Addiction is when you keep on using a substance for its pleasurable intoxication even though you are already constantly experiencing its adverse, painful and uncomfortable effects. So alcohol addiction, by definition, is a condition where a person is unable to stop getting drunk for pleasure even if the adverse effects of drinking are quite visible.
An alcohol addict will drink regularly, either by keeping themselves drunk all day or by binge drinking on a particular daily schedule. Doing so is significantly dangerous to their physical and mental health.
The problem is that it is quite simple for people to become addicted to alcohol, yet sometimes people either don’t realize they have it or are simply denying their situation. However, knowing and accepting that there’s a problem is the first step before one can seek proper treatment. If you or someone you love wants to evaluate their relationship with alcohol, this article is for you.
Are you are already addicted to alcohol?
Before we dive into the list and discuss the topic, please remember that there are some visible general signs and symptoms that can point out a possible addiction to alcohol. However, to get a full diagnosis, you will need to seek the advice of a medical professional. Here are the most common signs of alcohol addiction.
- You keep drinking every day
- You cure hangovers with another drink
- Your daily schedule is revolved around your vice
- You prefer to drink over socializing
- You regularly cause problems for yourself and others while intoxicated.
- You’re losing a significant amount of money to drinking
- You have tried to stop drinking many times but failed
You keep drinking every day
Daily drinking is the most evident sign that you are abusing alcohol to the point of addiction. When you drink daily, this means that you are consuming more than the recommended allowance.
Health experts agree that men or women should not drink more than 14 units a week. If you are drinking at least two bottles of beer every day, that’s abuse. And if you consume more than that and cannot bring yourself to stop even just for a day, it could already be a sign of addiction.
Whether you drink all day or binge at night, if you do it daily, you are probably addicted to alcohol.
You started curing hangovers with another drink
A hangover is the immediate stage of alcohol withdrawal. So when you are hungover, symptoms of nausea, headache, dizziness, irritability, and more can be at their worst.
But you won’t feel those uncomfortable and painful withdrawal symptoms if you are not withdrawing, so you “cure” it with a shot or another bottle of beer. And it indeed can remove the withdrawal symptoms up until your blood alcohol drops again. And when they return, you cure them again by having another drink.
When this happens to you, you end into a vicious cycle that results in constant heavy drinking, which is a telltale sign of alcohol addiction.
Your daily schedule is revolved around your vice
When you abuse alcohol for a long time and become addicted to it, your brain chemistry changes. Alcohol affects the reward system of our brain, making us want it more and more.
So alcohol literally can restructure your brain, making you crave for it on an entirely different level.
Because of this, you can become unknowingly fixated on strictly ensuring that you get your drink when you want it, anywhere.
You prefer to drink over socializing
When you are already addicted to alcohol, you may enjoy the relaxed feeling it gives your body and the peace of mind that you can temporarily feel. And that, to you, will become more enticing than spending time with people.
While some can become more sociable when drinking, an alcoholic might choose to get drunk alone rather than with others when faced with a decision.
An alcoholic usually knows that they have a problem and would choose to hide their vice from people, thinking they will be judged. So they often end actively isolating themselves so they can continue their vice in private.
You regularly cause problems for yourself and others while intoxicated
Drinking in itself, even if you are not abusing alcohol, can alter your behavior and performance. And when you are constantly drunk because you are already addicted, things can worsen for you and the people around you.
Alcohol impairs judgment, distorts balance and slows down your cognitive functions. At the same time, it reduces feelings of inhibition and fear.
This mixture of effects can make you act harshly and cause problems for you and everyone else. Your behavior can become constantly erratic, causing you to make bad decisions or cause accidents.
So when you are always drunk, you’ll do badly in your job and become unable to manage your relationships.
You’re losing a significant amount of money to drinking
Alcoholic beverages are not the cheapest things in life. So if you are constantly drinking, you may end up wasting a significant amount of money to maintain your vice.
You have tried to stop drinking many times but failed
This is the quintessential symptom of alcohol addiction. When you are unable to stop drinking on your own, you are already addicted. And this means that you will need external help if you want to become sober again.
You need to find a way to recover
If, after reading this article, you might suspect that you are addicted to alcohol or are an alcoholic, you need help. And help is near you. It is important that you get out of the cycle of addiction ASAP because alcoholism can cost you your health and even your life in the long run.
There’s help available for you. Visit Addiction Detox to find the proper treatment for you so you can live a better life without alcohol.