Alcohol Addiction Can Be Resolved
What is Alcohol Addiction/Alcoholism?

Alcoholism is a chronic disease in which your body becomes dependent on alcohol. When you have alcoholism, you lose control over your drinking. You may not be able to control when you drink, how much you drink, or how long you drink on each occasion. If you have alcoholism, you continue to drink even though you know it is causing problems with your relationships, health, work or finances.

It is possible to have a problem with alcohol but not have all the symptoms of alcoholism. This is known as "alcohol abuse," which means you drink too much and it causes problems in your life although you aren't completely dependent on alcohol. If you have alcoholism or you abuse alcohol, you may not be able to cut back or quit without help. A number of approaches are available to help you recover from alcoholism, including medications, counseling and self-help groups.

Symptoms

1) Being unable to limit the amount of alcohol you drink
2) Feeling a strong need or compulsion to drink
3) Developing tolerance to alcohol so that you need an increasing amounts to feel its effects
4) Having legal problems or problems with relationships, employment or finances due to drinking
5) Drinking alone or in secret
6) Experiencing physical withdrawal symptoms — such as nausea, sweating and shaking — when you do not drink
7) Not remembering conversations or commitments, sometimes referred to as "blacking out"
8) Making a ritual of having drinks at certain times and becoming annoyed when this ritual is disturbed or questioned
9) Losing interest in activities and hobbies that used to bring you pleasure
10) Irritability when your usual drinking time nears, especially if alcohol isn't available
11) Keeping alcohol in unlikely places at home, at work or in your car
12) Gulping drinks, ordering doubles, becoming intoxicated intentionally to feel good or drinking to feel "normal"

People who abuse alcohol may have many of the same signs and symptoms as people who have full-blown alcoholism. However, if you abuse alcohol but are not completely addicted to it, you may not feel as much of a compulsion to drink. You may not have physical withdrawal symptoms when you don't drink. But alcohol abuse can still cause serious problems. As with alcoholism, you may not be able to quit drinking without help.

If you have ever wondered whether your drinking crosses the line into alcohol abuse or dependence, ask yourself these questions:

If you are a man, do you ever have five or more drinks in a day?
If you area woman, do you ever have four or more drinks in a day?

One standard drink is equivalent to 12 ounces (354.9 milliliters) of beer, 5 ounces (147.9 milliliters) of wine or 1.5 ounces (44.4 milliliters) of 80-proof spirits.

1) Do you need a drink as soon as you get up?
2) Do you feel guilty about your drinking?
3) Do you think you need to cut back on how much you drink?
4) Are you annoyed when other people comment on or criticize your drinking habits?

If you answered yes to even one of these questions, you may have a problem with alcohol.

Causes

Alcohol addiction — physical dependence on alcohol — occurs gradually. Over time, drinking too much changes the balance of chemicals in your brain associated with the pleasurable aspects of drinking alcohol. Excessive, long-term drinking can affect the balance of these chemicals, causing your body to crave alcohol to restore good feelings or to avoid negative feelings.

Western Medicine Treatment

Many people with alcoholism enter treatment reluctantly because they don't recognize that they have a problem. An intervention from loved ones is needed to help some people recognize and accept that they need to get help. If you're concerned about a friend or family member, talk to a professional for advice about how to approach that person about his or her drinking.

Various treatments are available to help people with alcohol problems. Depending on the circumstances, treatment may involve a brief intervention, an outpatient program or counseling, or a residential inpatient stay. The first step in treatment is to determine whether you're alcohol dependent. If you have not lost control over your use of alcohol, treatment may involve reducing your drinking. If you are dependent on alcohol, simply cutting back is ineffective. Giving up alcohol entirely must be part of your treatment goal.

Treatment for alcoholism can include:

Detoxification and withdrawal. Treatment for alcoholism may begin with a program of detoxification, which generally takes four to seven days. You may need to take sedating medications to prevent shaking, confusion or hallucination (delirium tremens) or other withdrawal symptoms. Detoxification is usually done at an inpatient treatment center or at a hospital.

Learning skills and establishing a treatment plan. This usually involves alcohol-abuse specialists. It may include goal setting, behavior modification techniques, use of self-help manuals, counseling and follow-up care at a treatment center.

Psychological counseling. Counseling and therapy for groups and individuals support recovery from the psychological aspects of alcoholism. You may benefit from couples or family therapy — family support can be an important part of the recovery process.

Oral medications. An alcohol-sensitizing drug called disulfiram (Antabuse) may help prevent you from drinking. Disulfiram will not cure alcoholism, nor can it remove the compulsion to drink. But if you drink alcohol, the drug produces a physical reaction that includes flushing, nausea, vomiting and headaches. Naltrexone (ReVia), a drug long known to block the good feelings alcohol causes, reduces the urge to drink. Acamprosate (Campral) may help you combat alcohol cravings. Unlike disulfiram, naltrexone and acamprosate do not make you feel sick soon after taking a drink.

Injected medication. Vivitrol, a version of the drug naltrexone, is injected once a month by a health care professional. Although similar medication can be taken in pill form, the injectable version of the drug may be easier for people recovering from alcohol dependence to use consistently.

Continuing support. Aftercare programs and support groups help people recovering from alcoholism or alcohol abuse to stop drinking, manage relapses and cope with necessary lifestyle changes. This may include medical or psychological care or attending a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

Treatment for psychological problems. Alcoholism commonly occurs along with other mental health disorders. You may need psychological counseling (psychotherapy), medications, or other treatment for depression, anxiety or another mental health condition.

Medical treatment for other conditions. Common medical problems related to alcoholism are high blood pressure, increased blood sugar, liver disease and heart disease.

Residential treatment programs

For a serious alcohol problem, you may need a stay at a residential treatment facility. Many residential treatment programs include individual and group therapy, participation in alcoholism support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, educational lectures, family involvement, activity therapy, and working with counselors and professional staff experienced in treating alcoholism.

Adopted from mayoclinic.com