Alcohol And Substance AbuseAlcohol and substance abuse is a prevalent problem in society today. Recent studies indicate that approximately 10 % of American adults have a problem with drugs or alcohol, and an estimated 20 % of patients seen by family physicians have substance-abuse problems, not including tobacco use. Substance abuse by definition is the abuse or over use of a substance and is the nations leading health problem. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism estimates that alcohol and drug abuse are associated with 100,000 deaths per year and cost society $100 billion per year. The abuse of alcohol has been found to be the leading contributor to traffic accidents and deaths associated with those accidents. Next in line for traffic accidents is the use of illicit drugs. Also among causes of death for alcohol and substance abuse are kidney and liver failure, heart disease, seizure and overdose. This is a tremendous drain on health resources, insurance costs and monies lost to emergency room visits that are never paid for. There are things that signal alcohol or substance abuse to a health care provider. Alcohol and substance abuse can be evidenced during physical examinations or by screening during consultations for non response to treatment for medical problems. When these signs or symptoms are present it does not necessarily rule out everything but alcohol and substance abuse but should raise suspicion not only in health care providers but also close friends or family. The signs and symptoms .to be aware of for alcohol and substance abuse are: Frequent absences from school or work, a history of frequent trauma or accidental injuries, depression or anxiety, gastrointestinal symptoms (stomach discomfort), sexual dysfunction or loss of sexual inhibition and sleep disorders. Many times the detection of an alcohol or substance abuse problem will surface in the emergency room of a hospital. Whether it is a patient that comes in that has been in an auto accident or someone who comes in showing signs of an overdose. Toxicity screening can be done to identify the substance present in the body and at what levels it is present. Normally someone with an alcohol or substance abuse problem will have higher levels than normal present in their system as when abuse occurs it takes more of the substance to render the same results. Alcohol and substance abuse should not be taken lightly as it is detrimental to all of us. There are treatments available and when alcohol and substance abuse is suspected these treatments should be sought out. Alcohol and substance abuse can become life threatening and the longer these issue go untreated the more difficult they are to remedy. |