If you suspect your loved one is abusing alcohol, understanding the signs of alcoholism can be vital in finding the right addiction treatment center in California. Most alcoholics may not admit they have a problem, thus failing to seek the necessary help in time. Research suggests that a significant portion of Americans admit to having used alcohol while still teens. The sad part is that millions of people in the US develop alcohol use disorders as a result. If you’re battling alcohol addiction, it’s time to get help. Contact us today at 800.701.6997 to learn about our alcohol addiction treatment program.
What Are the Signs of Alcoholism?
Most alcohol abusers may never accept dependence, so try observing habits and behavioral patterns. A person struggling with alcoholism may try to cut consumption, but this is often impossible when they try to do it alone. After drinking a certain amount, you may feel like you’re unable to control your drinking. When the situation deteriorates, the person may stop caring about the risks of excessive drinking.
However, it would be too late to wait until a loved one reaches this stage to take action.
Enhanced Alcohol Tolerance
After continued excessive drinking, your body becomes tolerant to alcohol. This situation occurs when you have to increase alcohol intake to experience the desired effects. As a result, you drink more because of the failure to feel intoxicated. Large amounts of alcohol in your body can cause adverse damage to your physical health.
Continued Alcohol Intake Despite Adverse Consequences
Alcoholics face many challenges, including broken relationships, property loss, and arrests by law enforcement officers. However, all these difficulties may not make a person stop drinking. While most people know the possible dangers of irresponsible drinking and alcohol dependence, alcoholics are unable to control their habits or live in denial.
Without restriction, victims continue with the downward spiral, and at some point, drinking serves the purpose of self-medication. Handling stress and anxiety becomes impossible.
Engaging in Binge Drinking
Binge drinking entails drinking excessively to get intoxicated quickly or to complete a peer challenge. Moderate drinking is consuming no more than one drink (for women) or two (for men) in an hour. Other factors can influence your safe alcohol intake level, such as body weight and current health status. Keep in mind that you can still develop an alcohol use disorder even with moderate drinking. Failure to control your consumption can result in adverse health problems, including liver disease.
Unpleasant Withdrawal Symptoms
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you cannot access alcohol is one of the significant signs of alcoholism. Some victims fail to seek treatment from an alcohol detox center, so they try to quit without a supervised rehab program.
Soon enough, they find quitting without professional help challenging because of the various uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms, such as:
- Lack of concentration
- Hallucinations
- Anxiety and depression
- Tremors and shaking
- Irritability
- Fatigue
Drinking Alcohol Most of the Time
Those with alcohol dependence spend most of their time in activities related to alcohol abuse. Drinking becomes an essential part of their life, so they end up neglecting other vital things. For example, alcohol abusers drop out of school, quit work, stop engaging in hobbies, and ignore healthy diets.
People with alcohol use disorders can become defensive when you point out their problems. As a result, it becomes difficult to offer much-needed treatment.
Get Alcoholism Treatment at Summit Estate
If this is your loved one’s current situation, visit a rehab center for a variety of treatment programs, including:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Yoga therapy
- Individual therapy
- Relapse prevention therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
No one decides to become dependent on alcohol; the process is gradual. However, the condition pushes you into a downward spiral in life. If you display any signs of alcoholism, consult Summit Estate at 800.701.6997 for professional help and to start treatment today.