Despite being a common and legal practice, alcoholism is arguably one of the deadliest drug addictions. Alcohol abuse causes 3 million deaths worldwide each year, which represents 5.3% of all deaths. A person’s health, mental health, and way of life can all be negatively impacted by heavy alcohol usage. In fact, those who have an alcohol use disorder live 24 to 28 years less on average than those who don’t depend on alcohol. Keep reading to learn the signs and symptoms of alcohol addiction.
What is Alcohol Addiction?
Alcohol addiction, often known as alcoholism, is a disease that affects people from all different walks of life. The condition can be caused by psychological, genetic, and behavioral causes.
Alcohol addiction can alter the brain’s neurochemistry, making it possible for a person to lose control of their behavior.
It’s important to be on the lookout for warning indicators if you have reason to believe a loved one is misusing alcohol. While some alcoholism symptoms are overt, others are more subtle. Consider whether any of the numerous typical ones listed below apply to your loved one.
Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction
1) Behavioral Signs of Alcoholism
Alcohol addicts exhibit particular behaviors while they are drunk. Long-term alcohol addiction is not socially acceptable, even though drinking alcohol is. As they start to try to keep their drinking a secret from loved ones, they display a variety of behaviors.
Short-term behavioral signs of alcohol addiction include:
- Posing a threat by driving carelessly
- Violent or belligerent behavior
Long-term behavioral signs of alcohol addiction include:
- Secretiveness
- Drinking before going out or going through other stressful situations
- Denying they have a drinking issue
- Feeling depressed without alcohol
- Drinking on one’s own while withdrawing from family and friends
- Legal issues brought on by public intoxication, violence, drunk driving, or other offenses frequently done when under the influence of alcohol
- Not taking part in activities they used to like
- Issues at work, in relationships, or in school
- Drinking at odd hours of the day, such as early in the morning
2) Physical Signs of Alcoholism
When a person has a strong alcohol dependence, it will probably take a lot more alcohol for them to start showing the typical signs of alcoholism. Drinks may be consumed several times before intoxication appears in people with a history of alcoholism. More than 200 diseases and injuries are caused by the inappropriate use of alcohol.
The following are some short-term physical indicators of alcoholism:
- Poor balance or an inability to walk correctly
- Slow reaction times
- Poor balance or an inability to walk correctly Speech stuttering
- Alcohol poisoning
- Blurry vision
The following are long-term physical indicators of alcoholism:
- Liver damage, such as liver cirrhosis
- Higher blood pressure
- Malnutrition
- Brain damage
- Risk of heart attack or stroke rising
- Sexual dysfunction
- Anemia
- Seizures
- Gout (a buildup of acid in the joints causing severe pain and swelling)
- Dementia
- Increased risk of cancers
- Osteoporosis (a condition that delays new bone formation, resulting in bone fractures) (a condition that slows new bone growth, resulting in bone fractures)
- Compromised immune system
You can seek help if you are concerned that you may have an alcohol use disorder. Christian’s Drug Rehab will provide your family the ability to overcome the traumas from your addiction. Most importantly, it will deepen your bonds as a family as you work together to solve a challenge. Christian addiction treatment will ensure that your family is not in danger as a result of your addiction and give you another chance to make amends.
