Alcoholism

The American Society of Addiction Medicine and the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence define alcoholism as “a primary chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and a distortion in thinking, most notably denial.”

When the focus is solely on the aging population, the American Medical Association expands this definition to say: “The onset or continuation of drinking behavior that becomes problematic because of physiological or psychological changes that occur with aging, including increased sensitivity to alcohol effects.”

The American Medical Association publishes the following list of physical symptoms doctors can look for when diagnosing alcoholism. If an older patient shows several symptoms, there is a high probability the person is alcoholic.

• Bruises, abrasions, and scars in locations that might suggest frequent falls, bumping into objects, physical altercations, or other violent behavior.
• Cigarette burns on the fingers.
• Flushed or florid faces.
• Jerky eye movement or loss of central vision.
• Damage to nerves causing numbness and tingling.
• Hypertension, particularly systolic.
• Gastrointestinal or other bleeding.
• Cirrhosis or other evidence of liver impairment, such as edema in the lower extremities, and other signs of fluid retention.
• Psoriasis and signs of immunodeficient disorders.

Additional symptoms to look for in an older adult are published by The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment:

• Sleep complaints, observable changes in sleep patterns, unusual fatigue, malaise, daytime drowsiness, apparent sedation.
• Seizures, malnutrition, muscle wasting.
• Depression and/or anxiety.
• Unexplained complaints about chronic pain.
• Incontinence, urinary retention, difficulty urinating.
• Poor hygiene and self-neglect.
• Unusual restlessness or agitation.
• Complaints of blurred vision or dry mouth.
• Unexplained nausea and vomiting or gastrointestinal distress.
• Change in eating habits.
• Slurred speech.
• Tremor, motor uncoordination, shuffling gait.