| It is difficult for many of us to understand why anyone | | | | health-related, such as liver damage. A person who is |
| would operate a vehicle while drunk or under the | | | | abusing alcohol will not suffer physical symptoms of |
| influence of another drug. It is even more perplexing to | | | | withdrawal when they cannot drink; they simply have |
| learn that someone we know has been convicted of | | | | no desire to quit. This may be because alcohol is a |
| this crime multiple times. It seems like a matter of | | | | way for them to self-medicate a separate emotional |
| simple common sense to take a taxi or get a ride with | | | | problem, such as depression or anxiety. It may be that |
| a friend when one is impaired. Why do some people | | | | they feel alcohol gives them something they are |
| have difficulty doing this? There are many potential | | | | lacking in their life, such as self confidence, a sense of |
| reasons, ranging from ignorance to recklessness to | | | | security or happiness. |
| self-destructive impulses. One common factor among | | | | Alcohol dependence is similar to alcohol abuse, with |
| people with DWI convictions is a problem with drinking. | | | | one crucial addition: physiological symptoms. This can |
| "Alcoholism" has been defined many different ways | | | | mean increased tolerance, requiring the person to drink |
| by many different individuals and organizations, | | | | more to get the same effects, or physical withdrawal. |
| depending on their personal views and experiences. | | | | Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include shakiness, |
| The DSM IV-TR, the current manual that US | | | | anxiety or irritability, nausea and difficulty concentrating, |
| psychologists use when making diagnoses, attempts to | | | | among others. In the most severe cases, a person |
| quantify mental health issues by defining them in terms | | | | might experience what is known as the DT's - a |
| of observable, measurable behaviors. Based on the | | | | period of intense distress and visual hallucinations. |
| information they have gathered, the authors of the | | | | These difficult emotional problems can make it difficult |
| DSM IV-TR offer two related but distinct drinking | | | | for a person to resist the temptation to drink at social |
| problems: abuse and dependency. | | | | events, and increase their temptation to drink alone, |
| Alcohol abuse is the more mild of the two, although it | | | | making it harder to simply get a ride home with a |
| can still have very serious consequences. A person is | | | | friend. The emotional effects of a drinking problem, |
| abusing alcohol if they continue to drink to excess | | | | such as depression and low self-esteem, also make |
| after suffering some sort of consequence for it. The | | | | people more likely to engage in risky behavior. |
| consequence(s) may be legal, such as a DWI | | | | For more information about drinking and the law, |
| conviction; emotional, such as loss of self-respect or | | | | contact Austin DWI defense attorneys Morales & |
| damaged relationships with other people; financial, such | | | | Navarrete. |
| as spending too much money on liquor or legal fees; or | | | | |