Just
because someone in your family has an alcohol problem, that doesn't mean
you necessarily will. And just because you have had a problem with alcohol
in the past, that doesn't mean you can't overcome it. Many people, both
gay and straight, with alcohol problems have quit drinking and gone on to
have happier and healthier lives. See below for
resources.
| Scope of the alcohol problem |
Researchers
use the term "alcohol problems" to refer to any type of condition caused
by drinking which harms the drinker directly, jeopardizes the drinker's
well-being, or places others at risk. According to the National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, nearly 14 million people in the
United States - 1 in every 13 adults-have alcohol problems, though most do
not realize or acknowledge it.
It is
additionally estimated that 43% of U.S. adults (76 million people) have
been exposed to alcoholism in the family --they have a parent/guardian,
spouse or other family member who is or was an alcoholic or a problem
drinker.
| Do LGBT people have more alcohol problems
than heterosexuals? |
Studies from
the 1970s and 1980s led many to the conclusion that rates of alcoholism
were higher among LGBT people than in the overall population-sometimes
citing rates of alcoholism in the LGBT community as 30%. However,
most of these studies were seriously flawed, drawing participants from gay
bars and other locations in which people who drink are overrepresented.
More recent and
reliable studies have been conflicting, but there is some evidence that
LGBT youth and possibly LGBT adults have more alcohol problems than the
overall population.
For most
people, there is little harm in consuming small amounts of alcohol.
In fact, dozens of studies from around the world have found that, compared
with abstainers, moderate drinkers have significantly lower risk of dying
from coronary heart disease and a significantly reduced risk of stroke.
Alcohol apparently protects the heart in two ways -- by boosting
artery-clearing "good" HDL cholesterol and by reducing the risk of blood
clots that can trigger a heart attack.
But what exactly does "moderate"
drinking mean? Total amounts might be smaller than you think.
On average, the benefits outweigh the risks only when women have no more
than one drink a day, men no more than two a day.
A drink is:
a 12-ounce bottle of beer;
a 5-ounce glass of wine;
or a 1 1/2-ounce shot of liquor
Depending on the circumstances,
alcohol problems can result from even moderate drinking, for example when
driving, during pregnancy, or when taking certain medicines.
Additionally, it
is important to weigh the potential benefits of moderate drinking with the
potential risks of becoming addicted, particularly if many members of your
family have had significant alcohol problems.
| The health problems caused by drinking too
much |
Habitually
exceeding the average daily limit of one or two drinks a day is associated
with a broad range of health risks. Those risks cancel out alcohol's
ability to protect the heart soon after you cross the moderate line.
In fact, immoderate drinking can actually harm the heart, not only by
raising blood pressure, but also by weakening the heart muscle and
triggering abnormal heart rhythms.
Alcohol intoxication is the leading
cause of traffic fatalities in the United States. Both men and women
commonly report that they take greater sexual risks when they have been
drinking, leading, in a worst case, to HIV infection.
The following is
a partial list of other alcohol-related health problems:
 cirrhosis
(permanent scarring) of the liver
high blood
pressure
increased risk
of throat, esophagus, liver and breast cancer
ulcers
dementia
sleep disturbances
depression and other emotional problems
| How do I know if I have an alcohol
problem? |
People with
alcohol problems often answer "yes" to one or more of the following
questions:
Do you believe
that in order to have fun you need to drink?
Do you turn to
alcohol after a confrontation or argument, or to relieve uncomfortable
feelings?
Do you drink
more to get the same effect that you used to get with smaller amounts?
Do you drink
alone?
Have you had
trouble at work or in school because of your drinking?
Have you made
promises to yourself or others that you'll stop getting drunk?
Have your
family or friends complained about your drinking?
Have you been
late to or absent from work because of hangovers?
Do you drink
even when you don't feel well?
Has your doctor
told you that you have health problems related to drinking?
Have you tried
to quit drinking?
Some people
with alcohol problems who are not physically addicted are able to quit or
cut down without help. The following are suggestions that people
have found helpful:
Write down your
reasons for wanting to quit or cut down
Get support
from your friends
Keep no liquor
in your home
When you drink,
sip slowly and take a break of one hour between drinks
Eat food when
you drink
Pick a day or
two each week when you will not drink at all and think about how you feel
physically and emotionally on these days - when you succeed and feel
better you may decide to quit for good
Very often, people are not able to
quit cold turkey on their own. A variety of treatments exist for
alcohol dependence including self-help groups (like Alcoholics
Anonymous--and there are LGBT AA groups), medication, detoxification and
rehabilitation on either an in-patient or out-patient basis.
If you chose to
enter a treatment program, be sure that the program is supportive of you
as a gay, lesbian, bisexual and /or transgendered person.
Don't give
up!
Adapted
from the Centers for Disease Control and Public Health - Seattle & King County website |
