Mia
America’s most commonly abused drug is alcohol. Millions use it to relax, lose weight, or dull the senses. Many people who drink are not aware that they are alcohol dependent. Some people, however, know that alcohol causes problems for them and may try to stop drinking. For you to receive the help you need, it’s essential to understand that you’re an alcoholic.
What Is Alcohol Dependence?
There is a high prevalence of the use of alcohol as a drug worldwide. Alcohol dependence is a type of substance abuse disorder often referred to as alcoholism, which is alcohol use in a harmful manner. Luckily it is curable, and alcohol rehab specialists White River Recovery in the Netherlands advise that several month-long programs administered by addiction experts could be the key to overcoming even the most severe addictions. Physical and psychological dependence makes a person become a slave to liqueur, and the key to recovery lies in recognizing the habit.
What Can You Do To Overcome Addiction?
- Work out how much you are consuming: The first step is knowing how much you drink. There’s a good chance you don’t even know how much you drink, and calculating it could shock you in getting started.
- Know why you drink: Once you understand why you drink excessively, you can begin to cut them out of your life. This could be friends or situations.
- Speak to loved ones: Talk to those who love you and want to help. It is much easier to fix a problem when you have a support network.
- Enroll in rehab: If it is severe enough, you may consider joining a rehabilitation program. As mentioned earlier, several months of intensive care by professionals could be precisely what you need.
- Stay clean via communities: Getting on the wagon is one thing, but staying on is another challenge. By joining an AA group, you can find others in a similar situation to share experiences and support each other.
What Are The Symptoms?
Depressants like alcohol lower inhibitions, increasing the likelihood of risk-taking behavior to the point of harm or even death. If you start to feel agitated or hear strange voices during or after a drink, it is time to come off the bottle. Unfortunately, alcohol dependence is one of the most challenging types of substance abuse to treat. This is because it is often more difficult for someone to admit they have a problem when compared to other forms of drug addiction. If you experience any of the following symptoms, it could be time to admit you have a problem:
- Speaking with a slur: Slurred speech could indicate a range of health issues, but alcohol is likely the culprit if you are drinking heavily.
- Reflexes become slower: If you find yourself unable to move efficiently or your movements are slow and unordered or uncoordinated, you may have a problem.
- An inability to control movement: Shaking and suffering from tremors is an indicator of dependence. This will, unfortunately, get worse as you withdraw, but it eventually fixes itself.
- Concentration problems: This is when you are unable to focus on things and are easily distracted. It could be from thinking about wanting another drink or that triggering factors affect your ability to concentrate.
- Memory lapses: These can be mild to severe but are always concerning.
- Making poor decisions: This typically happens when you are drinking rather than your sober moment. However, poor choices can occur at any time.
- Behaving riskily: When you are drunk, you sometimes engage in risky behavior. This could be starting fights or driving under the influence.
- Blackouts: These are usually the scariest symptoms of alcohol dependence. It happens when you stay conscious but have no memory of your actions.
What Causes Alcohol Dependence?
One part of ridding yourself of this affliction is to understand more about how you fell prey to it in the first place. Some people are prone to alcohol dependence, so how can you tell if you’re susceptible to becoming an alcoholic? The answer is simple. If you regularly drink to the point where alcohol negatively impacts your life, you’re at risk of developing a dependence. However, there are some more complex reasons why you might become dependent.
Triggers
As is the case with most drugs, specific triggers in life can begin a downward spiral that eventually results in full-blown addiction. It is also necessary to know what the triggers are to build a foundation of recovery. Triggers can take a variety of forms:
Stress
Alcohol has long been known for its ability to relax you, chill with your friends, and help you forget about your problems. However, this becomes more than just a pleasant way to wind down for some people, leading to serious health issues. If you crave alcohol to the point where you find yourself unable to live without it, you may have a problem with alcohol addiction.
Family Dysfunction
Addiction stemming from family issues can result from a dysfunctional upbringing to seeing relatives become dependent on alcohol. If a close relative is an alcoholic, your chances of becoming one are far higher.
Emotional Distress
In many cases, alcohol is used as a coping mechanism by people with alcohol addictions. If you have experienced suffering or pain in your life, it could be that you turned to alcohol to help numb the pain. The numb feeling causes one to become addicted as you artificially reduce agony rather than face it head-on. Furthermore, individuals who have just become sober can relapse if they suffer from emotional distress, especially if they have not learned coping skills.
Brain Chemistry
Research has also shown that those with specific brain chemistry are more susceptible to addiction. In the study, researchers discovered that rats who continued to choose alcohol had lower levels of the gene that codes for the protein GABA transporter type 3 (GAT-3) compared to those rats who switched to sugar water. In essence, those who have lower levels of GAT-3 are more susceptible to becoming addicted to drinking.
Alcohol addiction is sometimes worse than other drug problems because alcohol is more prevalent in society and can be consumed more discreetly. Therefore you must admit your problem before you can begin the healing process.
