Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Center - Torrance, CATorrance Psychiatrist Doctors for Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholismType of Physician: Psychiatrist What is a Psychiatrist? A certification by the Board of Psychiatry & Neurology; practitioners are skilled in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental, addictive and emotional disorders. He or she is trained to understand the biological, psychological and social components of illness and is qualified to order diagnostic laboratory tests and to prescribe medications, as well as to evaluate and treat psychological and interpersonal problems. The psychiatrist is also prepared to intervene with individuals and families who are coping with stress, crises, and other problems in living. Specialty: Psychiatry Common Name: Psychiatrist Doctors in Torrance * Timothy E Botello MD  Cynthia Renee Bryant MD Inc  Harold Ceasar MD  Bay Psychiatric Medical Group  Zinaida Furman MD  Bay Psychiatric Medical Group  Alberta Samuelson MD  John Sealy MD  Edwin Caine MD  Ronald Gelfand MD  Peter B Hirsch MD  David S Ruderman MD  Richard B Palmer MD  Arthur Smukler MD & Linda Smukler MD  Arthur Smukler MD & Linda Smukler MD  Gelbart & Associates Psychological Services  Gelbart & Associates Psychological Services  John R Moeller MD  Azimuth Mental Health Associates  Ellen Sherman MD  Irwin Savodnik MD  Sherry Mendelson MD  Joan MacKenzie MD  Leon Wallace MD  Los Angeles County Mental Health  Los Angeles County Mental Health  Diego F Lerner MD  John N Donlou MD  Richard Merel MD  Auerbach & Lindberg MDs  Randall C Hulbert MD  Auerbach & Lindberg MDs  Michael Fitzpatrick MD  Robert Borodkin MD  Joseph H Rodd MD  Eram Baig MD  Stewart Lovelace MD  Richard A Greenberg MD  Loreta Mulokas MD  Gregory Willett MD  Susan S Schmidt-Lackner MD  James A Brust MD  Manuel L St Martin MD  Soroya A Bacchus MD  Jack Barbour MD  Herman Brooks MD  Laja Ibraheem MD  Westside Regional Center  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Psychiatry  DeLuca MD  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Psychiatry  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Psychiatry  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Psychiatry  DeLuca MD  Los Altos Medical Group  A R Tweed MD  John Deirmenjian MD  Mark Ragins MD  Tolwin Psychiatric Medical Group Inc  West Central Mental Health  Alireza Pakkar MD  West Central Mental Health  Nathan E Lavid MD  Raymon T Kaplan MD  Frank Pinder MD  Harbor Psych Health  Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health  Allen Pack MD  Tolwin Psychiatric Medical Group Inc  Norman Shapiro MD  Tolwin Psychiatric Medical Group Inc  George Blair & Jenny Muller MDs  George Blair & Jenny Muller MDs  Long Beach Psychiatric Center  Drs Fairchild & Radisavljevic  Drs Fairchild & Radisavljevic  Mental Health Associates  Memorial Counseling Associates Inc  Memorial Counseling Associates Inc  Coast Psychiatric Associates  Memorial Counseling Associates Inc  Coast Psychiatric Associates  Memorial Counseling Associates Inc  Memorial Counseling Associates Inc  Memorial Counseling Associates Inc  Coast Psychiatric Associates  Memorial Counseling Associates Inc  Memorial Counseling Associates Inc  Memorial Counseling Associates Inc  Memorial Counseling Associates Inc  Paula Lunt MD  Robin Frasier MD  Sheldon H Kardener MD  Richard Sandor MD  Drs Chung & Chung  HealthCare Partners Medical Group Los Angeles  Ernest H Schreiber MD  Allen S Chroman & Frank A Katz MDs  Terry V Eagan MD  John Hochman MD Torrance, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-05-20
2012-06-10
2012-06-10
2012-06-16
2012-06-30
2012-07-04
2012-07-15
2012-07-28
2012-09-01
2012-09-30
Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholismRead the Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism article » What is alcoholism?Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease that includes the following four symptoms:
For clinical and research purposes, formal diagnostic criteria for alcoholism also have been developed. Such criteria are included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association, as well as in the International Classification Diseases, published by the World Health Organization.
