How To Know If You’re Addicted To Alcohol

Types Of Professionals Involved In Care

Substance Abuse Signs & Symptoms

Substance use disorders occur when an individual continues using the substance, whether its alcohol, cocaine, prescription pain pills or other drugs, despite significant substance-related problems. A person who has a moderate or severe substance use disorder may put substance use before family, relationships and career. He or she will continue to drink or use drugs, even if it’s causing problems.

It can be hard to recognize when you or someone in your life has a substance use disorder. Denial is common, but addiction can be devastating. Understanding the signs of drug addiction can help you decide if its time to seek help for yourself or a loved one.

How Alcohol Dependence Develops

Alcohol dependence can happen quite quickly. But it often happens after many years of heavy drinking.

Sometimes social drinking gradually becomes more frequent. Drinking more, until you can no longer control your drinking.

You might use alcohol to cope with problems or difficult times, until you can’t manage without it.

Not everyone who abuses alcohol is dependent on alcohol. Abusing alcohol can also affect your health and relationships.

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Get Help For Alcohol Addiction Today

Based on your answers to these questions, which are based closely on the official diagnostic manual used by psychologists to diagnose alcoholism, you can assess your relationship with drinking. Less than two yess indicates a mild problem, but anything more than that means your relationship with alcohol is dangerous and problematic. You might be addicted to alcohol. If thats the case, it is okay, your situation is not permanent and can be repaired. There are many resources available for you, including our experts on addiction and recovery here at Breath Life Healing Centers. Please dont hesitate to reach out for help, drinking does not have to ruin your life.

Drinking Is Making You Sick

Do you continue to drink even though you know it’s causing health problems, or making those problems worse? Alcohol can damage your liver, heart, brain, pancreas, and immune system. And it can raise your odds of getting certain cancers. Although you realize it’s harming you, a physical or emotional dependence on alcohol can make quitting hard.

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How To Get Help

The treatment for a high-functioning alcoholic is the same as for any other type of addict, Benton says. Ask your doctor about getting help — whether itâs from a therapist, psychiatrist, or other addiction specialist. Organizations like the American Society of Addiction Medicine can guide you to help, too.

In âcase management,â a professional may work with you one-on-one. Outpatient programs make it possible for you to get treatment during the day and still live at home.

The most in-depth care allows you to live full time at a treatment facility. These setups can also work along with 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Relating to other people with substance abuse issues may help someone break through denial and begin to recover.

Show Sources

Sarah Allen Benton, primary therapist, Turning Point, New Haven, CT author, Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic, Praeger, 2009.

News release, National Institutes of Health.

Robert Huebner, PhD, acting director, Division of Treatment and Recovery Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

National Institutes of Health: âRethinking Drinking.â

Gateway Foundation: âWhat Does It Mean To Be a Functioning Alcoholic?â

American Psychiatric Association: âUnderstanding Alcohol Use Disorders & Their Treatment.â

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: âAlcohol Use Disorder.â

CDC: âAlcohol and Public Health: Frequently Asked Questions.â

Detox And Residential Treatment

Detox is usually the first step in treating alcohol addiction. Alcohol withdrawal can be unpleasant and even life-threatening without medical help, but alcohol detox centers in Massachusetts can make the process easier. Detox is usually paired with residential treatment where you receive around-the-clock monitoring and support. These levels of care are best for people with severe addictions or co-occurring medical conditions.

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Drug Abuse & Addiction

People who abuse drugs may be using cocaine, heroin, morphine, LSD, marijuana, sedatives, speed, PCP, ecstasy, prescription pills and other substances.

You may be at higher risk for drug abuse if you:

• Suffer from social and peer pressure, depression or panic disorders
• Have access to drugs
• Spend time with people who take drugs
• Have family members who abuse drugs

Signs of drug abuse include:

• Problems at work, school or home
• Using drugs even if it risks physical safety
• Trouble with law enforcement that stems from drug use
• Continuing to use drugs even though using them causes problems

Drug dependence sets in after long-term, compulsive drug use. Thats because your body starts to need higher doses of drugs in order to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

You may be dependent on drugs if you:

• Are unable to stop or limit drug use
• Take greater amounts of drugs to feel the same effect
• Have withdrawal symptoms when you stop using the drug
• Spend a lot of time getting drugs and recovering from their effects
• Give up activities so you can use drugs or recover from use
• Use drugs even after they cause health or psychological problems
• Want to stop but cant

What Happens If You Drink Every Day

It goes without saying that alcoholism is dangerous and can have severe effects on a persons health. Alcohol abuse can lead to serious health complications. It can put a persons life at risk.

