Dying for a Drink
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Alcoholism isn't pretty. Wernicke's-Korsakoff syndrome is worse. I've just met my fifth patient this year with end stage Korsakoff's dementia, and it's a harrowing illness.
Not so much for the patient; they are goneburgers. Their short term memory is destroyed, so is their ability to learn. They're stuck; memory frozen in the time just before they degenerated into oblivion.
The ugly side of acute alcohol use are widely known, from hangovers to car crashes, both in the young and oldies, too. Most people know that drinking too much stuffs your liver and gives you a red nose. But who really sees it?
The traditional view of alcoholism is that no-one talks about it. The most that's ever said of a fifty-year-old whose drinking patterns are dangerous might be 'Gee, he likes a drink.' It's written off as a part of Aussie culture.
So, next time you think 'Gee, he/she likes a drink.', help a mate out; Ask them the CAGE:
Are you Concerned about your drinking?
Do you ever get Angry or agitated when asked about your drinking?
Do you ever feel Guilty about your drinking habits?
Have you ever had an Eye-opener to get you started the next morning?
If they score more than two, they might need some help or good advice about their drinking patterns. Because there's no point dying for a drink.
Not so much for the patient; they are goneburgers. Their short term memory is destroyed, so is their ability to learn. They're stuck; memory frozen in the time just before they degenerated into oblivion.
The ugly side of acute alcohol use are widely known, from hangovers to car crashes, both in the young and oldies, too. Most people know that drinking too much stuffs your liver and gives you a red nose. But who really sees it?
The traditional view of alcoholism is that no-one talks about it. The most that's ever said of a fifty-year-old whose drinking patterns are dangerous might be 'Gee, he likes a drink.' It's written off as a part of Aussie culture.
So, next time you think 'Gee, he/she likes a drink.', help a mate out; Ask them the CAGE:
Are you Concerned about your drinking?
Do you ever get Angry or agitated when asked about your drinking?
Do you ever feel Guilty about your drinking habits?
Have you ever had an Eye-opener to get you started the next morning?
If they score more than two, they might need some help or good advice about their drinking patterns. Because there's no point dying for a drink.
Very true. It is part of Aussie culture (and uni culture, see: Cascade Cup). Alcoholic brain damage, including WK syndrome is terrible to see (and to have, I am sure). Not to mention the impact on family, friends and society.