the primary reason influencing men in these circumstances to commit sexual assault. Alcohol did affect aggression, but these were already strongest for men predisposed to aggressive outbursts. Twenty-five percent of men committed sexual assaults whether sober or drinking, indicating that the alcohol was unnecessary in their actions.

In general, the study found that attitudes, personality characteristics and past history as sexual perpetrators who drank during the assault were similar to those not drinking during the assault. Therefore, intoxication may be a more important indicator of when some men commit these types of sexual assaults, rather than those who are sexually aggressive even sober.

Researchers in this field seek to improve upon prevention and treatment options. They recognize that if they have a more exact understanding of the role alcohol plays in sexual assaults by these perpetrators, it will only help them develop more helpful interventions.

Demos followed roughly 32,000 people from childhood to adulthood to determine the family patterns that most impacted whether or not a person engaged in risky alcohol consumption. By the study’s end the group identified the two strongest determiners of drinking to be

1. The strength of the marital relationship
2. The strength of the parenting style employed

Divorce and Alcohol Abuse

Sadly, though perhaps not surprisingly, children of divorced parents were more likely to be problem drinkers. When there are stresses and difficulties between the parents of younger children, and especially when those end in divorce, there is a demonstrable impact upon the children later on in life.

The author of the report hastened to add that divorce itself doesn’t force children to become alcohol abusers, but instead, the relational instability and resultant stresses affect everyone in the home – parents and children alike. Nevertheless, the connection between binge drinking as a teen or adult and the parents’ marital breakdown remains.

Parenting Style Tied to Drinking Habits

The other strong influencing factor upon a child’s later drinking habits was parenting style. Four parenting styles were outlined as follows:

1. Authoritarian parenting, which sets non-negotiable standards and places high value on obedience and structure and less emphasis on exploration and freedom.
2. Disengaged parenting, which is emotionally aloof and does not establish boundaries or provide structure.
3. Laissez-faire parenting, in which the parent is emotionally connected, but places less emphasis on setting rules and standards.
4. Tough love parenting, which establishes negotiable rules and welcomes autonomy and decision-making in the child.

The researchers questioned the parents to determine their style, asking about how much time they spent with their young children, how often the family ate meals together, how aware of the teenager’s whereabouts during evening hours parents were, and how often the rules in the home were broken, among others.

The study reports that drinking was far less likely to be a problem for a 16-year-old that had experienced high degrees of parental warmth and affection before the age of 5. By contrast, if a 16-year-old had a disengaged parent they were eight times more likely to abuse alcohol than would be the same age child of emotionally and behaviorally involved parents. Homes where parents ably mix high levels of affection with firmly established boundaries seem to produce children who are most likely to become responsible drinkers in adulthood.

What Parents Can Do to Prevent Teen Alcohol Abuse

The parents’ role in character formation was underlined by the study’s results. Demos recommends that parents discuss alcohol use with their children while setting their own example of sobriety. It is also important that parents be sure that kids do not have easy access to alcohol inside the home.

The think tank encourages parents to step in front of the move to address problems with an entrenched drinking culture that currently exists in Britain. The U.K. Department of Health is expected to announce a new strategy to confront the issue, but parents could help stem a potentially growing tide of binge drinking among the countries young with love, discipline, commitment and oversight within the home.

It was the actions of a close friend – his music manager – that led Trace Adkins to seek treatment for the addiction, says the singer. Had the intervention not occurred, the singer said in interviews his career and possibly his life would have ended.

Adkins’ addiction story also includes a brief incarceration for a DUI offense in 2001. After entrance into a 30-day alcohol rehab facility, the singer talks about the past nine years of living addiction-free, but not without the shame, he said in interviews, and the humiliation he endured during the low points of the addiction.

One of the darkest moments, says Adkins, was the actual moment of intervention when loved ones and friends discussed all the ways his alcohol addiction had caused them pain. He recalls the reality that he was actually poisoning his body with alcohol, and that the possibility of losing his wife and daughters was a strong motivating factor in his work toward sobriety. Facing the pain he caused loved ones, says Adkins, is a moment he will never forget.

Although he says it was a very difficult experience, addressing and treating his alcohol addiction is one of the best decisions he ever made, says the celebrity. Reflecting on nearly a decade of sobriety, Adkins says his levels of productivity, his ability to focus and the wave of new opportunities have been incredible. Several new albums and a Grand Ole Opry induction have followed Adkins’ addiction recovery. The singer maintains a focus on recovery and refers to taking one step after another as part of maintaining freedom from addiction.