Is alcoholism a disease?Yes, alcoholism is a disease. The craving that an alcoholic feels for alcohol can be as strong as the need for food or water. An alcoholic will continue to drink despite serious family, health, or legal problems. Like many other diseases, alcoholism is chronic, meaning that it lasts a person's lifetime; it usually follows a predictable course; and it has symptoms. The risk for developing alcoholism is influenced both by a person's genes and by his or her lifestyle. Is alcoholism inherited? Recommended Reading Related to AlcoholismHoliday Depression and Stress » Holiday depression and stress facts
Other Related Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism ArticlesEmergency Contact for Torrance
Nearby Torrance Hospitals *Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance Torrance Memorial Medical Center Del Amo Hospital LAC Harbor UCLA Medical Center Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center Vista Hospital of South Bay Memorial Hospital of Gardena Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center Hawthorne Campus Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center Centinela Campus Martin Luther King Jr MAC Service Center Pacific Hospital of Long Beach Long Beach Memorial Medical Center Miller Children's Hospital St Mary Medical Center St Francis Medical Center Kindred Hospital Los Angeles Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Suburban Medical Center Campus Lakewood Regional Medical Center Marina Del Rey Hospital Community Hospital of Long Beach Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center Bellflower Medical Center Community Hospital of Huntington Park Brotman Medical Center Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center VA Long Beach Healthcare System Downey Regional Medical Center Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center Orthopaedic Medical Center Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center College Hospital Cerritos California Hospital Medical Center Coast Plaza Doctors Hospital Tri-City Regional Medical Center Miracle Mile Medical Center Olympia Medical Center Los Angeles Community Hospital Good Samaritan Hospital Saint John's Health Center Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center VA Greater Los Angeles HealthCare System East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital Los Alamitos Medical Center Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles St Vincent Medical Center Shriners Hospitals for Children Los Angeles White Memorial Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Norwalk Community Hospital Kaiser Mental Health Center Pacific Alliance Medical Center Temple Community Hospital Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital LAC + USC Medical Center LAC + USC Medical Center Women's & Children's Hospital Metropolitan State Hospital Barlow Respiratory Hospital USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center La Palma Intercommunity Hospital USC University Hospital Gateways Hospital & Mental Health Center Hollywood Community Hospital Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center Beverly Hospital Monterey Park Hospital Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital Anaheim General Hospital Kindred Hospital La Mirada West Anaheim Medical Center Garfield Medical Center Kindred Hospital Westminster Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Alcoholism by Our Doctors
-
Related Diseases & Conditions
66 articles-
Gout
- Gout is a condition that results from crystals of uric acid depositing in tissues of the body. Gout is a condition that can lead to abnormally elevated levels of uric acid in the blood, recurring attacks of joint inflammation (arthritis), deposits of hard lumps of uric acid in and around the joints, and decreased kidney function and kidney stones.
-
Liver Disease
- Liver disease can be cause by a variety of things including infection (hepatitis), diseases such as gallstones, high cholesterol or triglycerides, blood flow obstruction to the liver, and toxins (medications and chemicals). Symptoms of liver disease depends upon the cause; however, common symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, upper right abdominal pain, and jaundice. Treatment depends upon the cause of the liver disease.
-
Gallstones
- Gallstones are stones that form when substances in the bile harden. Gallstones (formed in the gallbladder) can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. There can be just one large stone, hundreds of tiny stones, or any combination. The majority of gallstones do not cause symptoms.
-
Dizziness
- Dizziness is a symptom that is often applies to a variety of sensations including lightheadedness and vertigo. Causes of dizziness include low blood pressure, heart problems, anemia, dehydration, and more. Treatment of dizziness depends on the cause.
-
Liver Cancer
- Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the world and the majority of patients with liver cancer will die within one year as a result. Patients with associated cirrhosis caused by chronic hepatitis B or C infections, alcohol, and hemochromatosis are at the greatest risk of developing liver cancer. Many patients with liver cancer do not develop symptoms until the advanced stages of the tumor which usually makes prognosis poor. The combination of an imaging study (ultrasound, CT, or MRI scans) and an elevated blood level of alpha-fetoprotein will most effectively diagnose liver cancer, while a liver biopsy can make a definitive diagnosis. Medical treatments, including chemotherapy, chemoembolization, ablation, and proton beam therapy, are not very effective. Surgical removal of the tumor or a liver transplant may be most effective in certain cases.
