Early Signs of Alcoholism and When To Get Help
What is Alcohol Addiction?
The early signs of drinking too much can be hard to detect. It’s not easy to step back and think honestly about whether you’re drinking heavily, if your alcohol consumption has increased notably, or if you really need to stop drinking. Drinking alcohol is an accepted activity around the globe and sadly heavy drinking is often a right of passage in the United States. Alcohol intoxication is not tied to any particular rate of alcohol consumption, and the effects of alcohol differ from person to person. That’s why early signs of alcohol abuse and alcoholism can be hard to detect in yourself and others.
Learn To Spot Early Signs of Alcoholism
If your family has a history of alcoholism, including binge drinking, drinking and driving, or any other forms of alcohol use disorders, you may want to look out for the early signs of addiction. Signs of early-stage alcoholism can vary from person to person, and it’s important to remember that drinking heavily or binge drinking on occasion may not be the first alcoholic symptom. There are behavioral and physical symptoms of alcohol abuse to look out for if you suspect someone has an alcohol abuse or addiction problem. Here are a few things to look for regarding the warning signs of alcoholism:
- Secretive or dishonest behavior relating to alcohol
- Tolerance to alcohol
- Drinking heavily alone
- Lethargy and headaches
- Heavy drinking or binge drinking
- Excessive sweating in the absence of physical exertion
- Drinking alcohol at inappropriate times such as first thing in the morning
- Weight loss or gain as a result of changes in appetite
- Avoiding contact with loved ones
- Withdrawing from responsibilities at home or work
- Disrupted sleep patterns, including insomnia
- Continuing chronic alcohol consumption despite the negative effects that this has had on your home, work, or social life
- Experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms when you don’t drink
- Losing interest in activities, hobbies, or events that were once important to you
When Drinking Becomes A Problem
Not everyone who struggles with alcohol use disorders has to drink every day. Binge drinking can be a problem one day a week and still cause issues in a person’s life. There are also stages of alcoholism that begin with substance abuse and can eventually lead to addiction, if not treated. Someone struggling with drug abuse or alcohol abuse often does not see the negative consequences alcohol and drug use is having on their loved ones. It’s often not until they experience withdrawal symptoms and begin alcohol detox when they stop drinking that they realize there’s a real problem.
Treatment Programs for Alcoholism
There are a lot of alcohol treatment options and choosing the right one for you or one of your loved ones can be an important first step to stopping chronic alcohol abuse. The negative consequences in a person’s life that can be caused by alcoholism are many. As a treatment provider for alcohol use disorders, DayBreak offers many different levels of care including residential inpatient rehab as well as specialized programs outpatient treatments including Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) and Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP).
DayBreak West Palm Beach Alcohol Rehab
If you have questions about treatment regarding substance abuse or addiction, give us a call today. Our counselors can review the warning signs of alcoholism with you, along with all of the addiction treatment options we have available. There’s no need to try and address alcohol abuse or drug abuse on your own. We’re here to help.