While Adkins’ story of drug rehab and addiction recovery is a positive message to many suffering from alcohol addiction, many patients who enter a rehab program for alcohol will experience a relapse following treatment. This is part of the reality of alcoholism as a chronic and progressive disease.

Researchers with the Caron Foundation, a national treatment center for addiction, say in reports that relapse doesn’t mean a person has failed in their recovery, but rather is a key element of the person’s journey toward recovery. The rate of relapse for addiction can reach 50 percent for those who return to excessive use of the substance, or up to 90 percent for those who only experience a short-term relapse. Experts compare these rates with the relapse rates of people who fail to continue with needed treatments for diseases like diabetes or high blood pressure.

Coloradans have a higher than average use of alcohol, binge drinking, cocaine and marijuana use overall compared to the national average. The state ranks among the highest, which will only fuel the debate over marijuana legalization. Arthur Schut of the behavioral treatment facility, Arapahoe House in Thornton, CO, says there were several categories studied and they were in the upper 20 percent, which is not a positive for the state.

Department of Human Services Director, Charles Smith, says it is always a concern when they look at mountain states such as Colorado for substance abuse and mental illnesses because they are typically in the top percentile. This often hurts Colorado’s chance for funding with regard to behavioral services in these types of frontier populations, according to a recent article in the Denver Post.

Researchers have to factor in what it would mean to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. Typically, if you increase access there will be increased use and this would be similar to past trials which involved liquor consumption.

Almost half of 18- to 25-year-olds in Colorado report that they drank in a "binge" nature in the past month, which came out to 47.5% of residents compared with 41% nationwide. Smith says it is more of a problem among those who are college-aged. They hope to alter the trends in Colorado, providing programs for screening early on for substance abuse and mental health indicators.

Radcliffe has addressed his problems with alcohol with multiple media sources, including MTV. During interviews, the global celebrity has stated that he came to use alcohol more and more during film production, as early as 2007, but was able to keep it secret from frequent paparazzi photos.

However, Daniel Radcliffe also sought treatment for his alcohol addiction, and current reports say the celebrity actor has lived in sobriety for more than a year. Like many people who are in recovery from addiction to alcohol, Radcliffe says he doesn’t choose to consume alcoholic beverages, especially in social settings, as part of his commitment to sobriety. He said in interviews that taking a casual approach to alcohol consumption isn’t effective for him as an individual, and he had to realize this about himself. The Harry Potter star also says that he began using alcohol to try to feel more accepted in social settings.

Radcliffe says other activities are more enjoyable to him than consuming alcohol, such as spending time with friends at dinner or enjoying a good book. Radcliffe’s alcohol addiction and recovery story has made multiple headlines, and comes just days after the release of a major nation-wide study from Columbia University’s Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.

The study called teen use of cigarettes, alcohol and abuse of drug substances, such as prescription medications, at an all-time crisis level. Radcliffe’s admission of alcohol use during his teen years aligns with another key study finding: overall, as many as 90 percent of adults in the U.S. who are living with a medically-described addiction began experimenting with cigarettes, alcohol or drug substances before they reached 18. The study also concludes that 25 percent of people in the U.S. who began using a substance with addictive properties before they reached 18 years meet criteria for having an addiction. However, if the individual began experimenting with alcohol, cigarettes or drugs on or after the age of 21, the addiction rate was one out of every 25.

Comments on Radcliffe’s story have included praise for his desire to share with others about his journey to stopping alcohol abuse, with hopes that his story will make a positive influence on teens and young adults.

Another piece of Radcliffe’s story that could influence young people is his statement that there is no disgrace in choosing a calm social life, such as spending time with close friends without alcohol.

This study looked specifically at tobacco, alcohol, legal and illegal drugs and the misuse of prescription and non-prescription medications. Those over the age of 65 are at increased risk in terms of abuse or misuse of substances because of physiological changes, psychosocial changes and a greater likelihood of long-term prescription medication use according to medical researchers.

The physiological changes a body undergoes as it ages makes the elderly especially vulnerable to the effects of alcohol and drugs. As we age our metabolism slows, our livers work less effectively, and the body mass-to-water ratio decreases. All of these factors translate into less efficient processing of drugs and/or alcohol by the body. Normally, alcohol use decreases with age, yet the College study reported that a substantial number of senior citizens abuse alcohol. Misuse of alcohol and illegal substances appears higher however among elderly men than among women.

