Alcohol Use Disorder: What It Is, Risks & Treatment
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Alcoholics often secretly drink to avoid social stigma or other negative consequences of their unhealthy drinking habits. Alcoholics who are drinking secretly are generally ashamed of their unhealthy drinking habits. They may also want to avoid conflicts with their concerned loved ones. Alcoholics can become so dependent that their judgement becomes clouded and they may do things they normally would not.
Support groups often employ the 12-Step Program, which is a set of guidelines to practice towards recovery. Most people know what it’s like to crack a few beers with friends, celebrate major life events, or unwind after a long day. But alcohol use can be so much more than just that for some people. Treatment programs and online alcohol rehab are available if you are facing an alcohol problem. There are, of course, outward signs, such as risky behavior and neglected relationships.
Signs & Symptoms Of A High-Functioning Alcoholic
Regardless of the type of support system, it’s helpful to get involved in at least one when getting sober. Sober communities can help someone struggling with alcohol addiction deal with the challenges of sobriety in day-to-day life. Sober communities can also share relatable experiences and offer new, healthy friendships. And these communities make the person with an alcohol addiction accountable and provide a place to turn to if there is a relapse.
What can lead to alcoholism?
- Steady drinking over time.
- Starting at an early age.
- Family history.
- Depression and other mental health problems.
- History of trauma.
- Having bariatric surgery.
- Social and cultural factors.
Stage one of alcoholism includes drinking more than normal or missing school or work because of alcohol use. Drinking at an early age can influence a person’s relationship with alcohol. If a parent or sibling abuses alcohol at home, the chances of that person’s child or younger sibling developing an alcohol use disorder increases. This doesn’t mean that you’ll automatically become addicted to drinking if you witness alcohol addiction at home. It does mean though, that witnessing alcohol abuse or addiction at home, especially at a young age, increases the odds of you developing a drinking problem yourself.
What causes alcohol use disorder?
It could be a relative who drinks too much on family occasions. It could also be a colleague that consistently pushes you to drink with them after work. Based on 11 criteria regarding individual drinking habits, experts classify AUD as Mild, Moderate, or Severe.
Drinking more than usual or drinking early in the day can also be an early sign of alcoholism. This is the rarest subtype, making up only 9% of people addicted to alcohol in the United States. Most individuals in this subtype are middle-aged and started drinking early. Of the five subtypes, they rate highest for other psychiatric disorders and abuse of other substances. Roughly 80% are from families that struggle with multigenerational alcoholism. Find support for yourself and other family members in a rehab family program.
Signs of Alcohol Addiction
An individual’s health and living situation may also be affect by an inability to meet responsibilities. When an individual continues to drink despite these problems, they likely have are struggling with alcoholism. One of the most telling signs of alcoholism is an individual’s inability to reduce their consumption of alcohol. This can mean they find it impossible to cut back on the frequency of their drinking despite their intentions to do so. Some may try to limit the amount of alcohol they consume at one time by declaring to drink on the weekend. Despite this effort, a lack of control will cause alcoholics to continue to drink during the week regardless of their initiative.
People who are addicted to alcohol show certain behaviors while intoxicated. These short-term signs generally aren’t exclusive to alcohol abuse. This is important to keep in mind when ruling out other potential causes, like mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder.
Alcoholics may feel the need to lie about their drinking for a number of reasons. In some cases, it’s due to shame or embarrassment, while other times, it’s to avoid confrontation. People may also hide the extent of their alcohol use because it helps them cope with difficult emotions, and being honest could mean a change they’re not ready for. Whatever the reason, lying prolongs the addiction and leaves 5 Tips to Consider When Choosing a Sober Living House underlying issues unresolved, but rehab can help you move past the falsehoods and get on the path to recovery. In some cases, alcohol abuse can have legal and financial consequences that stem from poor decision-making and impulsive behavior. For example, driving under the influence can result in hefty fines and jail time, while alcohol-related aggression has been linked to assault and violence.
How many drinks a day is considered an alcoholic?
Heavy Alcohol Use:
For men, consuming more than 4 drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks per week. For women, consuming more than 3 drinks on any day or more than 7 drinks per week.
At Huntsman Mental Health Institute (HMHI), we treat alcoholism as a disease that alters brain chemistry and has negative impacts on physical health. Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp. Over time, the body becomes accustomed to the presence of alcohol in its system. An increased frequency and amount consumed can lead to more alcohol being needed to achieve the same effects. Generally, alcoholics have a very high tolerance because they have the long-term exposure to high amounts of alcohol.
Unfortunately, while many adults find themselves drinking responsibly, there are millions that struggle with alcoholism. Binge drinking is a pattern of consuming large amounts of alcohol within a short period of time. This occurs most often in young adults ages 18 to 34 but affects people outside of this age group as well.