Alcohol can affect many different organs of the body, and not just the liver. Addicted individuals may suffer from stroke, fatty liver disease , cirrhosis, arrhythmias, fibrosis, and weakened immune system.

It also affects a persons mental health. Addicted individuals may suffer from worsened mental health. These mental health effects go hand in hand with the physical symptoms. They may experience symptoms such as depression, anxiety, cravings, irritability, sleep disorders, and panic attacks.

If you drink every day for a long period of time, you will eventually experience some serious diseases caused by long term alcohol abuse. It will damage your heart, liver, kidneys, vascular system, and your gastrointestinal tract. These damages may contribute to the development of chronic diseases.

Here are some of the diseases associated with chronic alcohol abuse: cardiovascular disease, anemia, cancer, cirrhosis, depression, gout, dementia, high blood pressure, seizures, pancreatitis, and nerve damage.

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Do I Need Health Insurance To Receive This Service

The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.

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How To Approach A Loved One About Their Drinking

Navigating addiction is tricky. It can be difficult to know how to provide the best chance for facilitating help. As a family member, friend, or significant other, it can often feel like it is your responsibility to take care of that person and make sure that they get the help they need. The road to recovery can be long and sometimes frustrating for both parties involved. When results arent immediate, recovery can be discouraging.

When it comes down to it, people will only get clean and sober when they want to. People who are forced into treatment often relapse because they never wanted to get sober in the first place. It has to be their decision. That being said, there are things that you can do to help someone with an addiction to alcohol:

• Have you ever overdosed or needed emergency medical treatment as a result of substance abuse?

Addiction to drugs or alcohol often leaves individuals unable to take care of themselves and can lead to a number of health issues. Answering yes to any of these questions can signal that you have a substance addiction.

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Inability To Maintain Healthy Relationships

Neglected tasks, dishonesty or secretive behavior, and financial distress take a toll on relationships. If an individual is not able to quit alcohol in the interest of restoring harmony in relationships, it becomes obvious that he or she places alcohol above their loved ones. Unfortunately, the presence of this alcoholic behavior when not drinking is fairly common.

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What Is The Main Cause Of Addiction

There are many possible causes of addiction. In fact, the way it develops may be different for everyone. Because there is a genetic factor, some people are more susceptible to developing addiction. Other risk factors include mental illness, poverty, homelessness, traumatic life experiences, domestic violence, lack of a social support system, and a family history of addiction.

The more risk factors a person is exposed to, the more likely they are to develop addiction, but it is not a guarantee that they will.

Drug use can start at any age. Teenagers may be pressured into trying drugs or alcohol by their peers. Some adults begin to experiment with different substances as they get older. Some people get hooked on medication that was prescribed to them by their doctor. Some even begin abusing drugs or alcohol during their childhood.

When a person begins to take a substance, they may eventually seek out more potent substances to enjoy more intense effects such as a stronger high. This puts them at risk of developing dependence and addiction.

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Youve Tried To Cut Down But Couldnt

If you think youre drinking too much, you may have tried to cut down at some point. While there are many ways you can reduce your alcohol intake, it might an indicator of how big your drinking problem is if youve tried to cut down and not managed to.

If youre starting to put in rules and conditions, that in itself is a warning sign that something is going on there, attempts to control. Also when you start to justify it to yourself by saying well that was a bad day, or its getting close to the weekend.

Pamela Roberts, Addiction Therapist at Priory Hospital Woking

What Is Alcohol Abuse

People who binge drink alcohol at the weekends are on a dangerous path. We call this type of binge drinking alcohol abuse. You can abuse alcohol without being an addict. However, if you routinely abuse alcohol, you will eventually develop an addiction.

Alcohol abusers routinely drink excessive amounts of alcohol and one sitting. The National Health Service in the UK recommends that you drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week. An alcohol abuser will regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol in one night. Not everyone who is an alcohol abuser has an alcohol addiction. The most common type of alcohol abuser is the student during freshers week or the teenager who has newly discovered alcohol.

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Find An Alcohol Rehab In The Boston Ma Area Today

If you think you are addicted to alcohol, youve come to the right place. Here at Woburn Wellness Addiction Treatment, our alcohol rehab program in Woburn, MA combines proven therapeutic methods of healing with evidence-based holistic treatment modalities. This makes for an integrated and highly individualized approach that isnt found anywhere else in the Boston area.

