The impending Spring Festival is a time of family reunion when family members gather together for dinner and drinks on the Chinese New Year’s Eve. On this happy occasion, alcoholic drinks can add to the festive mood. However, excessive alcoholic drinking can harm people’s health and some alcoholics even suffer unfortunate consequences.

Moderate drinking won’t harm healthy people, but excessive drinking can develop into bibulosity and alcoholism, a kind of indulgence leading to compulsive drinking and alcohol dependence, which can result in deteriorating memory, slow reaction, thus adversely impacting the drinkers’ health, family life and work. According to surveys conducted in some areas, the incidence rate of alcohol dependence can be as high as 3.43%. Some sots lose their jobs, damage marital affection, and frequently visit hospital emergency rooms or traffic authorities as a result of excessive drinking, but they still cannot stop it. Studies have shown that alcohol dependence relates to individual inheritance, personality traits and regular exposure to alcohol.

People with alcohol dependence can develop physical discomfort if they suddenly stop drinking or decrease alcohol consumption. A medical term “drinking stop syndrome” is used to describe such discomforts as hand tremor, often accompanied by anorexia, insomnia, irritability and other symptoms. Those seriously affected can suffer unconsciousness, walking instability, anxiety, fear, and even epileptic convulsion in some cases. More severe drinking problems can lead to death at a mortality rate of 10% -- 15% or more.

Alcohol dependence treatment includes acute and chronic management. Acute management refers to the method of medication or gradual reduction of alcohol consumption to prevent the occurrence of or mitigate the effects of drinking stop syndrome. Chronic management, a kind of convalescent treatment, includes medication and long-term psychological rehabilitation therapy. Alcohol dependence is a steadily worsening chronic disease, and once addicted to alcohol, the patient will find it almost impossible to rid himself/herself of the desire of compulsive drinking, and can very easily resume drinking after abstinence. There is currently no “panacea” for eradicating alcoholism. At present, an effective measure is to take part in the voluntary alcohol abstinence and rehabilitation group. 
Beijing Anding Hospital provides special clinical service every Wednesday morning for treating alcohol-related diseases. It established a voluntary alcohol abstinence and rehabilitation group in 2000 and benefited hundreds of people. Despite some relapses, patients now know how to get treated and effectively minimize adverse consequences. For relevant consultation, please call 12320.

We also take this opportunity to remind audiences to drink moderately and stay healthy during the Spring Festival. Wish all a peaceful and joyous Spring Festival!

■ For Your Reference

Diagnosis of alcohol dependence: generally speaking, symptoms of alcohol dependence can vary in patients’ daily life. But the following traits can be found in most patients. If a person’s drinking behavior corresponds to three circumstances described below, he/she is very likely a victim of alcohol dependence and should receive further medical examination.

1. Daily alcohol consumption or regular consumption of much alcohol;

2. A gradual increase in alcohol consumption;

3. Accelerated drinking speed, especially the first few drinks;

4. Often seen drinking alone;

5. Taking alcohol as medication to drive away emotional distress;

6. Having secret possession of liquor;

7. Forgetful after drinking;

8. Unplanned drinking (including time and place);

9. Drinking in early morning (commonly known as “drinking after waking up”), or even drinking at night;

10. Drinking before bedtime or drinking to late at night;

11. Like drinking with an empty stomach, drinking without having dishes and rarely staple food;

12. Selective of liquor brand (drink alcohol of a certain brand where possible)

13. Quarreling with family members for drinking-related issues, impacting family harmony or work;

14. Resuming drinking not long after alcohol abstinence for inability to control the desire.