If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction call (866) 749 8240
For people who are struggling with addiction, admitting that they have a problem can be difficult, particularly when their thought processes and perceptions have been warped to the point that their compulsive behaviors seem normal. When denial has blinded them to the damage that they are doing to their bodies and their lives, not to mention the pain and heartache that they are causing their loved ones, the red flags of addiction will often go unnoticed or disregarded. With any addiction, there are certain identifying factors that may help a person or those close to them realize that there is an issue that needs to be addressed. These indicators can differ depending on the drug used, and the length of their active addiction. One of the hardest forms of addiction to identify is alcoholism, due to our society’s acceptance of drinking. Even heavy drinking or binge drinking is considered to be a way of life for some. But there are things that we can look for that can signify when a person has become dependent on alcohol.
“One way you can tell if a person is alcoholic is when the amount that they are drinking increases,” explains Joe Guajardo, one of the facilitators and the Lead Case Manager at AFR. “They have a higher tolerance for it. They drink larger amounts of alcohol where an average person would definitely be under the influence.” This can show up in a number of different ways. It can be a slow but steady increase over a prolonged period of time. It can be an increase in the frequency of alcohol consumption. Sometimes, a person may think that they are drinking a little too often and cut down to just drinking on the weekends, but those weekends consist of binge drinking until blackout. No matter how it shows itself, an increase in the amount or frequency of consumption can be a warning of developing or progressing alcoholism.
Jason B. and Erik L. are two AFR patients who shared with us their own first-person perspective on the symptoms of alcoholism. According to them, one of the biggest indicators that friends and family members can look out for is isolationism. “You want to drink at home, alone, by yourself,” Jason observes. “You’re not really going out for the bar scene or the club scene anymore. You’re dependent on it.” As a person’s alcoholism progresses, the isolation gets worse. “They don’t seek out help,” says Erik. “They run and hide from their problems.” This, of course, only makes those problems worse in the long run, and the worse those problems get, the more they want to drink to “escape”. This is the vicious downward spiral of alcoholism that leads to other, more serious symptoms.
Long-term alcohol abuse can also lead to physical dependency, where the body cannot function properly without the drug. “A severe alcoholic will have withdrawal symptoms,” Joe says. “If they stop using alcohol, they may have shakiness, like hand tremors. They may not be able to sleep well at night.” These symptoms will worsen as the alcoholism progresses even further. What starts as a feeling of sluggishness and lack of motivation at work or in fulfilling daily responsibilities, as Jason describes, leads to a need for alcohol in the system just to function properly, which is the point that Erik found himself at before making his way to our treatment center. Fortunately, there is hope yet. As long as there is still life in their bodies, with the help of an effective rehabilitation program like the one we offer at A Forever Recovery those struggling with even the most severe alcoholism can turn their lives around.
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