Alcohol abuse or alcoholism is one of the most common diseases globally. Particularly, America has this drinking problem. Millions of Americans grapple with alcohol addiction as alcohol is legal and easily available. There are various levels of drinking, some are holiday drinkers and others binge drink. Long-term use of alcohol affects one’s physical, mental, social and spiritual well being. As a result, the victim’s career and family relationships are ruined. Excessive use of alcohol causes irreversible damage to vital organs such as the liver, heart, and brain which can be fatal.
It is difficult to know whether a person is having a drinking problem. Even the drinker hesitates to tell that he or she is having a drinking problem. However, there are some typical habits the drinker possess to identify with the drinking problem. The warning signs and symptoms can be both physical & mental.
A person may have a drinking problem if they have the following:
Isolating is the first sign to know whether a person is having a drinking problem. There is much difference in drinking alone and couple drinking at a party. A person drinking alone could have a serious emotional stress and depression. Isolated drinkers often drink alone due to a trauma, psychological problems, frustration, and abandonment. The person ignores being with family & friends and often finds excuses for being alone. This type of drinker might have a co-occurring disorder and should consider seeking a rehab center to quit the drinking problem. Alcohol abuse and mental illness are difficult to treat and it requires dual-diagnosis treatments to overcome addiction.
This is yet another serious sign of a drinking problem. The person seeks to drink first in the morning ignoring other day-to-day activities. Alcohol addicts often feel hungover in the morning and they drink more alcohol to alleviate this symptom. As a result, they drink more alcohol and their tolerance level increases. Some persons drink alcohol in an empty stomach, causing severe damage to the gut. Drinking alcohol first in the morning causes several health problems and severely damages the nervous system. If you see your loved one drinking first in the morning, this is a serious problem and should immediately approach a therapist for treatment.
Binge drinking is consuming a large quantity of alcohol in a single session. It is not recommended to drink more than 2 drinks per day. Binge drinking is more prevalent in the US and 90% of youngsters binge drink. This type of drinking brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 grams percent or above. Binge drinking causes severe health problem which causes alcohol poisoning. Moreover, binge drinking causes liver cirrhosis, cancer, stroke, alcoholic hepatitis, and cardiovascular diseases. It has been also noted that people earning high-income binge drink more
Constant drinking of alcohol increases the tolerance. When alcohol tolerance increases the person needs to drink more to get the buzz feeling. This increases the risk of alcohol dependency and addiction. Increased alcohol tolerance causes organ damage, raises the toxicity of other drugs and hampers the working mechanism of medications. If you are a heavy drinker or moderate drinker it is always important to check and keep track of the quantity of alcohol you consume.
Many people indulge in drinking to cope with depression and stress. People find a temporary relief from their sadness and seek alcohol whenever they feel sad. By continuing this behavior, the brain’s chemistry is altered and it causes further mental illness. This kind of drinkers are likely to develop a co-occurring disorder and should approach a rehabilitation center to get cured. Mental illness & alcoholism severely affect a person’s personal & professional life.
If you or your loved one are noticing changes in the consumption of alcohol, it is imperative to check for these serious signs. If you find difficult to abstain from alcohol and need help, check out our addiction treatment centers near you.