Alcohol Addiction and Treatment

Alcohol disorder is a condition where a person can no longer control their use of alcohol. Recognition of the problem is essential as it helps in alcohol addiction treatment. For a person to be diagnosed with alcohol use disorder, they must display at least two of the eleven criteria used in the classification. The eleven are;

1. Consumption of increasing amounts of alcohol
2. Wanting to stop drinking without success. 
3. Investing increasing time in recovery 
4. Having a lot of cravings for alcohol
5. Failure to meet their societal obligations. 
6. Failing to engage in activities they used to due to the use of alcohol. 
7. Risky drinking habits that would lead to losses. 
8. Drinking alcohol even when they know it has adverse effects on their bodies and psychology. 
9. Increased alcohol tolerance.
10. Signs of Withdrawal symptoms when they don’t drink. 
11. Consumption of alcohol despite the understanding that they will cause them social strains. 

Signs of Alcohol Abuse

Some behaviours characterize alcohol abuse and necessary for alcohol addiction treatment. First, the people may fail to pay as much attention to their grooming as they used to. They may change their sleeping schedule where they either sleep more or less than expected. Some people feel guilty after drinking. Some alcoholics develop alcohol-induced memory losses or blackouts. Due to hangovers, people suffering from alcohol abuse are more likely to take alcohol in the morning in a bid to reduce hangovers. Persons abusing alcohol are more likely to embrace denial where they act like they are not drinking and hide alcohol. 

 Short term Effects of Alcohol

After drinking, alcoholics may experience slurred speech. They are also likely to experience problems when moving their limbs and coordinating between body parts. Abuse of alcohol may lead to memory loss and blackouts. Alcoholics also suffer from emotional instabilities, where they may get more emotional than required. Some short term effects also include vomiting, confusion and loss of consciousness.

Long term Effects of Alcohol

Apart from the short term effects of alcohol, there are long term effects that affect human beings. Abuse of alcohol may lead to heart problems. Liver diseases are also common with people who abuse alcohol. The abusers may also develop different forms of cancers. Lastly, they may suffer from mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.