There is no medical test, like a blood test, that can say whether a person is an alcoholic. There are some questionnaires (lists of questions) that can help tell whether a person "may" be an alcoholic. These questionnaires include the CAGE questionnaire (for adults) and the CRAFFT Screening Test (for teenagers).
Alcoholism can cause many health problems. For example, it can cause:
If a person drinks too much at one time, they can get alcohol poisoning. This can cause breathing problems, coma, and even death.
In 2012, alcohol use caused 3.3 million deaths around the world. This means that in 2012, about 3 out of every 50 deaths in the world were caused by alcohol use.
Alcoholism can also cause many problems in alcoholics' lives. These include:
If an alcoholic stops drinking suddenly, they can get alcohol withdrawal.
The most serious form of alcohol withdrawal is delirium tremens (often called "DTs"). Delirium tremens is a medical emergency. Many people who get the DTs die from them.
This does not mean that alcoholics should not stop drinking. It means that alcoholics should talk to a doctor or go to a hospital before they stop drinking. Doctors can give medications to make sure that a person is safe while they stop drinking.
In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that there were 208 million people with alcoholism around the world. (This is 4.1% of the world's population over age 15.) In 2001, the WHO estimated that there were about 140 million alcoholics around the world. This means that in the nine years between 2001 and 2010, about 68 million people became alcoholics.
People in developed countries drink the most alcohol.
Alcoholism is more common in some areas than others. Here is a list of all the areas in the world. It is in order from the areas where alcoholism is most common to the areas where it is least common:
There are many reasons why alcoholism is more common in some areas than others. Some of these reasons include religion, culture, laws, and people's attitudes about drinking. For example, on average, people in Northern Africa, the Middle East, and islands in the Indian Ocean drink less than people anywhere else in the world. These are areas where many people are Muslims. Many Muslims in these areas do not drink any alcohol, because the Koran says not to. In some of these countries, drinking alcohol is illegal.
However, in other areas, like Western Europe, alcohol is a part of daily life. It is legal and easy to get. People very commonly drink alcohol with meals. Very few people drink no alcohol. People's attitudes about alcohol are very different than attitudes in mostly Muslim countries. This is an example of how differences in religion, culture, laws, and attitudes about drinking can affect the amount of alcohol use and alcoholism in different areas.
Alcoholism is more common in men than in women. However, in the past few decades, the number of female alcoholics has increased.
Female alcoholics are most common in the Americas and Europe. In the United States and Western Europe, five to ten percent of women will become alcoholics at some point in their lives.
In the Southeast Asian and Western Pacific areas, less than 1% of women are alcoholics. In Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean area, almost no women are alcoholics.
In many countries, young people are using more and more alcohol. In a 2008 WHO survey, underage drinking had increased in 71% of countries. Drinking by young adults (ages 18-25) had increased in 80% of countries.
Alcoholism can be treated. There are many forms of treatment for alcoholism.
Detoxification (detox) is often the first step in treating alcoholism. "Detoxification" means "getting toxins out of the body." Alcohol detoxification means that the alcoholic stops drinking, so that alcohol (a toxin) can get out of their body. The alcoholic also needs to give their body time to recover from not having alcohol any more.
It is not safe for an alcoholic to suddenly stop drinking on their own. The safest way to stop drinking is to go to a hospital that specializes in alcohol detoxification. These hospitals are often called "detoxes" or "rehabs." These places can make sure that an alcoholic has a safe detox. They can also give medications to make the alcoholic more comfortable, and to prevent symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. The most common medications that doctors give during alcohol detox are benzodiazepines.
Once a person stops drinking alcohol, they are called "sober". Most people need other treatments to help them stay sober.
Detox can be an intense process, and some people experience very strong emotions during it. This is complicated by the fact that, in the past, they may have used drugs or alcohol to help them handle strong emotions. In detox, the therapist helps them manage their emotions.
Psychotherapy and group therapy can help alcoholics stay sober. For example, they can help alcoholics learn how to:
Some medications can help alcoholics stay sober. These medications include:
Many alcoholics do not have enough vitamins in their body. This can cause serious problems. For example, if an alcoholic does not have enough thiamine, they can get brain damage. Often, alcoholics are treated with thiamine to prevent brain damage. They may also be given other vitamins if needed.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is the biggest support and mutual aid group for alcoholics in the world. This means that in AA groups, alcoholics come together to support each other and help each other recover. AA uses a twelve-step program. This program is meant to help alcoholics fix the problems their alcoholism has caused.
There are also other groups for alcoholics, like:
Groups for alcoholics and their families
Sprain
A sprain is a type of injury in which a person hurts the part really bad, but it is not broken. It has common side affects of a broken bone, but it is less serious.
The first degree is only a minor tear or stretch of a ligament.
The second degree is a tear of a ligament, which is usually followed by pain or swelling.
The third degree is a complete rupture.
The typical signs and symptoms associated with a sprain are the main signs of inflammation:
Although any joint can experience a sprain, some of the more common include:
Sprains can best be prevented by proper use of safety equipment (wrist, ankle guards), warm-ups and cool-downs (including stretching), being aware of your surroundings and maintaining strength and flexibility. Physical conditioning is the best way to avoid or lessen the degree of sprains.
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War (July 7, 1937--September 9, 1945) was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan, besides Northern part of Burma. It is a part of World War II that started years before the other parts. The war ended when Japan surrendered unconditionally after two nuclear bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States.
The Second Sino-Japanese War began when Japan invaded China in 1931. Japan used the Mukden Incident as an excuse to invade China. The invasion grew into a full-scale war after the Marco-Polo Bridge Incident. Japanese officers said that a Japanese soldier got lost and they were allowed to find him in Beiping.
Japan invaded China for a few reasons:
While the Imperial Japanese Army was trying to take over China, the KMT (the Nationalist Government under Chiang Kai-Shek) and the CCP (Chinese Communist Party under Mao Zedong) cooperated a little to try to fight off Japan together. This was called the "Chinese United Front". However, for the most part, they continued to fight each other as well.