When someone you know has a drinking problem, you might wonder at what point he or she would be considered an alcoholic or someone with an alcohol addiction.
Medical experts consider abuse to be the regular use of a substance that leads to serious psychological and/or physical disability. If the person demonstrates one or more of the following during the same year, he or she is considered a substance abuser:
• Repeated substance use to the point of not being able to meet responsibilities
• Repeated substance use when there is risk involved, like operating equipment or driving a car while under the influence.
• Repeated difficulties with the law related to substance
• Insisting on using the substance regardless of consequences.
When heavy alcohol use leads to an actual physical need to drink, people are said to have alcohol dependence. Dependence is defined as habitual use leading to significant psychological/physical impairment demonstrated by three or more of the following within the same year:
• Needing greater amounts of alcohol to satisfy cravings
• Going through withdrawal when not using alcohol, with symptoms such as tremors, restlessness, and agitation
• Taking the substance or a similar one to avoid the effects of withdrawal
• Using the substance longer than planned or more frequently and in greater amounts
• An inability to reduce use, despite a sincere wish to do so
• Spending a significant amount of time trying to acquire the substance
• Spending less time at work or on other activities because of substance use
• Continuing to drink despite being aware that alcohol is causing psychological or physical difficulties
The more problems a person has in their daily life, the more severe the addiction. To determine the severity of your loved ones alcohol addiction, ask yourself:
• Do they frequently say inappropriate things?
• Is their gait off balance when they walk?
• Do they exhibited slurred speech frequently?
• Are they notably drunk frequently?
• Do they have a high absenteeism record for work or other responsibilities?
• Have they had trouble with the law resulting from drinking?
• Do they have health issues due to alcohol addiction such as heartburn, liver problems, high blood pressure, or insomnia?
The more of these you have answered “yes” to the more severe the addiction, however, any level of addiction needs treatment and the quicker the better.
If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
http://www.abttc.net/
Phone: 800.971.1586
Fax: 800.401.8464
24 Hour Addiction HelpLine
Tel. (800) 396-9389 (7 days 24 hours)
e-mail: info@24houraddictionhelp.com
http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/
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Friday, March 26, 2010
How to Recognize Alcoholism
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I believe my son is an alcoholic but he tells me that he just likes his beer. I know he laces his coffee, has shots throughout the day with those beers and frequently passes out before he gets to the bed at night.
ReplyDeleteMetabolism and the size of the person play a role too. I had an physically big uncle who could drink a lot and never got drunk or lost control. He never missed work either. He grew up in Italy and drank wine with his meals most of his life. Maybe that had something to do with it. He died last year at 98.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing you cannot rely on is the person admitting that they have a drinking problem. Alocoholics are famous for denying any problem exists. The signs are usually there if you would just look close enough.
ReplyDeleteA buddy of mine and I got into the habit of stopping at the corner pub after work to have a drink to unwind. That one became 2 and then 3 and then we lost track. It was causing problems at home for me so I stopped. My buddy kept going by himself and his drinking has become a real problem. He's missing work on a regular basis and when he is there he isn't always functioning to capacity. I'm afraid he's going to be fired. I've been trying to talk him into getting help but he doesn't see that he has a problem.
ReplyDeleteI've wondered about my brother and now that I see this list I realize I had a right to be worried. I'm going to see if my sisters and I can push him into a treatment program. We at least have to try.
ReplyDeleteI started out having a glass of wine after work while I prepared dinner. Sometime I started having a 2nd glass with dinner. Then I found myself having a glass that was full from the time I got home until I went to bed. When I started missing work because of it, I finally went for help. I've traded my wine glass in for a water bottle. I don't want to go down that path again.
ReplyDelete