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What does dependency mean?
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Anyone who uses alcohol routinely to get to sleep, to get happy or to perform any task or role in their life may well have some level of dependency. Alcohol is an addictive drug and physiological adaptation occurs with regular use even if you don't drink very much. It's also called tolerance: in other words you need to drink more to get the same effect, and you'll get withdrawal symptoms if you stop. Anyone who's had a hangover will be familiar with withdrawal symptoms of a headache, which is caused by dehydration. For a habitual heavy drinker who stops drinking it's more extreme and symptoms may include sweating, anxiety, hallucinations, the shakes and nausea and vomiting. |
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