In addition to diminished processing by the body, the aged are more likely to dangerously combine alcohol or drugs with prescription or over-the-counter medicines. People over 65 are more likely to be taking prescription medications. Whether for physical health issues or for emotional health treatment (sleep aids, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety), many elderly bring pharmacological pre-conditions that make misuse of alcohol or drugs more dangerous. The study reported that whereas men are more likely to abuse alcohol, women are more prone to misuse prescription and over-the-counter medications. The RCP study also discussed polypharmacy which is a term used to describe the combination of prescription, over-the-counter, and illegal drugs. Polypharmacy can be a contributing factor for the older person who has mental health issues.

Psychosocial changes faced by the elderly such as loss of loved ones, retirement, loneliness and boredom are also risk factors in the abuse or misuse of substances.

The RCP makes a few basic recommendations for assisting older adults.

First: recognize the elderly as a separate category when setting safe alcohol level limits. Most of the coverage given to the RCP study has focused on the College’s suggestion that maximum alcohol limits be adjusted for folks over the age of 65. The recommendation is that maximum limits be set at 1.5 units per day or the equivalent of a half pint of strong beer or a 125ml glass of wine. The current recommendation for adults of all ages is 4 units per day for men and 3 units per day for women.

Second: initiate public awareness programs aimed at the elderly and substance misuse. The College further suggests getting the message out that alcohol and illegal drugs are among leading risks for premature death and that long-term alcohol abuse is linked to increased risk of Alzheimers

Third: begin to screen all patients over age 65 for substance misuse as part of general well check ups. The study suggests that while the current over 65 population may not be misusing alcohol or be involved in illegal drug use, that could change as those currently over 40 move into the older demographic. In fact, European estimates suggest that the number of elderly with abuse/misuse habits will double by the year 2020.

Animals are often used to replicate the effects of drugs and alcohol on the human body. A recent study looked at the effects of medication on mediating the damage caused by alcohol consumption in rats. Jian Hu, Yan Xia, Zheng Wu, Leu Liu and Chunling Tang examined how fluoxetine might alleviate brain damage and hypercortisolemia due to alcohol consumption in rats.

The researchers wanted to investigate the neuropathological damage and changes of corticosteroid concentrations relating to chronic alcohol consumption. They also wanted to see how Fluoxetine (Prozac) might affect neuropathological damage and corticosteroid levels and to evaluate any possible association between neuropathological damage and changes in corticosteroid levels.

Rats were randomly divided into two groups, which were alcohol and control groups. The alcohol group rats were given ethanol intraperitoneally for 8 weeks. Corticosterone levels were measured in both groups, and then fluoxetine hydrochloride or saline was injected into the animals.

The rats were killed and the number of neurons in five regions of the cerebral cortex was determined.

The results of the study showed that the number of neurons on the frontal cortex, parietal cortex, and CA3 regions of the hippocampus were significantly reduced in the group of rats that was given alcohol and then saline when compared with the results of the control group that was treated with saline.
The alcoholic group that was treated with fluoxetine showed an increased number of neurons in the CA3 regions of the hippocampal cortex when compared with the group treated with saline.
In addition, corticosteroid levels were significantly increased in the alcohol group treated with saline, when compared with the control group. Corticosteroid levels were reduced in the group of rats given alcohol and then treated with fluoxetine, when compared with the alcoholic group treated with saline.
The neuron numbers seen in the CA3 region showed a negative association with the levels of corticosteroids.
The results of the study indicate that chronic alcohol consumption causes significant loss of neurons in rats’ brain regions and increased levels of corticosteroid concentration. The use of fluoxetine in rats may have offset the loss of neurons in the hippocampus and affected levels of corticosteroids related to alcohol consumption.
 

Both alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are distinct types of mental health diagnoses more specifically known as alcohol use disorders. The diagnoses are given if specific and negative consequences of alcohol use have occurred for the drinker. When the criteria in each diagnosis are compared, their differences are notable; each indicates a very distinct disorder.

A simplified difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence is that abuse describes the early stages of alcohol dependence. Dependence is a more complex and chronic condition. Therefore, while both indicate the consequences of problematic drinking, abuse has fewer symptoms. Essentially, alcohol abuse lays the groundwork for alcohol dependence in the life of the drinker and diagnostically.

