Ashok Singh

Alcohol Ashok Singh

"Alcohol is the anesthesia by which we endure the operation of life" (George Bernard Shaw, 1932). Mr. Shaw's view of alcohol is relevant in 2018 because millions of people around the world drink alcoholic beverage to cope with the stress of a modern lifestyle. Currently, approximately 30 million people in the U. S. practice risky drinking, a remarkable 50 percent increase from 2003. About 17% of men and 8% of women may develop a dependence on alcohol in their lifetime, adding substantial cost to the society. A recent trend of poly-drug abuse is a more dangerous situation because mixing of alcohol with other drugs such as opioids may synergistically augment the severity of alcohol's adverse effects. Despite the seriousness of the situation, a clear understanding of addiction mechanisms is lacking. This book provides unified mechanisms underlying alcohol addiction, alcohol's interaction with other drugs and then discuss the current and novel alcoholism treatment approaches.