Addiction may be called a mental or physical reliance on a substance or behavior which a person is incapable of breaking free from.
Normally, all addictions begin as something to be done to pass the time and sometimes preference is given to a particular thing over others. At the time it is done because friends are doing it, it is in vogue, it is the in thing or somebody challenges you to do it. There is always a starting point and from then on your personal likes and dislikes, your mental capacity, any personal problems and the like, will then determine whether the “time pass thing” goes on to become a habit and later on an addiction, or whether it remains just that: a “a time pass thing”.
Alcohol addiction is no different and may also start out as a one drink adventure with some experienced friend. You may develop a liking to it and lo behold you start looking forward to it and a time comes when you can’t see anything else. Or maybe you would like to see the bottle first and then everything else. Alcohol addiction happens when the drinking level goes to such an extent that it starts affecting your physical and mental health, social, family and job responsibilities.
What are the Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction?
- Anxiety
- Nervousness
- Decrease in activities
- Decrease in social contacts
- Irresponsible attitude towards work
- Neglecting family life
- Withdrawal behavior
- Pain in the abdomen
- Confused state of mind
- Violent behavior
- Uncontrolled alcohol drinking
- Vomiting and sickness
- Drinking at the slightest opportunity
- Daily intake of alcohol becoming a need
- Not interested in eating
- Neglecting physical appearance
- Shivering in the mornings
- Getting secretive about alcohol use
When a person reaches this stage of alcohol dependence then it becomes necessary to take some serious corrective measures. However, it should be done gradually with expert advice as sudden stoppage of alcohol may lead to withdrawal symptoms like:
- Increase in blood pressure
- Anxiety
- Hallucinations
- Increased heart rate
- Restlessness
- Violent behavior
- Loss of appetite
- Sickness and vomiting
- Shivering
Causes of Alcohol Addiction:
- Seeking relief from problems or anxiety
- Troubled relationships
- Problems with self confidence
- Easy availability of alcohol
- Pressure from friends and peers
- Stress
Ways to Stop Alcohol Addiction:
Those who drink to survive need to totally stop drinking. This should be done with the advice of your health care professional as it should not lead to withdrawal symptoms.
Usually there are three steps in the treatment, once the type of alcohol addiction has been identified.
- Intervention
- Detoxification
- Rehabilitation
Intervention: Most of the time, alcohol addicts do not realize when their drinking spins out of control. Counseling and making them aware of the problem rather than confronting them will help to make inroads into their mind set. Such people should be treated with sympathy and understanding, and it is important to make them realize the disastrous effect alcohol abuse is having on their own self and those in the family. Presenting a positive picture of the advantages of life with alcohol addiction should bring good results.
Detoxification: Gradual alcohol withdrawal is usually done under an expert’s guidance and in a controlled and supervised setting. Medications are also used to provide relief. Other related medical problems such as liver damage and blood clotting are also taken into consideration.
Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation programs offer psychological support, counseling, nursing and medical care to help the addicts stay off alcohol.
