Clinically Reviewed by Dr Alexander Lapa (Psychiatrist)
All information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.
Last Reviewed: 24th June 2022
Where to Get Help For Alcoholism
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.
What Is An Alcohol addiction
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.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction
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.
- Being deceptive or lying about the frequency or amount of the drinking habits
- Building a tolerance to alcohol, meaning that you need to drink more and more in order to feel drunk
- Drinking heavily on your own
- Drinking up to the point of passing out
- Missing out on special occasions because of the drinking habits
- Starting to drink alcohol first thing in the morning
- Developing intense cravings for alcohol to the extent that it affects your concentration or mood
- Self-medicating with the use of alcohol due to pre-existing problems like anxiety, depression, or stress
- Continuing to drink despite the negative effects that it is having on your work, social, life, or home life
What Causes An Alcohol Addiction To Develop?
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:
- Existing mental health problems
- Genetics
- Going through traumatic or stressful events
What is The Recommended Maximum Weekly Alcohol Intake?
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:
- Six glasses of wine
- Six pints of beer
- Fourteen 25ml measures of spirits or shots
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.
How Do You Know If You Have an Addiction to Alcohol?
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:
- Have you ever felt like you need to Cut down on your drinking?
- Have other people ever Annoyed you with criticism about your drinking habits?
- Have you ever had bad feelings or felt Guilty about your drinking habits?
- Have you ever experienced any Eye openers? These may include getting a drink first thing in the morning to get rid of your nerves or to cure your hangover.
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
