Around the world, the harmful use of alcohol results in 3 million deaths every year. Have you or a loved one developed an alcohol addiction? If so, experts encourage immediate alcohol addiction treatment.
But you may not know the signs of alcohol addiction. If so, read on. This article will cover the early signs of addiction to alcohol.
The Early Signs of Alcohol Addiction
What Is Alcohol Addiction?
Alcohol creates pleasurable feelings and blunts negative ones in the brain. Most people enjoy alcohol on occasion because it gives them these feelings. But some people become reliant on these feelings to function.
Coping
Often, people use alcohol to cope with the stress of negative life situations. The problem is that people’s negative feelings often become worse after drinking. They’ll return to alcohol to cope with these intense feelings and the vicious cycle continues.
Alcohol Use Disorder
Experts call this loss of drinking control alcohol use disorder (AUD). People with this condition can’t stop drinking despite the consequences. Victims can have mild, moderate, or severe symptoms.
The term alcohol addiction refers to the moderate to severe symptoms of AUD. Other terms for alcohol addiction include alcohol abuse, alcoholism, and alcohol dependence.
11 Signs of Alcohol Addiction
Experts don’t classify alcohol addiction signs as early, late, etc. They evaluate all possible alcoholism cases using the criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). When discussing alcoholism, the manual lists 11 possible symptoms.
Anyone who is in the early stages of alcohol addiction will likely exhibit a few of the symptoms discussed by the DSM-5. You can screen yourself and/or your loved ones using the eleven possible symptoms below.
- Craving alcohol or having a strong want to use it
- Taking in larger amounts of alcohol than intended
- Repeatedly using alcohol in physically hazardous situations
- Wanting and/or making efforts to cut down on alcohol use
- Continuing to use alcohol despite its effects, causes repeated problems
- Failing to fulfill obligations at home, work, and/or school due to alcohol usage
- Spending excess time on the necessary activities to use alcohol, obtain alcohol, or recover from its effects
- Giving up or reducing participation in fun, work, and/or social activities due to alcohol usage
- Continuing alcohol usage despite knowing that it causes or worsens a physical or psychological problem
- Experiencing the symptoms of alcohol tolerance
- Experiencing the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal
You can learn more about the symptoms of alcohol tolerance and withdrawal in the sections below.
Also read: Signs It’s Time to Find an Alcohol and Drug Recovery Center in California
What Is Alcohol Tolerance?
After a person takes any form of drugs for some time, they may experience tolerance. This means that the body has gotten used to the drug. A person will feel the effects of alcohol tolerance in two ways:
- Needing more alcohol to achieve wanted levels of intoxication or other effects
- Feeling less of the wanted alcohol usage effects as they continue using a certain amount of alcohol
What Is Alcohol Withdrawal?
The bodies of people who use addictive substances over time will get used to functioning with these substances. If a person is unable to get the substance or tries to cut back on it, they may experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can range from mild to severe.
After Six Hours
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms tend to get worse the longer that a person goes without alcohol. A severe drinker who goes without alcohol for six hours may experience the following symptoms:
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Sweating
- Headache
- Anxiety
- Shaky hands
After Two Days or More
After 12 to 48 hours without a drink, a severe drinker can experience the following:
- Seizures
- Hallucinations
Once two to three days have passed, some alcohol users will experience delirium tremens or DTs. Luckily, these only occur in around 5% of people experiencing alcohol withdrawal. People at this stage of alcohol withdrawal may also experience the following:
- Fever
- Confusion
- Racing heat
- Heavy sweating
- High blood pressure
Other Symptoms
If you suspect alcoholism, look out for these withdrawal symptoms. You may also notice that the affected person will drink alcohol or take another substance to relieve their withdrawal symptoms.
Medications
The FDA has approved three medications that experts can use to treat alcoholism. These medications can lessen the brain changes caused by AUD. The names of these drugs are the following:
- Naltrexone
- Acamprosate
- Disulfiram
Medical experts can use these medications alone or with other alcohol abuse programs California has.
Behavioral Treatment
Behavioral treatment is a form of addiction therapy. Therapists speak to find and help change the behaviors that have led to a person’s drinking issues. Efforts may include the following:
- Setting reasonable goals
- Building a strong support system
- Developing skills to reduce drinking
- Learning to cope or avoid relapse triggers
Inpatient or Outpatient Treatment Options
Inpatient and outpatient treatment are two types of alcohol addiction you can get. Patients will choose between them depending on their unique needs.
Inpatient
Inpatient treatment refers to what many people call rehab. It is a program that involves a person staying at an alcohol rehab center. Going to such a program can help a person detox safely under the care of medical professionals.
Outpatient
Some individuals find inpatient treatment inconvenient. They may need to keep a job or take care of family members. In these cases, they have frequent appointments with a therapist and stay out of a facility.
