During the 20th century, the term “ethanol” was popularly used in connection to the corn-based fuel option. In recent times, it can be seen in fuel pump descriptions that gasoline contains at least 10% ethanol. Despite its flammability and volatility, ethanol is occasionally utilized as fuel. It’s also what you’re ingesting when you have a drink.
Is there a difference between ethanol and alcohol? Can you tell me how I can determine whether or not someone is misusing ethanol? In this article, you’ll get information on ethanol use disorder and learn to recognize the symptoms and indications of its addiction.
What is Ethanol Abuse?
EtOH (the scientific equivalent of ethanol) refers to the part of alcoholic drinks that makes you feel drunk. Ethanol is an organic byproduct of the fermentation of plants. It has no color and is very flammable. Alcoholic beverages such as beers, spirits, malts, and wine all contain ethanol. You can also find it in non-edibles like fuel and perfume.
A large percentage of alcoholic drinks have water and ethanol, but sweet liquors usually have larger sugar concentrations compared to ethanol. Ethanol Use disorder is when people use or drink too much alcohol. People may have an even bigger problem if they drink excessively on frequent days. This could indicate an alcohol addiction that requires rehab. Abusing ethanol can be bad for a patient’s overall physical and mental well-being in the long run.
Does Ethanol Differ from Alcohol?
Since the part of alcoholic drinks that makes you drunk is ethanol, ethanol is sometimes used interchangeably with alcohol. Alcoholic drinks are major channels to get ethanol into your body. But that doesn’t imply that you can drink any ethyl alcohol or ethanol. We should only consume alcohol if it doesn’t have any toxins in it and hasn’t been changed in any way. Don’t drink any other kinds of alcohol at all costs. Two good examples are isopropanol and methanol.
Methanol can be used to make windshield wipers, fuel, paint remover, and antifreeze, among other things. You can use isopropyl alcohol to clean. Both isopropanol and methanol are poisonous to people and when broken down in the body. They can lead to liver damage and even death. It’s best only to drink alcohol-based drinks that are legal.
Symptoms of Ethanol Abuse
Many other drugs that make you feel high can make you dependent, and ethanol has the same effect. It can be dangerous to drink a lot of ethanol from alcoholic drinks or other ethanol products. Alcoholic drinks are significant in the American way of life, and many people drink them. The 2015 National Drug Use and Health Survey reported that 86.4% of adults over 18 admitted to consuming alcohol at least once. Hence, it’s safe to say alcohol is a top relaxation beverage, just like caffeine and nicotine.
Hence, you might be curious about the obvious signs that someone you care about has an ethanol dependency. Certain symptoms and indications are available to help identify ethanol abuse.
Drinking alcohol all the time, heavy drinking, and binge drinking are examples of alcohol use disorder. Consuming alcohol to a BAC of 0.08 or above is what binge drinking entails. This may happen when males have five drinks in 120 minutes, and women have four in less than 130 minutes. Heavy drinking has been defined as having more than five binge drinking sessions per month.
You may be able to detect warning signs that a mutual person is having a drinking problem. Some indications to look out for include:
- Drinking in isolation
- Getting drunk in secret
- Having more to drink than you planned to
- Continued drinking despite consequences like a DUI
- Mood swings and irritability
- Drinking to feel “normal.”
- Attempting to reduce one’s use of alcoholic beverages but having little success
- When you’re not drinking, you have cravings or thoughts about alcohol.
- Putting alcohol above one’s other obligations or priorities.
- A sense of remorse for one’s drinking
- Having a drink at unusual hours, like early morning
- Inability to concentrate in school or at work due to alcoholism.
Another symptom of ethanol abuse is self-prescription. When you drink to treat health problems rather than socialize or have fun. Anxiety and depression can be helped by drinking alcohol. It’s likely you’ll hear someone say “I crave an alcoholic drink” when they are upset or stressed? Getting drugs off the counter is common in our culture, but it can be dangerous. Still, having a drink to deal with bad feelings, psychological illnesses, or physical discomfort can make problems worse and cause new ones.
What Happens When You Abuse Ethanol?
Drinking too much and AUDs are very bad for a person’s mental and physiological wellbeing. Whether it happens once in a while or all the time, excessive drinking can lead to many bad things, death inclusive. Drinking for a short time can cause heart disease, abuse, car accidents, and even death. People with alcohol dependence are more likely to have the following health complications:
- Heart problems
- A weaker immune system and a higher chance of getting diseases like pneumonia, tuberculosis, and others.
- A brain injury
- The brain undergoes long-term structural and functional changes
- Memory Loss
- Overdosing on alcohol
- Death
- Liver damage: Steatosis or fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis
- Pancreatitis
- Several types of cancer
Alcoholism Treatment in Southern California
Strong evidence-based treatments combined with behavioral therapies and other support can help you or a loved one recover from an AUD or substance use disorder (SUD), regardless of the problem’s severity. Finding a certified, evidence-based rehabilitation program will enable you or a loved one to develop healthier coping mechanisms, address underlying traumas, and manage triggers to achieve long-term ethanol abstinence.
If you need help, Covenant Hills Treatment offers an evidence-based Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) in Southern California. This treatment is holistic and even aids in the repair of broken relationships caused by ethanol abuse; to learn more, call 844-268-8412.
