Posts Tagged ‘addiction treatment’
Alcohol abuse can be tough to determine in this day and age. It seems like every 20-something is binge drinking on the weekends. Perhaps it’s just a rite of passage? Likewise, it seems like all your coworkers are slamming back a few brews after work to let loose. Where does one draw the line between normal and excessive alcohol consumption? While tolerance levels vary, the general rule is that you’re drinking too much if you’re a woman who has more than 7 drinks per week or more than 3 drinks per occasion, if you’re a man who has more than 14 drinks per week or more than four drinks per occasion, or if you’re over 65 having more than 7 drinks per week or more than 3 drinks per occasion.
Can problem drinkers simply cut down on alcohol consumption to combat their abuse of alcohol? The answer to this popular question all depends upon the individual. For the most successful recovery from alcoholism, abstinence is really the only cure. On the other hand, people who have experienced alcohol related problems, but aren’t actually alcohol dependent, may be able to cut back on their own. Before hitting “rock bottom,” it’s recommended that the drinkers stop covering up their alcohol consumption, read information on alcoholism to assess the situation and avoid situations where alcohol will be involved.
Some of the physical symptoms of alcohol abuse emerge over time in some of the more advanced stages. Common symptoms include “the shakes,” nausea, nervousness, anxiety, sweating and depression. Often there is a loss of appetite and the individual needs to drink more and more to sustain a buzz. Cravings may drive the person to drinking alcohol every weekend or even every day. Delirium Tremens (DTs) is the ultimate manifestation of severe alcohol abuse, with the drinker suffering hallucinations, nausea, agitation, confusion, the shakes and panic attacks from alcohol related withdrawal. In 5-15% of these cases, the person may die unless treated by a medical professional.
Perhaps the person with a propensity to engage in alcohol abuse suffered cycles of excess and deprivation as a child, or perhaps trauma and overall unhappiness is causing some people to self-medicate with alcoholic drink. If they’re naturally reckless, impulsive, rebellious, authoritarian or alienated, then perhaps it’s deeply embedded in one’s personality type. Scientists have many theories about what specifically causes one to abuse alcohol. The best treatments are patient-chosen and range from AA meetings, long term alcohol clinics, alcohol drugs, psychotherapy and abstinence.
Tags: addiction treatment, alcohol abuse, alcohol consumption, alcohol related, alcohol use, alcoholic drink, binge drinking, drinking alcohol, liver disease, recovering alcoholic, recovery from alcoholism
