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Alcohol (from Arabic al-kuḥl 'the kohl'), [11] sometimes referred to by the chemical name ethanol, is the second most consumed psychoactive drug globally behind caffeine. [12] Alcohol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, decreasing electrical activity of neurons in the brain. [13]
Sobriety is the condition of not having any measurable levels, or effects from mood-altering drugs. According to WHO "Lexicon of alcohol and drug terms", sobriety is continued abstinence from psychoactive drug use. [92] Sobriety is also considered to be the natural state of a human being given at a birth.
This study rated alcohol the most harmful drug overall, and the only drug more harmful to others than to the users themselves. [ 4 ] Alcohol withdrawal syndrome ( AWS ) is a set of symptoms that can occur following a reduction in or cessation of alcohol use after a period of excessive use. [ 1 ]
In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main psychoactive component of alcoholic beverages, other physiological symptoms may arise from the activity of acetaldehyde, a metabolite of alcohol. [11] These effects may not arise until hours after ingestion and may contribute to a condition colloquially known as a hangover .
Since the consumption of alcohol is necessary to develop alcoholism, the availability of and attitudes towards alcohol in an individual's environment affect their likelihood of developing the disease. Current evidence indicates that in both men and women, alcoholism is 50–60% genetically determined, leaving 40-50% for environmental influences ...
Alcohol is responsible in the world for 2.6 million deaths and results in disability in approximately 115.9 million people. Approximately 40 percent of the 115.9 million people disabled through alcohol abuse are disabled due to alcohol-related neuropsychiatric disorders. [96] Alcohol abuse is highly associated with adolescent suicide.
Alcohol dependence refers to an entity in which only alcohol is the involved addictive agent. Alcoholism refers to an entity in which alcohol or any cross-tolerant addictive agent is involved. In alcohol dependence, reduction of alcohol, as defined within DSM-IV, can be attained by learning to control the use of alcohol.
The term alcohol originally referred to the primary alcohol ethanol (ethyl alcohol), which is used as a drug and is the main alcohol present in alcoholic drinks. The suffix -ol appears in the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) chemical name of all substances where the hydroxyl group is the functional group with the ...