Mental health Matters

written by Fortune Ngubeni

never wait for a breakdown to know that you have to fix up your mental health issues

ALCOHOLISM

What is alcohol?

When yeast, a microorganism that evolved around two hundred millions years ago, encounters the water and plant sugars in fruits, berries and grains, something very interesting happens. In the process known as fermentation, yeast releases an enzyme that converts the sugars into carbon dioxide (CO2) and ethanol (CH3 CH2 OH, more commonly called alcohol).
A simple one celled organism, yeast doesn’t know when to call it quits and continues to produce alcohol until it expires, the very first victim of acute alcohol poisoning. Definition: Pure alcohol is a thin, clear, colourless, inflammable liquid, which has a rather weak odour, a burning taste, and an intoxicating effect.
It derives from Arabic word “Alcohol” meaning a finely divided spirit: Around A.D. 800,Arabian chemists figured out how to overcome yeast’s natural limitations by boiling alcohol away from its sugar bath and condensing it into “pure” alcohol. Because pure alcohol isn’t very appetising (chemists use it in the laboratory as a solvent, an extracting agent, fuel and the starting material for the production of acetic, lacquers, varnishes, and dyes), distillers dilute the spirit with water. There are many types of alcohol but the alcohol used for consumption is Ethanol (ethyl or grain alcohol) It is produced in three forms: Beer from cereals, Wines from grapes, fruits Distilled spirits from cereals, grains, fruits and molasses
The only difference is the flavor and concentration of alcohol.

Disease concept of alcoholism.
In an effort to emphasise the progression of the disease from its early to middle and late stages, the following definition was approved in February 1990 by the Board of Directors of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine: Alcoholism is a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psycho social, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterised by continuous or periodic: impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the
drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking, most notably denial. Another definition: Alcoholism is a progressive neurological disease strongly influenced by genetic vulnerability.
Inherited or acquired abnormalities in brain chemistry create an altered response to alcohol, which in turn causes a wide array of physical, psychological, and behavioural problems. Although environmental and social factors will influence the progression and expression of the disease, they are not in any sense causes of addictive drinking.
A disease is defined as:- Anything that interferes with the ability of the body to function normally. Alcohol actually does this. Alcoholism is a disease because like other diseases it has a :
• Cause
• Course
• Signs and symptoms
• Outcome
• Treatment
• Therefore it can be defined, described, Diagnosed and Treated.
World Health Organisation’s position In 1950’s the World Health Organisation (WHO) accepted alcoholism as a disease, which can be:13 Defined Described Diagnosed (to say exactly what an illness or the cause of a problem is) Can be effectively treated.
Alcoholism is defined by WHO as :
• Primary
• Chronic
• Progressive
• Terminal
• Incurable
• Hereditary
According to the WHO, it is a primary, chronic, progressive and terminal disease; caused by dependency on the chemical alcohol which is an addictive substance. It affects a person physically, mentally, emotionally, morally and spiritually. It is characterised by continuous or periodic impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite diverse consequences and distortions in thinking, most notably denial. An alcoholic: This is a person whose drinking frequently interferes with his or her family, life,business, social life or health and spiritual life. Causes of alcoholism Alcoholism is caused by biochemical/neuro-physiological abnormalities that are passed down from one generation to the next or, in some cases, acquired through heavy or prolonged drinking.Hereditary or genetic disposition Consumption of alcohol Diagnosis of Alcoholism

#LETS BE MENTAL ALERT AND RAISE AWARENESS AROUND REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR MENTAL HEALTH A PRIORITY