Alcoholism is one of the most common addictions in the world and also one of the most deadly, with more than 3 million deaths caused worldwide each year, due to this health alteration. It is also the most harmful form of addiction for third parties, since it produces high mortality due to accidents related to driving vehicles.
Thus, It is very important to know how to detect the warning signs associated with alcohol addiction in time In this article you will find a summary of these and the therapeutic strategies used to help those who suffer from this disease.
People who suffer from this type of addiction usually present a series of common symptoms; Detecting them makes it possible to intervene in this disease in time. These are the most important warning signs of those who have developed or are developing alcoholism; Of course, some of them are not, by themselves, sufficient criteria to conclude that one is suffering from a disorder, and on the other hand the definitive diagnosis can only be made by duly qualified health professionals.
1. They always drink in social contexts
One of the first warning signs that indicate the possibility of a possible case of alcoholism is the fact that drink whenever they are in social and festive contexts: celebrations, meetings, meals or social activities of all kinds
Alcoholic people who are not being treated usually have a glass in their hand at these types of events as they take advantage of the slightest excuse given by the context to consume alcohol. Likewise, they tend to appear upset or upset when they do not have access to alcoholic beverages in these types of festive contexts.
2. Physical and psychological symptoms appear
When a person stops drinking for several hours in a row, they experience the so-called withdrawal syndrome in which a series of very specific physical and psychological symptoms associated with general discomfort and anxiety are manifested, which unequivocally indicate the presence of addiction.
Some of these symptoms are hand tremors, excessive sweating, insomnia, nausea and also irritability, bad mood and nervousness.
3. They start consumption very early
Another of the most common warning signs is the consumption of alcohol from very early hours, whether at home or anywhere else, and It even occurs systematically in the early hours of the morning, in the most extreme cases
This early consumption calms their craving for drinking and is a characteristic feature of a case of addiction.
4. They drink faster than usual
In order to consume the greatest amount of alcohol, People with alcohol addiction tend to drink faster than the rest of the people they encounter
And the fact is that, for a person with alcoholism, drinking is not just an accompaniment or accompaniment to the social situation, but it is the main activity at that moment.
5. They drink secretly
Again, this is another of the typical signs of alcoholism. Many people with this disease usually drink alcoholic beverages alone to hide their problems and prevent their addiction from being discovered by other people. In this way, they also avoid having to explain their problem to anyone
Sometimes, bottles of alcoholic beverages are hidden so as not to raise suspicions among family members, which has to do with the following warning sign.
6. Special interest in beverage reservations
This interest in knowing if there are sufficient reserves It occurs both in your own home and in any other house where you are going to stay for several hours at a time
In addition to that, it is common for them to check, for example, the hotel minibars as soon as they arrive at the room, or to check beforehand if there is a minibar service in the hotel.
7. They lose interest in activities other than alcohol consumption
When a person suffers from an addiction to alcohol, both their activities and interests or hobbies cease to be important in their life, since they become less of a priority and may be associated with the “risk” of having to spend more time than they should without drinking, especially if they are activities carried out in groups.
A good way to identify a possible case of alcoholism is check if the person continues to carry out their activities, if they continue to maintain their interests or hobbies with complete normality or leaves them aside or without following the fixed schedule structure.
8. They relativize the consumption of alcoholic beverages
People with alcoholism tend to undervalue and downplay their addiction, among other things so as not to have to face the idea of stopping consuming that substance as soon as possible.
For it they use methods of self-deception such as “subtracting” units of alcohol consumed, for example, making excuses for having exercised a lot that day or considering lower alcohol drinks, such as beer, as non-alcoholic.
9. They lose contact with friends who don’t drink
Because their lives revolve around drinking and consuming alcohol, people with alcoholism tend to cut off relationships with friends and acquaintances who don’t drink or who drink less
Likewise, they tend to increasingly hang out with those friends who do drink or who engage in addictive behaviors similar to theirs.
Treatments associated with alcoholism
In a case in which alcohol addiction is suspected, You have to act as soon as possible by seeking professional help ; No other solution offers sufficient guarantees to invest time and effort in it, giving the addiction the opportunity to consolidate in the meantime. These are the forms of therapeutic intervention associated with alcoholism.
1. Medical assistance in detoxification
In the first phase, it is necessary to help the person eliminate most of the alcohol accumulated in their body (the rest will be eliminated over several weeks) and manage the withdrawal syndrome. In this way, the person is prevented from using again in order to stop feeling bad quickly, which would mean prolonging the problem. In addition, it is prevented from resorting to uncontrolled consumption of other substances with addictive potential to relieve discomfort.
2. Residential program
The residential program can be short, medium or long-term, and consists of staying in a well-equipped residential module in which the person can focus their day-to-day activities and leisure time away from the world of drugs All this with medical supervision and psychological therapy.
3. Outpatient treatment
Outpatient treatment is made up of review and therapy sessions to check that the person is managing to adapt to their new way of life away from the addictive substance, and to resolve their doubts and give you relapse prevention tools
Are you looking for addiction treatment services?
If you are interested in starting an addiction treatment process, contact us. In Llaurant la Llum We offer forms of therapeutic intervention associated with all phases of detoxification and rehabilitation, and we have a complete team of health professionals, both in the medical and psychotherapeutic branches.
