Delta type alcoholism It is a pathology with a great capacity to damage people’s quality of life; This is so, among other things, that it is difficult to detect its presence.
Those who develop this addictive disorder can spend a long time without being aware that they have a problem, and likewise, it is difficult for the people around them to see the first warning signs.
At first, it seems easy to understand what alcoholism is, at least in theory: it is addiction to alcohol, one of the most marketed addictive substances and present in practically all human societies.
However, under this definition there is a very complex set of psychopathological alterations. And that is why, for years, Many researchers have proposed a classification of different variants of alcoholism In this way, it is possible to cover the entire phenomenon of alcohol addiction without losing nuance by focusing only on the general concept.
The most accepted way of classifying types of alcoholism is as follows:
What is delta type alcoholism?
With what we have seen so far, you can already guess what delta type alcoholism consists of. Is about a form of alcohol addiction in which there are no “peaks” of very intense consumption that generates a high level of drunkenness, but it is still a pathology with very harmful effects on physical and mental health. Here we will summarize its main characteristics.
1. Generates tolerance to consumption, but very little by little
The person with delta type alcoholism You should consume more and more alcohol to avoid feeling bad but this increase in the minimum intake threshold grows relatively slowly.
2. “Drunkenness” hardly occurs
In delta type alcoholism it is relatively rare to reach a state of clear drunkenness Therefore, from the point of view of others it is difficult to notice that that person has a problem with alcohol.
3. The person needs to drink constantly
The person with this form of alcoholism you need to drink frequently throughout the day, even at night This causes, among other things, your sleep schedule to be altered. In addition, the person may enter a state of irritability and general discomfort due to withdrawal if, due to social activities, they cannot stop for a drink.
Related article: “Withdrawal syndrome with antidepressants: what it is and what to do about it”
Treatment
Delta type treatment requires medical and psychotherapeutic intervention
First, the detox phase is carried out, in which the person is helped to go through the withdrawal syndrome and allow their body to eliminate all the alcohol. Then, Through psychological treatment you are helped to develop skills and competencies in the following areas:
Detection of thoughts that increase the risk of consumption
Detection of situations and social contexts that increase the risk of consumption
Management of discomfort due to the desire to have a drink
Development of new hobbies and projects that offer incentives beyond alcohol
Improved self-esteem so as not to have to avoid problems related to guilt, shame, etc.
Questioning dysfunctional beliefs that were fueling the addiction.
If you are interested in starting a treatment process to overcome an addiction, whether for an addictive disorder with substances or one without substances (such as pathological gambling or problem gambling), contact our team of professionals.
In CITA Clinics We specialize in providing coverage to patients with addictions from both psychotherapy and medicine, and we have a fully equipped residential module for short, medium or long-term admissions. You will find us in our centers in Barcelona and Dosrius.
