DIPSOMANIA: MEANING, ORIGIN, DIAGNOSIS, SYNONYMS - DUDAS - 2025

The dipsomanía is defined as the tendency or propensity to excessive consumption of alcohol, and those who suffer are called dipsomaniac or dipsomaníaca. A better known synonymous term is alcoholism.

It is a medical and psychological condition. Dipsomaniacs usually alternate between periods of sobriety in which they completely abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages, with other periods in which the consumption of these substances is abused.

Dipsomania is understood as the propensity to consume alcohol without control. Source: pixabay.com.

Dipsomania usually has consequences on the physical plane for those who suffer from it, the most affected organs being the liver, pancreas and stomach. In addition, this condition negatively affects the ability to concentrate and memory, even causing severe cognitive impairment and dementia.

Alcohol dependence also affects the sexual and reproductive lives of those who suffer from it and has severe psychological consequences, both in them and in their family environment.

Meanings and origin

It is defined as the pathological urge to consume alcohol. This means that the affected person cannot repress or control the urge to drink excessively, even when they are aware of the negative consequences for their well-being.

There is also an emotional excitement that occurs before the intake and a feeling of relief or pleasure while it is done, but never reaches satiety. After reaching a state of alcohol intoxication, the dipsomaniac may feel both guilt and contempt for himself and his mania.

Despite what has been said previously, the affected person will repeat the action in a short time, since it is impossible for him to control himself. It is the compulsive character with repetition in time that defines dipsomania, not the state of intoxication as such.

Etymological origin

The word dipsomania is a noun of Greek origin. It is made up of the words dipso, which means "thirst", and mania, which can be translated as "madness."

Diagnosis and treatment

Alcohol consumption is considered excessive when it negatively interferes with a person's ability to carry out their daily activities. The main symptom is the inability to control the amount and frequency of alcohol intake, even when it has been tried repeatedly.

Many times the person who suffers from dipsomania is aware of the negative impact it has on their health, their behavior, their work life, their financial planning and their general well-being, as well as that of those closest to them.

However, this knowledge is not enough to reduce or eliminate excessive alcohol consumption, since it is a pathology. Another symptom of dipsomania is experiencing withdrawal symptoms. This occurs in periods of sobriety after excessive consumption or for a long time.

As in other addictions to harmful substances, alcohol withdrawal syndrome can produce: dizziness, tremors, sweating, vomiting, sleep disturbances, anxiety, nervousness, among other manifestations.

Treating a person with dipsomania often requires the intervention of a variety of health professionals. The support of a psychologist or therapist is essential, as well as family support.

The main task is to detoxify the patient and treat the possible physiological consequences with a general practitioner or a specialist. Drugs are sometimes prescribed to aid in the detoxification process. The next thing is to establish healthy habits with psychological counseling to avoid relapses in the medium and long term.

Synonyms

- Alcoholism

Antonyms

- Sobriety

Usage examples

- It is important to create healthy consumption habits during adolescence to avoid dipsomania.

- Juan's dipsomania caused the breakdown of their marriage.

- For Laura it is difficult to accept that she is a dipsomaniac.

- Dipsomania is a pathological urge to consume alcohol in excess.

- Luis is a dipsomaniac, that affects his work productivity.

References

1. Dipsomania. (2019). Spain: Wiktionary. The dictionary in Castilian free content. Recovered from: wiktionary.org.
2. Dipsomania. (2019). Chile: Etymologies of. Recovered from: dechile.net.
3. Dipsomania. (2019). N / A: EcuRed. Recovered from: cu.
4. Dipsomania. (2019). N / A: Concept Definition. Recovered from: de.
5. Dipsomania. (2019). N / A: WordReference.com Recovered from: com.