Having a drink or two at social events, dinner with family or friends or winding down at home in the evening is quite common. Some experts actually believe that a couple drinks a day is healthy and may prevent heart problems–Alzheimer’s disease and even cancer. This, of course, refers to consuming alcohol in moderation. But, some people cannot stop at one or two drinks per day and may have characteristics of alcoholism or be at risk for developing the condition. People under a lot of stress may be particularly vulnerable to alcoholism, including professional and informal caregivers.
America Has a Serious Drinking Problem – A Snapshot
Around 7% of adults engage in heavy drinking monthly. Almost 17 million adults have some type of alcohol use disorder and out of those, 1.3 million receive professional help in specialized rehabilitative treatment centers across the country. Around 90,000 American adults die from alcohol-related deaths, making them the third leading preventable causes of death. And to make matters worse, alcohol use or abuse is associated with many physical and emotional health conditions including accidents and injuries, cancer, heart problems, depression, liver cirrhosis, dementia, malnourishment and malnutrition, ulcers, gastrointestinal problems, immune system dysfunction and osteoporosis.
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Alcohol: A Way to Cope?
Caregiving, either professionally in skilled nursing facilities, home health, hospice or informally taking care of a loved one at home, comes with many burdens and stressors. Simply put, it’s not easy. Some experts say that between 10% and 15% of caregivers will develop some type of substance abuse disorder during their time as a caregiver. This estimate may actually be low, because many caregivers, especially licensed nurses, may be unwilling to participate in studies or reveal they have problems.
A hard day of assisting an elderly person with eating, dressing, toileting, and bathing can take a toll on the caregiver. Administering medications and ensuring proper nutrition and hydration can also be challenging. Days can feel long. Night may seem endless. Routines day after day can be exhausting both physically and emotionally. Pouring a glass of wine, having an ice-cold beer, or mixing a relaxing cocktail can be a very attractive way to unwind and let the stress of the day melt away. But, what happens after 3, 4 or more drinks?
Effects of Long-Term Drinking
Caring over long periods of time can become a risk factor for many problems including back injuries, deterioration of knee cartilage, aches and pains, and possibly alcoholism. Caregivers are not without their own health problems, and excessive alcohol use can exacerbate pre-existing health conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, and stomach ulcers. Over time, the caregiver can become confused, experience memory loss, impaired thinking and poor decision-making. None of these are helpful for caregivers who must remain mentally alert and physically able. Long-term alcohol use can also lead to psychiatric problems like major depression, anxiety and dementia.
To make matters worse, caregivers may mix alcohol with other substances, both legal and illegal, potentially creating more damage to their health and well-being. Something as simple as taking aspirin while drinking increases the risk of stomach or intestinal bleeding. Combining cold, flu or allergy medications, especially those including antihistamines, may cause excessive drowsiness. Acetaminophen and alcohol is associated with liver damage. And, using cough syrups and laxatives, which contain alcohol, may increase one’s alcohol level.
What Can Be Done About Alcoholism and Caregiving?
Like any other problem, the caregiver should first identify a problem and then admit to it. “Am I drinking too much to deal with the stress of being a caregiver” seems like a simple question, but is one that might be difficult to accept. Reaching out to family, friends, spiritual leaders in the community like priests or pastors, may be a helpful step to dealing with the issue of alcoholism. The next step would be seeking professional help from one’s primary physician and getting a referral to an expert in substance use counseling and treatment. Understanding one’s personality is critical. Does the caregiver have an addictive personality? Is he or she dealing with a pre-existing condition such as depression, anxiety, or some kind of substance use disorder? Accepting that one cannot handle this alone is another crucial step to recovery.
The bottom line is caregiving can be stressful, exhausting, depressing, and physically painful. The majority of caregivers are good people trying to do their best with the coping skills they possess. Everyone needs help every now and then, but caregivers are special and deserve any help we can provide.
(NOTE: Interested in Nursing CEUs? Checkout my Nursing CEUs on CEU Academy and try a FREE CEU today!)