-
Tuberculosis
- Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. Symptoms include weakness, fever, weight loss, night sweats and in worse cases, chest pain, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood. A person with an active infection (a positive TB skin test, abnormal chest x-ray and TB bacteria in their sputum) requires treatment with izoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol and pyrazinaide.
-
Cirrhosis (Liver)
- Cirrhosis of the liver refers to a disease in which normal liver cells are replaced by scar tissue caused by alcohol and viral hepatitis B and C. This disease leads to abnormalities in the liver's ability to handle toxins and blood flow, causing internal bleeding, kidney failure, mental confusion, coma, body fluid accumulation, and frequent infections. Symptoms include yellowing of the skin, itching, and fatigue.
-
Rosacea
- Rosacea is a skin disease that causes redness of the forehead, chin, and lower half of the nose. In addition to inflammation of the facial skin, symptoms include dilation of the blood vessels and pimples (acne rosacea) in the middle third of the face. Oral and topical antibiotics are treatments for rosacea. If left untreated, rhinophyma (a disfiguring nose condition) may result.
-
Dementia
- Dementia is a significant loss of intellectual abilities such as memory capacity, severe enough to interfere with social or occupational functioning. There are different criteria classification schemes for dementias such as cortical, subcortical, progressive, primary, and secondary dementias. Other conditions and medication reactions can also cause dementia. Dementia is diagnosed based on a certain set of criteria. Treatment for dementia is generally focused on the symptoms of the disease.
-
Hepatitis C
- Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver due to the hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is usually spread by blood transfusion, hemodialysis, and needle sticks, especially with intravenous drug abuse. Chronic hepatitis C may be treated with interferon, usually in combination with anti-virals.
-
Pancreatitis
- Pancreatitis is a rare disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed, occurring when digestive enzymes are activated and begin attacking the pancreas causing damage to the gland. There are two types of pancreatitis, acute and chronic. Most commonly caused by alcohol or gallstones, it can lead to bleeding in the gland, serious tissue damage, infection, and cysts. Enzymes and toxins may then enter the bloodstream and seriously injure organs, such as the heart, lungs, and kidney.
-
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a psychiatric condition, can develop after any catastrophic life event. Symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks, sweating, rapid heart rate, detachment, amnesia, sleep problems, irritability, and exaggerated startle response. Treatment may involve psychotherapy, group support, and medication.
-
Oral Cancer
- The term oral cancer includes cancer of the mouth (oral cavity) and the back of the mouth (oropharynx). Red and white patches inside the mouth, bleeding, loose teeth, pain upon swallowing, a lump in the neck, earache, and a sore on your lip or in your mouth that won't heal are all symptoms of oral cancer. Treatment for oral cancer depends upon the staging of the disease and usually involves surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
-
Depression
- Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
-
Suicide
- Suicide is the process of intentionally ending one's own life. Approximately 1 million people worldwide commit suicide each year, and 10 million to 20 million attempt suicide annually.
-
Esophageal Cancer
- Esophageal cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the esophagus. Risk factors of cancer of the esophagus include smoking, heavy alcohol use, Barrett's esophagus, being male and being over age 60. Severe weight loss, vomiting, hoarseness, coughing up blood, painful swallowing, and pain in the throat or back are symptoms. Treatment depends upon the size, location and staging of the cancer and the health of the patient.
-
Ascites
- Ascites, the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity is most commonly caused by cirrhosis of the liver. Some of the other causes of ascites include portal hypertension, congestive heart failure, blood clots, and pancreatitis. The most common symptoms include increased abdominal girth and size, abdominal bloating, and abdominal pain. Treatment depends on the cause of ascites.
