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Alcohol can lead to a progressive disease known as alcoholism. The disease can progress slowly over years, or it can take hold of some people quickly. Alcohol has the power to destroy a person's health, family life, financial security and career. Alcohol is toxic and can require alcohol detox and alcoholism treatment to stop the disease progression.
It is important to note that although alcohol is legal, it is still a powerful and addictive substance. Alcohol has proven to be the principle agent in most of the automobile accidents that occur on America’s roadways. Alcohol causes more severe medical complications than prescription drug abuse or illegal drug abuse.
If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol addiction, please call Recovery Connection® now at 1-800-993-3869. Help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The call is toll-free and confidential. Don't wait another day.
The American Medical Association recognizes alcoholism as a disease. The progression can happen rapidly or it can slowly worsen year after year.
A person who drinks alcohol compulsively, who continually seeks alcohol, and is unable to stop drinking despite negative consequences suffers from alcoholism. There is a distinction between alcoholism and alcohol abuse, though at times it is not clearly defined. Alcohol abuse includes drinking too much, too often and can be accompanied by negative consequences (such as relationship, financial, career problems), but the body has not fully developed a tolerance for alcohol.
When the body develops a tolerance for alcohol, larger amounts of alcohol must be consumed. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. Once a tolerance for alcohol has developed, an individual must consume more and more alcohol. Without the drink, withdrawal symptoms begin. The need to drink, known as a craving, is a sign of alcoholism or an alcohol addiction. The alcoholic is no longer drinking for pleasure, but to ward off withdrawal symptoms.
Alcohol addiction, like other diseases, has a genetic component. But, an individual's lifestyle, environment and an ability to handle stress can also play a role in the development of this chronic disease. Understanding your risk level is a key component of protecting yourself. Getting help early can stop the progression of alcohol addiction.
Alcohol as a central nervous system depressant slows neurotransmissions from the brain to the central nervous system and to the rest of the body. It affects people in a variety of ways. Some people are pleasantly relaxed by the substance, while others lose their inhibitions and make decisions they may come to regret. In other words, alcohol changes a person's perception of reality, movement, vision, etc. Reaction time is slowed while intoxicated because alcohol has drastically altered brain function affecting the cerebellum and frontal lobes.
Alcohol abuse may be as problematic to a person’s life as alcohol dependence. Alcohol abuse also can have a direct impact on an individual's physical and mental health and can often result in social or legal problems.
When an individual starts using alcohol more frequently, alcohol abuse may develop. The line between abuse and addiction is not always clear, as people may suffer from alcohol abuse and the negative consequences of over indulging, but they may never physically cross over into addiction. Generally, when a person is abusing alcohol (drinking too much such as binge drinking) and transgresses the vague line toward addiction, the following cycle can develop:
It should be remembered that drinking heavily in a short period of time, as many people do when they binge drink, can lead to alcohol poisoning. The following are symptoms of alcohol poisoning:
Alcoholism, or alcohol addiction, is progressive, chronic and if left untreated, fatal. Some of the common health complications associated with alcohol addiction include:
Nearly 100,000 Americans die each year as a direct result of alcohol abuse. Alcohol also plays a significant role in social and domestic problems such as child or spouse abuse and property damage as well as job absenteeism.
If you or someone you know suffers from alcoholism help is available now. Recovery Connection provides you a personal link to treatment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-993-3869. Call now and speak to a trained coordinator.
Once the body develops a tolerance for alcohol, similar to other drugs, the body requires more and more to get a pleasurable sensation. After a period of time, the body demands more to ward off withdrawal symptoms. At this point in the addiction progression, it is no longer about having a good time. It is about cravings and stopping withdrawal. The longer one lives with alcohol addiction, the stronger the symptoms of withdrawal become. For many, suffering through these symptoms is the primary cause of relapse. The alcohol withdrawal symptoms associated with detoxification from alcohol addiction range from mild to severe psychological and physical symptoms. These can include:
Psychological Symptoms:
Physical Symptoms:
Severe Symptoms:
Other consequences of alcohol addiction can be the deterioration of personal relationships, divorce, financial difficulties, loss of employment and legal difficulties such as DUI, DWI, domestic violence or assault.
Alcoholism is a progressive disease but the progression can be halted. Alcoholism treatment works.
The type of treatment needed and length of stay in an alcohol treatment program depends on your physical, mental and emotional condition, as well as the severity of your alcoholism. Patients suffering from alcoholism are advised to seek a medically monitored alcohol detox program as alcohol detox can be medically dangerous and can be life threatening. Alcohol detox is the necessary first step before entering an alcohol treatment program.
An inpatient, medically-monitored, alcohol detox program can provide you with the safest care possible. Inpatient, medically monitored, alcohol detox units, have medical staff that closely monitor your daily progress. Adjustments to your alcohol detox protocol can be made immediately thus moving you successfully through this initial step in the recovery process. Alcohol detox is never a substitute for alcohol addiction treatment.
Upon completing an alcohol detox program, it is advisable to immediately begin an inpatient alcoholism treatment program. Inpatient alcohol addiction treatment provides you with the tools you need to sustain abstinence and control your alcohol abuse or your alcoholism.
Early recovery from alcoholism may require medical attention as well as a structured, monitored environment and program. Outpatient programs are unable to supply you with the structure, supervision and support usually required in early recovery. Furthermore, outpatient treatment relies heavily upon self-reporting compared to inpatient treatment where doctors and nurses can witness the changes in your behavior and respond appropriately. Also, with outpatient treatment a newly recovering alcoholic is exposed to the same people, places and things that can trigger a relapse. Outpatient programs are best used after an inpatient alcohol treatment program has been completed.
It is unwise to attempt alcohol detox alone in the privacy of your home. There may be physical crises that occur during detox that require immediate medical attention. Physical withdrawal symptoms may be accompanied by a variety of clinical states (emotional or psychiatric) that will also require medical attention. A medical detox facility, preferably in an alcohol addiction treatment facility, can provide the alcoholic with the structure, support and supervision needed to successfully detox. Detox is only the first step in the alcohol detox and addiction treatment process.
To stop the progression of alcohol addiction, research has shown that alcoholism treatment is necessary. It is considered wise to immediately follow detox with admission into an alcoholism treatment program. In treatment, an alcoholic can learn about the underlying issues that cause alcoholism, as well as obtain greater insight into addictive behaviors and better ways to handle triggers and stressors. If mental health issues arise, such as depression or anxiety, those conditions can be managed immediately, thus, reducing the likelihood of relapse.
Alcoholism treatment consists of four primary stages - alcohol detox, alcohol addiction rehabilitation, relapse prevention and aftercare. Within that frame work, addicts can receive:
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