Agus an coisir beagnach thart ...

Chuireas ceist anseo agus chonaic mé clár ar RTÉ seachtain no dhó ó shin a thug rian (ar a laghad) den fhreagra dom. Dár le saineolaí an chláir (fiche nóiméad isteach), seo h-iad na seacht ceisteanna gur gá a chur chun an cheist a chuireas a fhreagairt:

1. Central role in your life?
2. Significant harm?
3. Withdrawal symptoms?
4. Higher Tolerance?
5. Give up for periods?
6. Difficulty stopping?
7. Persistance despite harm?
   

Agus iad á nochtadh ag an Dr. Hamilton bhíos sásta nach raibh mórlach acu fíor im' chás-sa ach ansin dúradh nár gá ach aon trí as an seacht a bheith fíor, chun a rá go bhfuil fadhb óil agat! Yikes!

I ndiaidh an phost thuasluaithe ní feídir liom a shéanadh ach go ndéanaim troscadh amanta. Strike 1!

Deacracht stopadh? An sampla tughta ná gur gá fanacht go deireadh an oíche, nó gur gá an buidéal a chíochnú. Deirfinn nach minic a d'fhágfainn teach tabhairne roimh deireadh an oíche. Bígí cinnte freisin a chairde nach raibh deor órga amháin fághta i ndiadh an seinm an chláirsigh binn! Strike 2!

Central role in life?

In iomlán ionraiceas áfach, sa tír seo ar aon nós, cé a bhféadfadh a rá nach n-imríonn alcól páirt lárnach inár saolta? Baistiú, Pósadh, Sochraid agus 'chuile ócáid eadarthú caithfear ól a soláthrú. Strike 3?

Ní dóigh liom é, ach dár ndóigh, má tá fadhb óil agam déanfadh mé chuile iarracht é a shéanadh. Cárbh as na seacht ceisteanna? Tá'n cuma air gur ón DSM IV a thángadar.

Ach ag breathnú ar go díreach atá le rá ag an DSM IV faoi spleáchas ar an alcól*:

DSM-IV defines dependence as:

• A maladaptive pattern of substance use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three (or more) of the following, occurring at any time in the same 12-month period:
  1. tolerance, as defined by either of the following:
     • a need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect
     • markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of substance
  2. withdrawal, as manifested by either of the following:
     • the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the substance
     • the same (or a closely related) substance is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms
  3. the substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended
  4. there is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use
  5. a great deal of time is spent in activities to obtain the substance, use the substance, or recover from its effects
  6. important social, occupational or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use
  7. the substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance (e.g., continued drinking despite recognition that an ulcer was made worse by alcohol consumption)

[DSM-IV, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, ed. 4. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association (AMA). 1994.]

Tá difir mhór idir béim agus brí na seacht cásanna seo agus na seacht ceisteanna a chuir RTÉ, nach bhfuil?


* Ar fáth éigin, ní raibh mé in ann leagan Gaeilge den DSM IV a aimsiú.