Medical News Today states that alcoholism is now termed alcohol use disorder. They define it as a condition in which an individual has a strong need to ingest alcohol despite the negative implications in his or her life. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) describes alcohol use disorder as “problem drinking that becomes severe.” Many times alcoholics try to hide their drinking from others. They become so good at hiding it and can tolerate such large amounts of alcohol, it may be difficult to tell when they are “drunk.” The National Institute of Health (NIH) reports that 15.1 million adults had a problem with alcohol misuse in 2015. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that there are 3.3 million deaths from alcohol abuse every year.
There are many alcoholism traits for which an individual can look to determine if someone is an alcoholic. An alcoholic usually has redness in the face that may show up as a rash or blotches on the skin. An individual with an alcohol problem often have shakes or trembling of the hands or other parts of the body. He or she tends to drink in situations that are dangerous, such as drinking before driving, or mixing alcohol with drugs even though he knows it is dangerous.
An alcoholic drinks at the worst times, even though he knows he shouldn’t be drinking. An individual does this because the thought of having to go through withdrawal is too much to handle, so they drink. Often times, he will sneak alcohol in coffee or sneak into a dark corner to get a drink. An individual has a high tolerance for alcohol and the change may appear suddenly. He has to drink more to feel the same effects but doesn’t know seem to be drunk long after many others.
When an individual starts saying things like he or she drinks to relax, it could be a sign of addiction towards alcoholism. This comes with the need to drink or a feeling of obligation to drink. This person feels he can’t calm down without alcohol. An alcoholic often has inappropriate mood swings in someone who typically does not act this way. This could be a sign that an individual is going through withdrawal. By the time an individual gets to a place where this behavior is occurring, that person has been drinking for a long time. An alcoholic obsesses over having the next drink and getting drunk, which makes one irritable and have mood swings.
An alcoholic is not able to keep or maintain a healthy relationship. An alcoholic will often lie and act secretively and neglect tasks that need to be accomplished. An Alcoholic tends to begin to neglect professional and personal responsibilities. Even though this behavior destroys relationships, the individual is not able to stop drinking. Usually, the alcohol takes precedence above everything else. An alcoholic tends to binge drink and has blackouts as a result. Binge drinking often causes alcohol poisoning. Symptoms of this type of poisoning include vomiting, clammy hands, loss of physical coordination, or confusion as symptoms. An alcoholic is often in legal trouble as a result of their drinking. An alcoholic is often charged with disorderly conduct or drunk driving. They typically participate in violent behavior. Individuals suffering from alcohol abuse don’t show up to work, their productivity goes down, and they ignore things around the house that need to be done.
Paying attention to the signs of an individual that indicates he may be an alcoholic is the greatest weapon one has in helping that person. Loved ones often feel helpless when it comes to helping the people they love to get better. If they pay attention to the signs, they might be able to get the alcoholic help early on in the disorder. Contact us today so we can help you determine if you or a loved one needs alcohol treatment. This is a painful process and with our professional help, we will make it as easy as possible for you.
Did you know that most major insurance carriers will help cover the costs associated with treatment? Creo Spero offers a free insurance benefits check to anyone who contacts us. Whether you come to our program or not, we will help you find the best treatment options that fit your personal needs. Don’t wait any longer. Find your path to recovery today.
© 2022 Creo Spero. All Rights Reserved.