Whether your friends and family are worried about your well-being or you know in your heart you are ready to stop drinking, we can help. Pick up the phone and call now to speak with a dedicated admission coordinator to find the right alcohol rehab program for you.

References:

If You Suspect Someone Has Alcohol Poisoning

If someone has been binge drinking and is an unconscious or semiconscious state, their breathing is slow, their skin clammy, and theres a powerful odor of alcohol, they may have alcohol poisoning.

• Dont leave them alone to sleep it off.
• Turn the person onto their side to avoid them choking if they vomit.

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What Are Some Of The Early Signs Of Alcohol Use Disorder

There are numerous early signs of alcoholism that individuals should be on the lookout for. While there are several identifiable warning signs of alcoholism, there are others that might be challenging to identify. The severity of an individuals alcohol abuse might play a major part in the warning signs that a person displays.

For example, many individuals attempt to cover their alcohol abuse issue by instead drinking in private and ultimately isolating themself from other people. When this occurs, it makes it more difficult for family members and friends to intercede and ultimately help their loved ones. If an individual has a mild alcohol abuse issue, it can be easily overlooked.

Its important to understand that what might seem like a minor issue at the beginning can end up turning into something dangerous over time. The following early signs of alcoholism should not be disregarded. Seeking addiction treatment sooner than later will help you to get back to enjoying what you love most out of life.

The Symptoms Of Alcoholism

Developing alcohol use disorder is something that can happen slowly over time. For this reason, it can sneak up on people, and their relatively healthy occasional drinking can all of a sudden become more frequent and more problematic.

If youre worried that you have developed a drinking problem, you might be Googling questions like If I blackout am I an alcoholic? and am I becoming an alcoholic?

Learning as much as you can about alcohol use disorder will help you to understand whether or not you are starting to develop a problem or not. Lets take a look at some of the symptoms of alcohol use disorder to give you a sense of what it consists of.

There are behavioral symptoms, mental health symptoms, and physical health symptoms that can result from alcohol use disorder.

Behavioral symptoms of alcohol use disorder include:

• Neglecting personal hygiene
• Becoming angry or violent when asked about their drinking habits
• Having a high tolerance
• Eating poorly or not eating at all
• Making excuses to drink
• Missing school or work due to drinking
• Giving up important recreational, occupational, or social activities because of their alcohol use
• Being unable to control how much alcohol they drink
• Continuing to drink even though economic, social, or legal problems start developing

Physical health symptoms that can result from alcohol use disorder include:

• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not drinking, including nausea, vomiting, and shaking
• Having alcohol cravings

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Fearing The Loss Of Money

No one wants to lose money but having an unnatural fear of doing so could be a clue to a money addiction. Being afraid of losses can keep you from making smart decisions with your money that could actually improve your financial situation. For example, you might be so afraid of losing money in the stock market that you never invest at all. In the meantime, you could potentially miss out on thousands of dollars in compound interest growth. Or it might have you working 24/7 and never enjoying downtime because you are so focused on making as much as possible to avoid feeling poor.

Another expression of money addiction could be saving so much that you have very little spending money. If you feel compelled to save a certain possibly excessive amount, it could keep you from paying bills on time and enjoying the occasional dinner out or movie because you feel every penny must go into your bank account. This behavior can be akin to hoarding and can likewise interfere with daily life.

Image Credit: MangoStar_Studio/istockphoto.

What Is Alcohol Poisoning

Consuming too much alcohol, too quickly, can slow your breathing and heart rate, lower your body temperature, and cause confusion, vomiting, seizures, unconsciousness, and even death. Alcohol poisoning can also depress your gag reflex, increasing the risk that if youve passed out you may choke on your own vomit.

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Looking Ahead: The Future Of Treatment

Progress continues to be made as researchers seek out new and better treatments for alcohol problems. By studying the underlying causes of AUD in the brain and body, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is working to identify key cellular or molecular structurescalled targetsthat could lead to the development of new medications.

Drinking To Feel Normal

In order to combat withdrawal symptoms, many people will feel as if they need to drink to feel normal. Signs of this can include drinking alone, during work hours, before major events or places where no one else is drinking. If your drinking a necessity to feel normal or having a need to have drinks throughout the day to maintain the feeling of normality, this is a clear sign of alcohol addiction.

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You Want To Stop But Can’t

Maybe you’ve been concerned enough that you’ve already thought about or actually tried to cut down on your drinking — and it didn’t happen. Alcohol masks unhappy emotions, so those feelings may come back when you quit drinking, making it harder to stick to your goal. If you try to abstain, but then obsess over alcohol or switch to another drug or behavior, that’s a red flag.