In the United States, millions of people have alcohol abuse problems. Mostly affected are men and with some percentage on women. Alcohol abuse is the most common problem in the country. It doesn’t only create health problems but endangers one’s life due to possible accidents.
People consider drinking too much alcohol as a form of relaxation. It’s a form of satisfaction for those intoxicated with alcohol. However, modern science has made it possible for alcoholic users to heal. What they need is the right treatment approach for recovery from substance abuse.
When does alcohol abuse become a problem?
If you’re an occasional drinker, it can’t cause you harm. But if you consume more per day, that’s when the problem occurs. Too much alcohol can surely affect your daily routines. You create problems with family and can’t even drive your car when intoxicated. All these make you end up in trouble.
Generally, you need professional treatment for alcohol abuse disorder when you experience the following symptoms:
1. Drinking more alcohol even if you’re suffering from the negative effects.
The negative effects of alcohol abuse disorder include slurred speech, drowsiness, diarrhea, vomiting, upset stomach, headaches, breathing difficulties, and vision and hearing problems. As you crave more alcohol, you can acquire more serious illnesses like liver cirrhosis and cancer. To stop and minimize the negative effects, you need professional help.
2. Even with the desire to stop, the person continues to drink.
Alcohol problems occur when you want to drink more. When you’re addicted to alcohol, you yearn for more. People who want to stop the addiction feel irritable and anxious. It’s probably why they can’t stop drinking and then it becomes a vicious cycle. With professional intervention, the alcoholic can undergo long-term treatment even if he or she experiences withdrawal symptoms.
3. Drinking has affected one’s ability to function well.
A person with alcohol abuse disorder will surely need help due to the negative effects he or she experiences. He or she cannot perform his or her daily functions. Especially when experiencing the withdrawal symptoms, he or she can no longer help himself or herself. This of course will need professional help for the restoration of his or her normal functioning.
4. Drinking has affected the marriage, job, finances, house, and others.
When someone is alcohol dependent, he will greatly affect his or her relationship with loved ones. As you experience the negative effects of alcohol, you no longer are in the right mind. Alcohol abuse disorder can destroy a happy marriage, make you lose your job, and you end up with poor finances to pay for amortization or rent. If this happens, what you need is family therapy and counseling to restore your happy life.
5. An alcoholic has made attempts to stop but ended unsuccessfully.
Many times, a person with alcohol abuse disorder will resort to professional intervention to be healed from addiction. The treatment will usually take months or even a full year for recovery. Even if he or she has undergone the guidance of a medical expert, he or she must have the will power to stop such an addiction. He or she may even be advised for in-patient and out-patient treatment in rehab centers for recovery.
6. Over time, the alcoholic has steadily increased his or her alcohol intake.
This is the saddest thing to happen when a person has recovered from substance abuse and then revert to his or her usual bad habits. To prevent it to happen, he or she may well need the guidance and understanding of family, close friends, and the treatment centers. They need to instill in their minds that alcohol abuse disorder is definitely a bad thing to happen and must be stopped.
7. Withdrawal symptoms can occur when the alcoholic drinks less than normal or none at all.
Because you’re accustomed to drinking alcohol, the brain works beyond normal. Even if you stop drinking, the brain will continue to produce chemicals that make you experience withdrawal symptoms. A lifetime commitment must be included to break free from alcohol dependency. Only when an alcoholic accepts to change for the best will his or her normal functioning be restored.
So, with these behavioral traits or symptoms happening to an individual, it’s time to consider an alcohol abuse rehab center for better relationships, have good health, and a back-to-normal lifestyle.