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Abstinence
Not using alcohol or other drugs.
Abuse
Includes one or more of the following: (a) repeated use of alcohol or other drugs accompanied by failure to fulfill major responsibilities related to work, family, school or other roles, (b) repeated use in situations that are physically hazardous such as driving while intoxicated or using heavy machinery when intoxicated, and (c) repeated legal problems.
Addiction
A chronic, relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and abuse and by long-lasting chemical changes in the brain.
AIDS
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A severe immunological disorder caused by the retrovirus HIV, resulting in a defect in cell-mediated immune response that is manifested by increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections and to certain rare cancers, especially Kaposi's sarcoma. It is transmitted primarily by exposure to contaminated body fluids, especially blood and semen.
Alcohol Abuse
A maladaptive pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress as manifested by one (or more) of the following in a 12-month period: alcohol use that interferes with ability to fulfill major role obligations; alcohol use in situations which are physically hazardous; recurrent, alcohol-related legal problems; continued alcohol use despite adverse social or interpersonal consequences.
Alcohol Dependence
A maladaptive pattern of alcohol use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three or more of seven conditions in a 12-month period, including the following: tolerance, withdrawal, impaired control over drinking; preoccupation with alcohol and less time spent on important social, occupational, or recreational activities; and use of alcohol despite adverse physical or psychological consequences.
Alcohol Poisoning
Overdosing from alcohol. Excessive alcohol consumption can lead the intoxicated unconscious person to choke on his or her vomit, which could cause to death by asphyxiation. Signs of alcohol poisoning include mental confusion, stupor, coma, or inability to be roused; vomiting; seizures; slow breathing; irregular breathing; hypothermia (low body temperature); bluish skin color, and/or paleness. Even after a person stops drinking, alcohol in the stomach and intestine continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. It is dangerous to assume the person will be fine by sleeping it off.
Analgesics
A group of medications that reduce pain.
Antidepressants
A group of drugs used in treating depressive disorders.
Binge
A period of excessive or uncontrolled indulgence in food, drugs or alcohol: a drinking binge.
Blackout
Loss of memory while drinking large quantities of alcohol. This means the person does not remember events that occurred while he or she appeared to other people to be alert and still functioning. If a person has repeated blackouts from drinking, this often means the person has alcoholism.
Cardiovascular System
The heart and blood vessels.
Central Nervous System (CNS)
The brain and spinal cord.
Cerebral Cortex
Region of the brain responsible for cognitive functions including reasoning, mood, and perception of stimuli.
Chemical Dependency
A physical and psychological habituation to a mood- or mind-altering drug, such as alcohol or cocaine.
Cirrhosis
A serious, often irreversible, and frequently deadly disease of the liver. Usually caused by chronic heavy drinking.
CNS Depressants
A class of drugs that slow CNS function, some of which are used to treat anxiety and sleeping disorders; includes barbiturates and benzodiazepines.
Coma
A state of deep, often prolonged unconsciousness, usually the result of injury, disease, or poison, in which an individual is incapable of sensing or responding to external stimuli and internal needs.
Craving
A powerful, often uncontrollable desire for drugs or alcohol.
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