Abuse occurs when there is a pattern of one or more alcohol-related negative consequences such as:

• recurring role failure related to the use of alcohol — failing to fulfill obligations and responsibilities associated with one’s role within work, school or home because of drinking

• recurring use of alcohol in situations that could be physically dangerous — for example, driving or operating machinery while using alcohol

• recurring legal problems that are alcohol-related — public intoxication, driving while under the influence or disorderly conduct, for example

A person is said to abuse alcohol when the drinking, and the recurring negative consequences of drinking, have occurred within the same 12 month period. Additionally, in order for an individual to be diagnosed as having alcohol abuse, he or she must continue to drink despite having had such alcohol-related problems.

On the other hand, the diagnostic requirements for alcohol dependence are far more comprehensive. Alcohol dependence is generally considered to be an alcohol-related illness with physiological symptoms. Unlike alcohol abuse, the diagnosis of dependence addresses symptoms of alcohol tolerance and alcohol withdrawal. The diagnostic criteria of alcohol dependence include:

• evidence of a change in tolerance for alcohol—drinking may increase to achieve intoxication, for example

• withdrawal symptoms—hangovers, tremors, shakes, etc

• the desire to stop or decrease use

• unsuccessful efforts to stop or decrease use

• preoccupation with alcohol use

• negative consequences of drinking

• continued drinking despite negative consequences or the desire to stop

Diagnostically, alcohol dependence overrides the diagnosis of alcohol abuse. That is, one cannot clinically be considered to have alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse at the same time. This is because alcohol abuse is a necessary precursor to alcohol dependence–one must establish a pattern of harmful drinking before becoming dependent upon alcohol. Additionally, once the progression from alcohol abuse to alcohol dependence occurs, an individual is considered to have alcohol dependence whether drinking or not.

The illness of alcohol dependence can be in various stages of activity or remission and consequently, the diagnosis of alcohol dependence is typically used whether an individual continues to drink or not. Of the two alcohol use disorders — abuse and dependence — only alcohol dependence specifies how active the disorder is. For example, the diagnosis of alcohol dependence can be expanded to include the following throughout the lifetime of a person who has this illness:

• alcohol dependence in early full remission — no symptoms of dependence or abuse have occurred for at least one month, but less than one year

• alcohol dependence and early partial remission — some symptoms of dependence or abuse have been present for at least one month or less than a year

• alcohol dependence in sustained full remission — no symptoms of abuse or dependence appear at any time during one year or longer

• alcohol dependence and sustained partial remission — some symptoms of abuse or dependence are present for one year or longer

Additionally, the diagnosis of alcohol dependence can be given as the following:

• alcohol dependence with physiological dependence

• alcohol dependence without physiological dependence

• alcohol dependence in a controlled environment

The use of these last three terms further clarifies how the illness of dependence is experienced at any given time. For example, an individual may drink to the point of becoming physiologically dependent upon a particular amount of alcohol to prevent withdrawal. The effects of withdrawal in such a case can range from mild discomfort to medical distress.

On the other hand, a person may be alcohol dependent without requiring a certain amount of alcohol to prevent withdrawal. In order to qualify for the diagnosis of alcohol dependence, physiological dependency is not required.

Alcohol dependence in a controlled environment indicates that a person may have been unable to drink because alcohol was not available. This term is frequently used when an individual has been hospitalized or incarcerated. This is an example of how the illness of alcohol dependence is considered to be present even when an individual is not drinking.

Notably, the diagnosis of alcohol abuse does not include any references to physiological dependence or remission. These are exclusive to the diagnosis of alcohol dependence. They clearly indicate that dependence is considered an illness and that it is far more complex than abuse.

In summary, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are closely related in the lives of people with problematic drinking. Alcohol abuse is the clinical warning sign that the illness of alcohol dependence could develop. It is a significant and necessary part of the larger picture of dependence.

Treatment for both alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence involves abstinence. Once an episode of alcohol abuse is treated successfully, however, the term is no longer used as a current diagnosis. At times, the term alcohol abuse by history will be used to indicate that an individual has had previous problems with alcohol and may be susceptible to these in the future. Once an incident of alcohol abuse is over, however, one is not still considered to have an alcohol use disorder.

Alcohol dependence is significantly different. Successful treatment of dependence does not eliminate the diagnosis. Even in abstinence from alcohol use, an individual is still considered to have the illness of alcohol dependence. The illness is considered, in sobriety, to be in a type of remission.