Early Signs Of Alcoholism

By Author: Care Addiction
Total Articles: 38
Comment this article

The line between occasional social drinking and alcohol dependence can be hard to draw. Generally, moderate alcohol consumption is not harmful to adults. Moderate use means no more than one drink a day if you’re a woman and no more than two if you’re a man.

Due to its legality and social acceptance, alcohol is often regarded as being less dangerous than other illegal substances. However, alcohol addiction is dangerous to your health and can even be fatal. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, more than 14.5 million adults in the US have an alcohol use disorder.

Signs of Alcoholism

You can recognize the early signs of alcoholism in yourself or someone you love by knowing these signs. Here are several early signs of alcoholism:

Using alcohol to cope. For example, drinking to relieve stress.
Changes or problems in relationships.
Problems at work.
Missing obligations to drink.
Denial or lying about drinking.
Frequent binge drinking ...
...
Extremely high tolerance for alcohol - needing more alcohol to achieve the desired effect.
Frequent blackouts.
Dangerous or risky behavior like drinking and driving, or promiscuity.
Isolating to drink alone.
Memory loss.
An excessive amount of money spent on alcohol - to the point of financial troubles.

When To Seek Treatment

There is a physical change in brain chemistry after months or years of excessive alcohol consumption, so an individual cannot stop drinking overnight.

Oftentimes the simplest way to define alcohol addiction is when the four C’s of addiction are present: compulsion, craving, consequences and control.

There are also criteria for an alcohol use disorder published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism that are used by healthcare professionals to diagnose Alcohol Use Disorder.

A person who suspects they are experiencing signs of alcoholism should consult a healthcare professional right away. People suffering from alcohol-related problems can benefit from many types of substance abuse treatment.

If you’re not sure if your alcohol use is a problem, why don’t we complete a confidential evaluation? Feel free to contact Care Addiction Center Illinois rehab at: 630-402-0144

Care Addiction Center provides compassionate, confidential & professional treatment services for adults suffering from alcohol & substance abuse. We believe that recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction is possible, even in very late stages. Our experienced and caring staff is dedicated to providing comprehensive drug treatment services for alcoholism and substance abuse with multiple levels of care. Substance Abuse Treatment for Kane County, Geneva, Batavia, St. Charles, Elburn, South Elgin, West Chicago, and Aurora Illinois.