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What is EtOH?
EtOH, otherwise known as ethyl alcohol or ethanol, is a form of alcohol that’s fermented from the sugars of crops like corn, sugarcane, or wheat.
It’s often used as a cleaning agent or antiseptic with many hand sanitizers and rubbing alcohols containing high concentrations. Medical professionals often use it to sterilize their hands, disinfect surfaces and equipment, and sterilize a patient.
For example, when a person gets a flu shot, the spot where they’re going to be injected is often rubbed down, and the substance used is often an ethyl-based rubbing alcohol or wipe.
It’s also used in industrial cleaning because its solvent properties make it ideal for removing oils, lubricants, and dirt.
Ethanol has also found a use as a biofuel and is often touted as an ecologically-friendly alternative to fossil fuels, though it’s not completely green as its production can still have an environmental impact.
However, ethanol is also used in one major industry: the alcoholic beverage industry. Ethyl alcohol is actually the main alcohol used in producing beer, wine, and hard liquor like vodka, rum, whiskey, and tequila.
An Overview of EtOH Abuse
EtOH abuse is when someone consumes alcohol regardless of the social, physical, or mental consequences. It’s also sometimes referred to as alcohol abuse, and it’s considered to be a lesser form of alcoholism.
An alcoholic is someone who is mentally and psychologically compelled to drink alcohol. A person who abuses EtOH, while they may engage in problematic consumption behavior such as binge drinking, may not have the same dependence on alcohol that an alcoholic may have.
People who engage in EtOH abuse may not drink every day, and they may not even drink to excess. Their drinking may even be infrequent relative to an alcoholic.
While many of the behaviors of EtOH abusers and alcoholics can overlap, not all EtOH abusers meet the diagnostic criteria for alcoholism.
Despite this, their patterns of drinking can still pose a significant risk to their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Ethanol abuse can also lead to alcohol dependence, and people who go cold turkey from drinking may also experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Forms of EtOH Abuse
There are several ways in which EtOH abuse can manifest. These ways can include:
Binge Drinking
Binge drinking has been referenced before but hasn’t been explained yet. Binge drinking is consuming a lot of alcohol at once, but the threshold for what constitutes ‘a lot’ can differ between men and women.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies binge drinking in men as drinking five or more alcoholic beverages within two hours. For women, the threshold is four alcoholic drinks in the same timeframe.
Drinking When It’s Inappropriate
People who abuse EtOH may consume alcohol when they are in situations wherein it may be hazardous to do so, such as when operating heavy machinery, driving, swimming, or other activities that require concentration and focus.
Another example of this is when a woman who is pregnant consumes alcohol, which can result in fetal alcohol syndrome.
Using Alcohol To Cope
Individuals who abuse EtOH may also use alcohol as a means of coping with stress, anxiety, or other difficult emotions. This is common with many forms of substance abuse.
Episodes of Heavy Drinking
While EtOH abusers may not necessarily be alcoholics, they can still have regular episodes of drinking too much alcohol. An example is when someone drinks heavily on weekends or at social events.
This pattern of excessive alcohol use can also repeat itself multiple times throughout the week. Their alcohol consumption patterns may also not be set in stone, and EtOH abuser can engage in binge drinking throughout the day, even if it disrupts their daily routines.
Drinking Regardless of Consequences
People who abuse EtOH may drink despite already suffering consequences. These manifestations can include legal consequences in the form of being charged with Public Intoxication or Driving Under the Influence, as well as personal consequences such as strained familial relationships.
The Dangers of Drinking Ethanol
Because EtOH abuse is a form of alcohol use, the dangers of abusing EtOH are very similar to the dangers that come with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Some of these dangers can include:
Brain Damage
Because alcohol is considered a neurotoxin, it can damage the brain when it is misused. It can affect cognitive functions such as memory, decision-making, and emotional regulation.
It’s also been known to shrink the brain itself (brain atrophy). There are also neurological conditions such as alcohol related-dementia.
Because it affects a person’s judgment and coordination, it puts a person at greater risk for accidents that can result in traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Liver Damage
A prominent danger when regularly consuming alcohol is an increased risk of irreversible liver disease. Alcohol damages the liver, and chronic alcohol abuse can lead to medical conditions such as fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis.
Cardiovascular Issues
Alcohol abuse has also been linked to cardiovascular such as high blood pressure, weakened heart muscles, stroke, irregular heartbeats, and heart attacks.
Cancer
Frequent alcohol abuse is also believed to increase the risk of developing some forms of cancer. This is especially prominent in areas that directly come into contact with alcohol, such as the mouth, throat, liver, and pancreas.
Treatment For EtOH Abuse
Because of how similar EtOH abuse and alcoholism are, their treatment options can overlap. These treatment options can include:
Medication
Some medications can help an individual manage their cravings for alcohol and stop drinking. These medications may include Naltrexone, which helps reduce alcohol cravings.
The medication Disulfiram helps to treat alcohol abuse and alcoholism by causing unpleasant effects such as nausea, headaches, and vomiting when a person drinks alcohol.
The medication Acamprosate eliminates alcohol cravings and helps maintain sobriety.
Keep in mind that these medications, while they can help manage cravings, are not necessarily a cure for alcoholism or EtOH abuse.
Some people may be able to overcome their alcohol problems by taking them, but treatment for alcohol misuse will often require a multifaceted approach.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a modality that concerns itself with identifying the interplay of thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Therapists will often use CBT to help a patient identify the patterns of thought that lead to harmful behavior, such as ethanol use.
By identifying the thought patterns, they can work to change them and ultimately change it.
Support Groups
Peer support groups can help address a person’s problems with alcohol by connecting them with others who have had similar struggles as them. They can learn from and encourage each other as they work on sobriety.
Seek Treatment With Us
While EtOH abuse is not alcohol addiction per se, it still presents a concerning pattern of alcohol consumption. Just because someone’s not an addict doesn’t mean they don’t have a problem. An alcohol problem is still an alcohol problem even when someone isn’t physically or psychologically compelled to drink alcohol.
Alcohol abuse, even if it is infrequent, can still be debilitating. But it’s possible to break the pattern. Contact us now, and we’ll help get you on a path to sobriety.
