Alcoholism SymptomsAlcoholism Symptoms Checklist The actual diagnosis of alcohol abuse or alcoholism is best left to a professional, but there are signs and Alcoholism Symptoms that help the rest of us see the potential for health problems.
The following is a checklist of signs and symptoms to look for when the possibility of a problem exists: 1. NEED: Alcoholism causes a person to experience a strong craving for alcohol, a compulsive need to drink! The day begins to focus on access to alcohol, and some will develop rituals to accommodate that need. They may become angry if the ritual is interrupted, or be irritable when they don’t get that first drink of the day on time. 2. OUT of CONTROL: People who are in the grips of this problem often find they cannot stop drinking once they start. They tend to isolate themselves and drink alone, or sneak a drink when no one is looking. They may hide alcohol in unusual places to make sure they have access to it. Alcoholism can cause a person to lose interest in family, friends, hobbies and work. They lose track of conversations, or not remember conversations from the previous day. As alcoholism progresses they might encounter legal problems, such as DUI, financial, etc. 3. DEPENDENCE: Once addicted, people will suffer withdrawal Alcoholism Symptoms if they don’t drink. People may get “the shakes,” become anxious, sweat, get chills, or have nausea. 4. TOLERANCE: More and more alcohol is needed to get “high” as the disease progresses. Perhaps they order doubles, or guzzle drinks to get intoxicated. It takes more to “feel normal” How long this takes, or how much alcohol is needed depends on the individual. The drink of preference is not the determining factor. This checklist helps us to understand that alcoholics are suffering from a disease, and telling them to exercise a little willpower to overcome the problem is not the solution. They need to drink, the craving, is powerful and to the alcoholic can be just as “necessary” as eating and sleeping. The first step in the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-Step program is admitting that “we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable.” Like cancer, or heart disease, intervention is necessary to help a person through the recovery process. The first step is important because the person who has the disease is probably going to be the last person to accept that fact. Here are some questions to ask yourself about your own experience with alcohol, or what you observe in another person. Do you think it would be good to drink less? Do you need a drink right away in the morning? Do you feel guilty about drinking? DO you get angry if someone comments about your/their drinking? A “yes” answer to these questions does not necessarily mean the disease has set in, but does indicate the potential that the problem is there. If you suspect there is a problem in your life, we encourage you to get help from a professional. If someone you love, one of your friends, someone you work with exhibits any of the signs or Alcoholism Symptoms, or gives “yes” answers to these questions, you need to encourage them to seek help. To read about the STAGES of alcoholism click: Try to catch it early! Like any other disease, if the signs and Alcoholism Symptoms are caught early, the long-term chances for recovery are improved. Catch the problem before it causes serious health problems, broken marriages, destroyed relationships and legal entanglements. For the person suffering from the effects of the disease, it’s very difficult to be objective about what is really happening to them. Intervention is important. If you are watching alcohol harm someone you know, do not be afraid to be the “bad guy.” Intervene, seek help, and speak up. You may just save a life.Denial is a common and dangerous for more on Alcoholism Symptoms click here for more. Get Help! Their families see it but it doesn’t matter. Their friends see it. Their co-workers see it. They don’t see it and everybody else is wrong! Actually, it is important that the addict see the problem. Without the buy-in of the addict, without him/her realizing they have a serious problem, no treatment is going to take place. They WILL REFUSE to get help to matter what! There is a television reality show called “Intervention” which documents the denial of addicts as they are approached by family and friends to seek help. In one episode, the Methamphetamine addict and an alcoholic, who is destroying her health, her family’s property and all of her relationships, is steadfastly in denial that there is any problem of any kind and refuses help. Totally Lost She curses her family for bringing it up. On video, we see how selfish she has become because of the drug. She cares for no one but herself and her drug use comes before anything else. She refuses treatment. She refuses help. Most everything she mutters is profane. She is completely lost. The wake left behind a drug addict is the crushed hearts of those who see the problem, want to help, but on their own, for the best of reasons, likely contribute to the problem rather than solve it. In these shows, an interventionist is called in by the family, not just to confront the addict and coax them into rehabilitation, but to coach the family and teach them communication skills. More importantly, the interventionist teaches the family boundaries, and how to stick to those boundaries. Alcoholism help is not based on enabling the addict; once rules are established they MUST be adhered to. If the rules are broken the addict MUST feel the consequences otherwise the family is going to enable the addict to continue using. No alcoholism help is possible! Alcoholism is a community problem Alcoholism is not just a family problem. It’s a community problem and therefore, help from the community is a necessary ingredient for any addict achieving recovery. Families are too close to the addict. They love that person, they care, they cry for them. Their loving regard for the addict blocks their objective thinking and prevents them from being the answers to the problem. They become enablers and feeding the problem. Alcoholism help from a professional is needed to treat all parties involved in the addiction. Once the family and friends are onboard with the need for professional help, and new communication patterns and boundaries are established by the professional, “their” problem will become the addict’s problem. Once the addict realizes that they have the problem, the first step towards recovery is taken. If you know someone that needs Alcoholism help or if you’re struggling with an addiction, and need help call 1-800-662-HELP. HOW TO USE THIS SITE:This site contains five MAIN pages that EVERYONE should read: RECOVERY… Yourself... Your Family... Your Friends... Your Community... The rest of the pages are there for your reference to explain important topics in more detail. You Can Be ADDICTION FREE FOREVER!Are you or your loved one struggling with alcoholism or addiction?YOU MUST TAKE ACTION NOW! Use this at-home guide to End Addiction Forever: Click here for details
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