Korean society is known to be lenient towards alcohol consumption. After becoming an adult, it is common for people to continue drinking in their social lives. However, drinking alcohol is blatantly harmful to one’s health, as it is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen. Acetaldehyde, a byproduct of alcohol absorption in the body, can interfere with DNA replication or directly destroy it. During this process, some mutated cells may not die and continue to divide, eventually transforming into cancer cells.
Despite these risks, many people in Korea continue to drink without caution. Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to “abuse” and result in addiction or dependence. Recently, “alcohol use disorder” has been used to refer to behaviors that cannot control alcohol intake.
What are the warning signs that one may have an alcohol use disorder? The American health media outlet, WebMD, has listed the following symptoms:
- Drinking more, longer than planned
- Attempting to reduce or quit drinking, but failing
- Spending a lot of time after drinking feeling sick or hungover
- Strong desire to drink alcohol to the point of being unable to think of anything else
- Alcohol use has caused problems in work, school, or at home
- Despite alcohol-related problems, cannot stop drinking
- Giving up or reducing other important activities to drink
- Being in situations where there is a higher likelihood of being hurt while drinking or after drinking
- Continuously drinking despite feeling depressed, anxious, having health problems, or experiencing memory loss
- Needing to drink more than before to achieve the desired effect
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as sleep disorders, tremors, restlessness, nausea, hallucinations, seizures, or seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
If someone has experienced two or three of these symptoms within the past year, they may have a mild alcohol use disorder. If they have experienced four to five, it may be a moderate disorder, and if they have experienced six or more, it is considered severe.
Alcohol use disorder is not just about how much one drinks, but how frequently they drink and the effect it has on their body. If someone experiences problems when trying to reduce their alcohol intake, they should be cautious.
If one is concerned about their alcohol use disorder, attempting to quit drinking alone is not easy and can be dangerous due to withdrawal symptoms. Seeking help from professional institutions or doctors is recommended.