Alcohol dependence is compulsion towards alcohol, and is similar to the addiction of other drugs. Alcohol is easily available unlike other drugs. Nevertheless, it can be just as damaging.
Social drinking very easily transforms to dependence, and ultimately to addiction. You’re especially vulnerable if you use it for your mental health struggles such as anxiety and depression.
It is hard to notice your dependence, but the warning signs are important. These signs tell you that you need to start cutting back. Still not sure if you are addicted? Read the signs below:
Alcohol Tolerance
Like several other drugs, you can easily become tolerant to alcohol. Do you have to drink more alcohol to feel relaxed? Does it take more alcohol to get you drunk? If your answer is yes, then you have alcoholism.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Do you feel shaky if you haven’t drunk for a certain time? If you are addicted, you would need to get a drink, perhaps every morning, to end this instability.
These are the withdrawal symptoms that you feel when you have not taken alcohol for a certain amount of time.
Various other symptoms appear in individuals that may be physical or psychological in nature:
Psychological
Anxiety, depression, restlessness, irritability and insomnia (inability to fall asleep)
Physical
Tremors or shaking, nausea, seizures, hallucinations (seeing things which are not real), headache, sweating, loss of appetite and fatigue
Loss of control
Do you want to quit alcohol or control your drinking habits, yet are unable to do so? It is a sign of alcohol dependence. You lose control of your drinking; you drink more often or for several hours without being able to stop yourself.
You understand that this is affecting your physical and mental health, perhaps worsening your depression or anxiety, and ruining your relationships. Still you are unable to put an end to it.
Giving up
Are there any activities that you enjoyed, but have given up now? Most often, these are the habits that keep us healthy like exercising, reading or even hanging out with friends.
Giving up such activities makes a person more reclusive and focused on drinking. Your entire day may revolve around a few hours that you are able to drink. This can influence work, family and education.
Recognizing that one has a drinking problem is the first step to quitting. There are various drug and alcohol addiction recovery centers that help people go through the whole process of quitting alcohol. Orange County Recovery is one of the best alcohol rehab centers in California.
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