-
Schizophrenia
- Schizophrenia is a disabling brain disorder that may cause hallucinations and delusions and affect a person's ability to communicate and pay attention. Symptoms of psychosis appear in men in their late teens and early 20s and in women in their mid-20s to early 30s. With treatment involving the use of antipsychotic medications and psychosocial treatment, schizophrenia patients can lead rewarding and meaningful lives.
-
Internal Bleeding
- Internal bleeding occurs when an artery or vein is damaged and blood to escapes the circulatory system and collects inside the body. Internal bleeding can be caused by a variety of situations such as blunt trauma, deceleration trauma, medications, fractures, and spontaneous bleeding. Treatment of internal bleeding depends on the cause of the bleeding.
-
Borderline Personality Disorder
- Borderline personality disorder is a serious mental illness characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behavior. This instability often disrupts family and work life, long-term planning, and the individual's sense of self-identity. Originally thought to be at the "borderline" of psychosis, people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) suffer from a disorder of emotion regulation.
-
Bipolar Disorder
- Bipolar disorder (or manic depression) is a mental illness characterized by depression, mania, and severe mood swings. Treatment may incorporate mood stabilizer medications, antidepressants, and psychotherapy.
-
Rhabdomyolysis
- Rhabdomyolysis is a rapid deterioration and destruction of skeletal muscle. Some of the causes of rhabdomyolysis include severe burns, muscle trauma, coma, seizures, electrolyte imbalance, medications (statins), viruses, bacteria. Treatment of rhabdomyolysis depends on the cause.
-
Cushing's Syndrome
- Cushing's syndrome, sometimes referred to as hypercortisolism, is a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of the hormone cortisol. Symptoms may include obesity, thinning arms and legs, a rounded face, and increased fat around the neck. Some causes of Cushing's syndrome is from taking glucocorticoid hormones such as prednisone for inflammatory diseases. Treatment for Cushing's syndrome depends on the cause.
-
Drug Abuse
- Drug addiction is a chronic disease that causes drug-seeking behavior and drug use despite negative consequences to the user and those around him. Though the initial decision to use drugs is voluntary, changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make the right decisions and increase the urge to take drugs. Drug abuse and addiction are preventable.
-
Encephalopathy
- Encephalopathy means brain disease, damage, or malfunction. Causes of encephalopathy are varied and numerous. The main symptom of encephalopathy is an altered mental state. Other symptoms include lethargy, dementia, seizures, tremors, and coma. Treatment of encephalopathy depends on the type of encephalopathy (anoxia, diabetic, Hashimoto's, hepatic, hyper - hypotensive, infectious, metabolic, infections, uremic, or Wernicke's) are examples of types of encephalopathy.
-
Liver
- The liver is the largest solid organ in the body, and is actually an gland. The liver has a wide variety of critical functions such as manufacturing proteins and metabolizing fats and carbohydrates. The liver also eliminates harmful biochemical waste products from the body (alcohol, drugs, toxins). The liver secretes bile that aids in digestion. Examples of diseases of the liver include cirrhosis, hepatitis, cancer, and fatty liver. Symptoms of liver disease include bleeding, easy bruising, edema, fatigue, and jaundice.
-
Antisocial Personality Disorder
- Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) has many symptoms, signs, and causes. Therapy is one treatment option for antisocial personality disorder. It is closely related to other personality disorders (PD), such as borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder.
-
Child Abuse
- Child abuse falls into four categories: neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. There are certain risk factors that predispose a child to being abused and an adult to abusing a child. Risk factors for children are age, children with learning disabilities, adopted and foster children, children with congenital abnormalities, and a past history of abuse. Parental risk factors include young or single parents, those who suffered abuse themselves, adults with substance-abuse problems or psychiatric disease, and those who didn't graduate from high school.
-
Neuropathic Pain
- Neuropathic pain is chronic pain resulting from injury to the nervous system. The injury can be to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) or the peripheral nervous system (nerves outside the brain and spinal cord).
- See All Related Diseases & Conditions »
-
Gout
-
Medications
5 articles -
Procedures & Tests
4 articles -
Pictures, Images & Quizzes
12 articles -
Doctor's & Expert's Views
14 articles -
Health News
82 articles -
Health Features
32 articles
