Throughout history, alcohol use has been significantly widespread in many cultures worldwide. People from different walks of life use alcohol to relax, bond, celebrate, and socialise. And this may be one of the reasons why alcohol is often seen as harmful or illegal. But the legal use of alcohol doesn’t mean it is safer than illicit drugs. Just like any other substance, people become dependent on alcohol and develop a deadly addiction called alcohol addiction. In the UK, most people consume alcohol for recreational use, such as at weddings and parties, to chill with friends on the weekend, or as a way to unwind from work. Unfortunately, it was also found that alcohol misuse is the most significant risk factor for death, poor health, and disability among 15-49 year-olds in the UK.
However, many people don’t realise that they have some problems associated with their frequent drinking habits. They remain in denial until someone from their family, friends, or office doesn’t point them out for their slow reactions, slurred speech, poor coordination, distracted minds, and anger issues, all the symptoms of alcoholism. Also, mild alcoholism can quickly turn into something dangerous over time. Hence, you should not ignore the early warning signs of alcoholism if you see them in yourself or a loved one and look for addiction help. A few symptoms include:
Drinking More Than Usual or Planned
Depending on body weight and gender, most people consider one to two drinks per day as social or moderate drinking. But, it can cause undesirable effects if the frequency increases over time. For example, drinking four or more drinks daily comes under binge drinking. And many alcoholics drink far more than this. While it is common for individuals with advanced alcoholism to consume a dozen drinks daily, the number keeps increasing slowly. It happens because the body becomes resistant to the effects of alcohol, and you may need to drink more than usual to feel the original impact of alcohol consumption. Hence, if you have been drinking a lot lately and experiencing trouble controlling it, it may be an early warning sign of alcoholism.
Spending a Lot of Time on Alcohol-Related Activities
We are not talking about the time when you have a glass, can, or bottle in your hand; we are talking about your engagement in alcohol-related activities. For example, if you find yourself more in a club, bar, or attending parties, you spend a lot of time drinking. It also affects your personal and professional commitments, requirements, obligations, and more. You will most likely ignore your hobbies, property care, and everything else that used to matter to you. Also, defending the actions of drinking by saying that we are unwinding or no one understands our problems is an ultimate sign of alcoholism.
Increased Tolerance
Your ‘usual’ drink doesn’t have any effect on you anymore. It occurs when you drink excessively over time and develops a tolerance for it. As a result, you need to drink more than before to get the desired effect. Hence, you end up consuming more and more. While many alcoholics feel they don’t have alcoholism or don’t always feel high when drinking, they still damage their bodies.
Experience Withdrawal Symptoms
Alcohol makes you dependent, even if you don’t want to. When you stop or even reduce the intake, you may experience specific withdrawal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, sweating, insomnia, irritability, feelings of depression and anxiety, tremors, headaches, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue. On the other hand, a heavy drinker may experience severe withdrawal symptoms, such as hallucinations, convulsions, blackouts, and fever, which need immediate medical help. The withdrawal symptoms occur because your brain re-adjusts itself to normal working.
Loss of Control
At some point, every alcoholic tries to quit. Many people with alcoholism make a promise to themselves or others that they will cut back, but they rarely keep their promise. Because alcohol masks unhappy emotions, those feelings can come back when you quit and make it harder for you to stick to your goal. You find it difficult to stop drinking after having a few drinks or quitting entirely for a few days. Once you start drinking, you keep going until you are wholly intoxicated. In other words, if you are trying to abstain from alcohol, then obsess over it again or
What to Do?
Any warning signs of alcoholism mentioned above can indicate the problem but keeping yourself determined to reach recovery goals is necessary. Talk to your therapist, doctor, or counsellor for better understanding alcoholism and the help associated with it. While alcohol addiction treatment should always start with a detox, it may result in relapse if left untreated. Also, multiple rehab centres or facilities in the UK provide proper alcohol addiction treatment and are ready to treat whatever you experience and make you as comfortable as you want. Please call the addiction treatment centre today to ask any questions you have in mind about getting sober. We are sure that you’ll find addiction help!