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Why Seek Help For Alcohol Addiction? Your Question Answered
Alcohol dependence is clinically called Alcohol Use Disorder or AUD. People refer to it as alcohol abuse as well. Unfortunately, it is a key health concern that affects individuals from across the world. Right from mild alcohol consumption to severe alcohol abuse and alcoholism, it can be devastating to both physical and mental health.
Above all, it can affect relationships and the overall quality of your life. So, you should know how to spot the signs of high blood alcohol concentration if you drink alcohol frequently. Also, it would help if you understood the importance of seeking help so that you can recover and reclaim control over your life.
Alcoholism – A Basic Understanding
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse, substance abuse is characterized by uncontrollable and compulsive alcohol consumption. Alcohol and drug usage can turn out to be chronic. Many people these days are aware of the ill effects of alcohol. They know that for drinking moms, there can be chances of fetal alcohol syndrome in the growing baby. Still, there is a stigma surrounding alcoholism. Stigma prevents people from seeking the help they require desperately for alcohol withdrawal.
If you would like to stop drinking, you should recognize that addiction is not a moral failing merely. Rather, understanding alcohol use as a complex medication condition is important. You need professional help so you will not consume alcohol anymore.
How to Spot the Signs of Alcohol Addiction?
Your stigma might not be stopping you. However, you might not seek help when you feel that your alcohol use, among others, is normal and not too much. So, it becomes important to keep yourself informed of the signs and symptoms of excessive alcohol intake. Here are a few signs caused by alcohol misuse:
- You have an increased tolerance to alcohol
- People with alcohol use in excess will have issues with withdrawal
- You have many unsuccessful attempts to control or cut down alcohol use
- Also, alcohol abusers will neglect responsibilities in favor of drinking
- You will experience mood swings, cravings, and deteriorating physical health
With these signs, you can understand that you are no longer using a lot of alcohol. Rather, you are engaged in excessive alcohol use. Understanding problematic alcohol use and spotting that you drink too much alcohol is the first step to take toward the road to recovery. When you understand that you are in chronic alcohol misuse, you will start thinking about ways to get out of the alcohol dependence. Your treatment will begin with a diagnosis of alcohol disorder to know whether you are preoccupied with alcohol.
Understanding the Effects of Alcohol
In addition to knowing the signs that you are addicted to alcohol, it is equally important to understand the effects of alcohol on your body. Not only your physical health, heavy alcohol use can impact different aspects of your life.
- Someone with alcohol use in excess has a greater probability of getting:
- Neurological damages
- Cardiovascular issues
- Liver diseases
- Certain types of cancers
- Above all, substance abuse and mental health issues go hand-in-hand. You have an increased probability of:
- PTSD
- Anxiety
- Depression
These mental health issues can further exacerbate your overall well-being. They can make your road to recovery tougher. So, if you face withdrawal symptoms and a hard time reducing the amount of alcohol you consume, you need help, states the Centers for Disease Control.
Why Is It Important to Seek Help for Alcohol Dependence?
The National Survey on Drug Use states that seeking help to treat your developing alcohol reliance is important for many reasons. Each of these reasons emphasizes addressing reliance on alcohol proactively. Right from protecting your physical health to fostering healthier relationships and reclaiming control over your life, you cannot overlook the importance of seeking help for your dependence.
Alcohol Treatment is Important To Preserve Your Physical Health
Individuals with alcohol problems often overlook their physical health. Above all, alcohol may wreak havoc on the body. If you cannot stop or control alcohol use, it may lead to a wide range of health issues like neurological damage, liver problems, and cardiovascular issues. It can even increase the risk of certain types of cancers. When your addiction is addressed early on through professional support and treatment, you can mitigate these health risks. In turn, you can prevent damage to your physical health.
Alcohol Use Disorder Might Affect Mental Health
Yet another factor that makes it important to treat alcohol poisoning is its effect on your emotional and mental health. Alcohol drinking often comes with mental health disorders like PTSD, anxiety, and depression. In turn, the symptoms may worsen. Also, these mental health issues can make recovery even more complicated. With professional help for drug use and health, you can get the needed resources and tools to address any underlying mental health issues. Above all, you will be taught coping mechanisms and strategies. In turn, you can achieve better control over your mental health as you can effectively manage the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.
Treatment for Alcohol Use is Important For Healthy Relationships
Not only physical and mental health effects, someone with an alcohol overdose should get help to foster healthy relationships. The reason is that alcohol can also affect relationships. You need help when you consume more alcohol to repair damaged associations with your loved ones. You should remember that if it becomes too late, your alcohol use, despite adverse social effects, can affect your relationship with your family members as well.
It can lead to isolation, resentment, and conflicts with your friends and family. When you seek help, you can get into the path of recovery. With professional help, someone with alcohol overuse can rebuild intimacy, communication, and trust in their relationships. Professionals can help you foster more fulfilling and stronger associations with people around you, as alcohol also affects your social associations.
Alcohol Affects Control Over Your Life
Yet another factor that necessitates seeking help to stop the consumption of alcohol is to reclaim control over your life and future. You might think that you are engaged in moderate alcohol consumption. Nevertheless, alcohol addiction can cause a relentless cycle. It can trap you in a pattern of compulsive use.
You can be taken to a stage where you cannot control alcohol use despite adverse effects knowledge. You can break free from the grip of addiction and can remain autonomous with professional help. Also, the economic costs of excessive alcohol buying can affect your financial stability. You can get help with taking proactive steps towards a more fulfilling and healthier life by reducing these unwanted expenses.
So, for these reasons, alcohol Abuse and Mental Health Services recommends seeking help to reduce the risk of alcohol overuse. In turn, you can prevent the increase of alcohol content in your blood. Higher blood alcohol levels in the long run can lead to alcohol intoxication and many other issues associated with alcohol.
FAQs
No, seeking help for treatment of alcoholism is not a sign of weakness. Rather, it is an empowering and courageous decision related to alcohol overuse. You may find it challenging to overcome the shame and stigma connected with the pattern of alcohol use. Addiction is a chronic condition, so reaching out for support can demonstrate your self-awareness and resilience. It shows your commitment to positive change, considering the excessive costs of excessive alcohol consumption.
Yes, this is one of the many useful resources available for individuals suffering from a condition known as alcohol use disorder. NIAAA states that nearly one-third of people who have been treated for the condition known as alcohol dependence have no further symptoms and complications of alcohol after a year. Many others have considerably reduced their drinking.
Even if you have a family history of alcohol problems, you can reduce alcohol consumption with professional help combined with the resources offered by NIAAA. You can also sign up with a mutual support group like SMART Recovery. With this support group, you can also prevent alcohol use disorder relapse.
Yes, for children with fetal alcohol spectrum, there can be behavior issues as they get older. They might face learning disabilities. The Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality states that they may experience trouble with attention and memory. The Center for Behavioral Health Statistics states that some kids can face hyperactivity. Drinking at the time of pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, and these kids have more probability of using alcohol as they get older. Development delay in kids is one of the biggest problems. So, carrying moms should keep away from alcohol.
