Signs of People Addicted to Alcohol

Signs of People Addicted to Alcohol – Patterns of excessive alcohol consumption can cause serious problems in a person’s health and social life. However, people who are addicted to alcohol cannot stop consuming alcohol, even though they are aware that the habit has caused problems for them.

Alcohol addiction is a condition when a person is addicted to alcohol and it is difficult to control its consumption. There are several other terms used for this condition, namely alcoholism and alcohol use disorder.

Intake of alcohol can potentially endanger health and safety or cause other alcohol-related problems. This condition also includes binge drinking, which is a condition when a person consumes large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time.

If the pattern of alcohol consumption that occurs causes significant distress and problems in carrying out daily activities, this can be categorized as alcohol addiction. This condition can be categorized from mild to severe. Therefore, early treatment of this condition is very necessary.

Causes of Alcohol Addiction

There are many things that are associated with alcohol addiction. Genetic, psychological, social and environmental factors will largely determine how alcohol intake affects the body and behavior.

Some theories suggest that the impact of alcohol consumption on some people can be different and stronger, which can lead to alcoholism. Over time, consuming large amounts of alcohol can alter the normal functioning of certain parts of the brain associated with satisfaction, decision making, and the ability to control behavior.

This can lead to an urge to drink more alcohol to experience the pleasurable feeling. It is even considered to reduce negative feelings.

Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol is a strong chemical that can cause a variety of effects on the body. The effects can be mild, moderate, or severe, and can be short-lived or long-term.

The following are some of the symptoms that indicate a person has been addicted to alcohol:

Unable to limit the amount of alcohol consumed
Wanted to limit alcohol consumption but didn’t work
Most of the time is spent drinking alcohol or recovering from the effects of alcohol
Have a very strong urge to drink alcohol
Unable to complete obligations at school, work, or home due to alcohol consumption
Continue to consume alcohol even if this habit has caused health or social problems
Stopping or limiting social activities, work, or hobbies, because it prioritizes time to drink alcohol
Consuming alcohol in conditions known to be dangerous, such as when driving or swimming
Have increased alcohol tolerance, so it is necessary to consume more alcohol to feel the same effects as before
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, and shaking, when not drinking alcohol, so feel the need to consume it continuously and in large quantities to avoid these symptoms

In certain cases, people who are addicted to alcohol can experience symptoms of alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning occurs due to increased levels of alcohol in the blood. The higher the level of alcohol in the blood, the more severe the condition can be.

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Alcohol poisoning can cause behavioral and mental disorders, which include unstable moods, slurred speech, inappropriate behavior, difficulty concentrating and judging things, and poor body coordination.

Alcohol poisoning can also cause sufferers can not remember the events experienced, or called blackout. Very high blood alcohol levels can also lead to coma or even death.

Alcohol Addiction Treatment

There are several methods that can be used to overcome alcohol addiction. The method used will be adjusted to the level of addiction and the purpose of therapy. These methods include:

1. Counseling
Counseling, either in person or by joining a counseling group, can help patients understand their addiction problems.

One of the counseling methods that can be used is cognitive behavioral therapy. In this therapy, the patient will be informed about the dangers of alcohol to health and social life. After that, the patient will be helped to correct his wrong mindset about alcohol consumption.

Patients will also be given advice regarding things that can be done to reduce alcohol consumption, for example by recording the amount of alcohol consumption for 1 week, or replacing alcohol with soft drinks.

2. Detoxification
Patients who are addicted to alcohol are generally advised to stop drinking alcohol gradually.

3. Drug therapy
If needed, the doctor will prescribe medications, such as naltrexone, acamprosate, or disulfiram, to help with the alcohol addiction recovery process.

4. Lifestyle changes
Lifestyle changes are an important step in overcoming alcoholism. In this case, the patient needs to start adopting a healthy lifestyle, such as by getting enough rest and exercising regularly.