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Clinically Reviewed by Dr. Olalekan Otulana (Advanced Practitioner)
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Last Reviewed: 20th October 2023
Do you or someone you know have a problem with alcohol addiction? If so, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. There are people suffering from alcohol addictions all over the world.
The good thing to know is that there is help out there for you. The best course of action when you have an alcohol addiction is to seek professional help as soon as possible. The best way to overcome an alcohol addiction is to attend an alcohol rehab to start a recovery programme. Here, you will learn about the causes and triggers of your addiction and learn how to change your behaviours. You will also learn how to prevent relapsing in the future.
Alcohol addiction is often referred to as ‘alcoholism’ or an ‘alcohol use disorder’. This type of disorder tends to develop as a result of excessive alcohol consumption to the extent where you become mentally and physically dependent on the substance in order to function properly on a daily basis.
Without proper, comprehensive alcohol addiction treatment, alcoholism can cause a huge range of very negative psychological and physical issues and can sometimes even result in death.
An alcohol addiction is a very severe condition which can result in some addicts going to extreme lengths in order to conceal their negative drinking habits. This can result in social withdrawal and isolation. Many addicts may also be in denial about the severity and extent of their drinking and this can prevent them from seeking the professional help they need to recover.
There is a wide range of symptoms of alcohol addiction that can vary depending on the amount and the frequency of consumption. Every individual is also different and will experience the signs and symptoms in a different way.
Some signs of alcohol addiction are quite easy to spot and others may be more difficult. Below is a list of the most common signs and symptoms of alcohol addiction. These are the signs and symptoms that you should look out for as these could indicate that you or someone you know is suffering from an alcohol addiction.
An addiction can develop for a range of reasons. However, it is usually due to a psychological process called ‘positive reinforcement’. This process encourages people to continue their pattern of behaviour due to a reward for their behaviour.
When it comes to alcohol addiction, drinking causes people to experience some positive experiences such as relaxation, confidence, and pleasure. This makes it more likely for the person to seek out these feelings again through drinking more and more alcohol. This continuous exposure to alcohol will eventually develop into a harmful addiction rather than just being a one-off type of behaviour.
In addition to this positive reinforcement, research has also suggested that there are several key factors that increase the likelihood of a person developing an alcohol addiction, including the following:
It is advised by experts that the recommended maximum weekly amount of alcohol intake is 14 units. This level of units equates to the following:
However, people who are struggling with an alcohol addiction regularly consume much more alcohol than this recommended amount on a weekly basis. If you find that you are exceeding this amount week by week, it might be because you have developed an addiction to alcohol. If that is the case, you will need professional treatment to eliminate the substance abuse.
In an alcohol rehab centre and during your treatment, there is a commonly used method to check whether or not you may be addicted to alcohol. This is known as the CAGE test. The CAGE test consists of four main questions and these questions can be remembered with the acronym ‘CAGE’.
Below is an overview of the questions that are asked with the CAGE method:
If you have answered yes to any of the questions above, then this may be a sign that you are struggling with an addiction to alcohol. If that is the case, you would likely benefit from professional addiction treatment and support.
If you want to find out more about how rehab may help you with your alcohol addiction, get in touch with us today. Give us a call for some anonymous advice. Our team of happy and knowledgeable staff would be happy to guide you through the admissions process and inform you about the treatments in rehab. They will also be happy to answer any questions you may have about alcohol addiction or addiction recovery programmes in a rehab centre.
To contact us please fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you, or alternatively contact us via the details below:
Telephone: 01923 369 161
Address: Cassiobury Court, Richmond Drive, Watford, Herts, WD17 3BH
