Alcohol Addiction
Someone who struggles with alcohol abuse may or may not be aware that alcohol is an issue for them. Sometimes even when important individuals in their lives such as their parents, spouses, or children are concerned about their alcohol use they still do not see it as an issue. There may be several reasons for this. First, alcohol use is more socially acceptable than drug use which can result in individuals minimizing the impact of using this substance frequently. Second, alcohol is normalized by society as a coping mechanism through television shows, movies, and commercials which means to some extent people may assume this is an appropriate or good way to cope with their concerns. Third, if someone grew up around family members who used alcohol heavily then this amount of use has been normalized for them making it more difficult for them to see it as problematic. This overall social acceptability of alcohol use means that more people are addicted to alcohol than any other drug.
Objectively the National institute of alcohol abuse and alcoholism states that those who are at risk for alcoholism are those that binge drink and drink heavily. They define binge drinking as 4 or more drinks a day for men and 3 or more drinks a day for women. They define heavy drinking as binge drinking for 5 or more days in a month. Subjectively, alcohol use becomes a problem when it negatively impacts one or more aspects of a person’s life such as relationships, health, work, or recreation. For example, receiving a DUI can be an indicator of an alcohol problem or the dissolution of a relationship due to alcohol consumption. Some of the negative health impacts of heavy alcohol use are: alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, coma, stroke, and cancer.
Despite these negative consequences many individuals continue to use. Two factors contribute to this continuation of use. First, many people use substances to cope with physical pain or negative feeling such as anxiety or sadness and may not have knowledge of healthier coping strategies. Second, overtime a person can become physically dependent on the substance. For example, drinking the morning after binge drinking in order to alleviate symptoms of a hangover. This physical dependence can make it more difficult for the person to stop drinking. In addition, when individuals attempt to stop drinking, they often experience cravings for example they may think man I wish I had a drink right now. These cravings can make relapse more likely.
Common symptoms of alcohol dependence
• Needing to have more drinks to achieve the desired/same effect.
• Withdrawal symptoms such as the shakes, seizures, rapid pulse, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, delirium tremors, and hallucinations.
• Social isolation
• Continuing to use the substance despite negative consequences.
If you decide to quit drinking please do not attempt to stop on your own as alcohol withdrawal can be fatal. There are many detox services that can make the experience of quitting drinking easier and safer.
Alcohol abuse can be treated with psychotherapy and there are both in patient and outpatient programs for individuals to choose from.