Addictionology Center
Alcohol Addiction Help
Alcoholism, popularly referred to as Alcohol addiction or abuse, is typically a medical condition caused due to excessive consumption of alcohol with an inability to control chronic drinking. Alcohol abuse can range from mild to moderate to severe. Each category has side effects that cause bad health and interfere with personal and professional life. Further, if not diagnosed on time or left unchecked can take devastating turns leading to coma or death.
A Few Prominent Symptoms
Statistics reveal that out of numerous alcohol addicts, about 14.5 million Americans are merely 12 years or older. This is a severe cause of concern as studies have shown several deadly symptoms of alcohol use disorder. A few of them are listed below:
- Brain damage (including dementia)
- Depression or despair
- Suicidal instincts
- Cancer (breast, liver, mouth, and colon cancers)
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
- Accidents and unexpected injuries
- Severe liver problems (like cirrhosis, hepatitis, fatty liver, etc.)
- Blackouts, assaults, DUI, homicide, etc.
Causes Of Alcohol Addiction
The causes of alcoholism are still unclear. However, this disorder occurs due to various chemical changes in the brain. This leads to pleasurable feelings post alcohol consumption, boosting the urge to feel the same again and again.
- Genetics: family history of alcohol abuse
- Early childhood traumatic events
- Attempts to relieve emotional pain
- Experienced physical or sexual suffering
- Mental health issues include anxiety, grief, depression, eating disorders, etc.
- Post-traumatic stress disorders
- Stomach bypass surgery to treat obesity (Roux-en-Y)
Understanding Alcohol tolerance Vs Alcohol Dependency
Tolerance to liquor develops when a person no longer feels the same high while drinking. This occurs since the brain has become habituated to alcohol’s presence. Drinking the same amount of alcohol as before will not make someone who has developed an alcohol tolerance feel as drunk or intoxicated. As a result, the person will need to consume more drinks to experience the intended effects of the alcohol because hard liquor has a more significant alcohol level than liquor. The tolerant individual may pick it over beer or wine. Alternatively, the person may recommend consuming shots of grain alcohol to accelerate the impact of intoxication.
If these behaviors persist, notable alterations in cells in the brain are likely to happen, contributing to the emergence of dependence and the start of withdrawal symptoms when alcohol utilization is stopped.
Individuals have alcohol dependence if they can only feel normal after consuming alcohol. You will experience unpleasant and perhaps lethal withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking. Heavy drinkers typically find it difficult to quit or reduce their consumption due to withdrawal symptoms. Addiction is the ongoing use of a substance or alcohol despite adverse consequences. Alcohol dependence can then contribute to developing addictive behavior. Addicted persons may have trouble at home, school, or work due to their addiction, but they cannot quit using. They may suffer grave medical or psychological effects due to drug or alcohol use, but drug-seeking behavior remains.
What Are The Signs And Other Risk Factors Of Alcoholism?
One might be at the risk of severe alcohol use disorder if the person:
- Consumes alcohol frequently in large amounts
- Develops alcohol tolerance and eventually drags self towards alcohol dependency
- Continues to drink even if alcohol causes distress or any health issues
- Drinks longer than planned
- Feels terrible or cranky when not drinking
- Experiences frequent hangovers
- Gets into dangerous situations causing troubles in personal and professional life
- Gives up responsibilities to feel the pleasure of drinking
- Encounters obsession with drinking
Adverse Health Effects Of Alcoholism
Alcohol is known as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. However, it severely affects both the body and brain in different ways.
Alcohol consumption interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, thus blocking natural messengers and affecting the function of reward circuits. This results in abrupt mood swings, adverse behavioral changes, and an inability to think and act appropriately.
Aggressive use of alcohol stretches and droops heart muscles, leading to cardiomyopathy. This also enhances the chances of irregular heartbeat, causing high blood pressure and strokes.
Generally, liver inflammations are the side effects of excessive alcohol intake regularly. A few associated diseases include:
- Fatty liver (also known as steatosis)
- Alcohol hepatitis
- Fibrosis and Cirrhosis
The pancreas is closely connected with the digestive function of the body. Alcoholism leads to abundant production of toxic substances that further cause blood vessels to swell, suppressing the smooth working of the digestive system. In many cases, this also causes pancreatitis.
According to 2009 data, alcohol was responsible for 3.5% of cancer fatalities in the United States (nearly 19,500 deaths). It is proven that alcohol can be the underlying reason for numerous alcohol-associated cancers. Reports have shown recurrence of certain types of cancers in alcohol addicts:
- Head and neck cancers (that might include the oral cavity, pharynx, esophageal, and larynx cancers as well)
- liver cancers
- breast cancers
- colorectal cancers
Too much alcohol can deplete your immune system, leaving your body a more vulnerable target for disease. Chronic drinkers are far more likely than non-drinkers to get pneumonia and tuberculosis. Sometimes up to 24 hours after intoxication, drinking heavily during a specific event reduces your body’s ability to fight diseases. Hence, drinking too much can rigorously deplete your health over time.
Alcohol Use Disorder
According to the American Psychiatric Association’s recommendations, patients must meet at least three criteria within 12 months to be diagnosed with an alcohol problem
- Tolerance to alcohol
- A gradually growing amount of alcohol must be required to feel the effects.
- Symptoms of withdrawal
- Stopping drinking alcohol causes unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, agitation, and anxiety.
- An individual with an alcohol addiction cannot control how much alcohol he consumes
Withdrawal Symptoms
An alcohol addict is most likely to experience a few disturbing withdrawal symptoms if the alcohol intake is stopped suddenly or reduced to a greater level. A few of the symptoms include:
- Tremors
- Insomnia
- Delirium Tremens (DTs)
- Nausea or Vomiting
- Anxiety
Our Services
There are certain specific physical and behavioral changes that occur over time due to opioid overuse. They can be:
Our Programs
Telehealth Treatment
Medication Assisted Treatment
Dual Diagnosis
Outpatient
Suboxone
Our Therapies
Individual
Group
Behavioural
Solution Focused
Trauma EMDR
Why Get In Touch With Us ?
Addictionology Center offers you the uniquely designed Telemedicine Addiction Program, Behavioral Support & Medication Assistance that covers you comprehensively. There is an overwhelming fear that those coming for guidance have a slight chance at recovery, a better life, and everyday existence. They believe they cannot achieve the benefits described to them. Many think they are different from those who have obtained a better life. They cannot imagine a life without alcohol or drugs. We have guided these exact individuals to places they never thought possible. Over time, these individuals realized that every service offered has a purpose and that by simply working with their team and following the plan they helped create, they significantly improved their lives.
Enrollment
Call our enrollment coordinator. If we meet your treatment needs, your initial appointment with one of our medical providers will be scheduled.
Appointment
During your initial video visit, the provider will work with you to create a customized treatment plan considering your health history and treatment goals.
Induction
If the provider considers it appropiate, you will then start your induction to overcome your cravings. To ease the process, customized courses of comfort medications are prescribed.
Treatment
Throughout your customized treatment program, our providers will support you with online video visits. In person drug screening tests may be conducted monthly or more often, as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
A supervised medical detox helps to minimize discomfort and guarantee a safe withdrawal because alcohol detox can be uncomfortable or hazardous when not treated appropriately. Long-term recovery programs must be pursued in addition to detox, though. After detox, you can be advised to enter an inpatient or outpatient treatment program to carry on with your recovery efforts.
Alcoholism can be treated as a chronic illness with the help of therapies, drugs, and support systems. There is no simple treatment for this condition, as there are for many chronic conditions. Support groups and aftercare programs aid in promoting long-term recovery, while specialized and professional treatment can help to manage withdrawal symptoms and reduce relapse.
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), sometimes known as alcohol addiction, is a chronic condition. AUD is a medical condition that falls under mental health conditions, similar to other substance abuse disorders. It may have a significant impact on one’s physical health by increasing high blood pressure and causing liver problems. It can worsen mental health conditions and cause severe forms of cardiovascular problems, congenital disability, etc.
It is not recommended to stop drinking right away if you or a loved one suffers from an alcohol use disorder. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms might become severe if you attempt to quit drinking all at once, risking your chances of getting better and putting your life at risk.
An individual should never attempt to manage substance misuse treatment on their own. In moderate cases of alcohol-related problems, people can stop drinking, but in more serious cases of disorder, withdrawal symptoms can happen without expert treatment. Extreme withdrawal symptoms might be hazardous and make treatment difficult to accomplish. Yes, a person can cure from AUD at home in some exceptional cases. However , it is never advised for anyone to receive substance abuse therapy outside of a structured process.
Recovery is a process, not a one-time occurrence. A course of therapies is used as part of treatment at a facility to help you sustain your recovery. You must give yourself sufficient time to recover physiologically and to internalize the strategies that you learn through the process or even beyond. Each case is unique and after evaluating your condition, your medical provider would make a suggestion for the duration of your treatment.
Alcoholism and depression have a complex relationship. Often, a person with a long depression history uses alcohol as a form of self-medication. Other patients with an alcoholism history start to feel depressed because of their consistent drinking.