Symptom of Alcoholism

Checklist for the Symptom of Alcoholism

Actually diagnosis of alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse is best left to a professionals and doctors, but there are signs alcoholism that help the rest of us see the potential for health problems.

The following is a list of symptoms and signs to look for when the possibility of a problem exists:

I. DEPENDENCE: Once addicted, people will suffer withdrawal Symptom of Alcoholism if they don’t drink. People may get “the shakes,” become anxious, sweat, get chills, or have nausea.

II. 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.

III. NEED: The illness causes a person to experience a strong craving for alcohol, a compulsive need to drink. The daily schedule 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.

IV. OUT of CONTROL: People who are in the grips of this disease often find they cannot stop drinking once they start. They may 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. The disease can cause a person to lose interest in family, friends, hobbies and work. They may lose track of conversations, or not remember conversations from the previous day. As the disease progresses they might encounter legal problems, such as DUI, financial, etc.

These signs help us to understand that people who are alcohol dependent are suffering from a disease, and telling them to exercise a little willpower to overcome the problem isn’t fair and isn’t the solution. They need to drink, their body HAS TO HAVE a drink to function “normally”, the craving is so powerful and to the alcoholic drinking can be just as “necessary” as eating and sleeping. They MUST drink or horrible withdrawal symptoms will start. The first step in the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-Step program is admitting “we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable.” Like cancer, or heart disease, alcohol dependence intervention is necessary to help a person through the treatment and into 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 or your loved one about your/their own experience with alcohol and drinking:

Do you feel guilty about drinking?

Do you need a drink first thing in the morning?

Do you think it would be good to drink less?

Are you angry if someone comments about your/their drinking?

A “yes” answer to the above questions doesn’t necessarily mean the dependence has set in, but does indicate the potential that the problem is there and that you need to get treatment and move into recovery before dependence does get a hold of you. If you suspect there is a problem in your life, we encourage you to get help from a professional.

To read about the STAGES of alcoholism click:

The Stages of Alcoholism

If someone you love, one of your friends, someone you work with exhibits any of the signs or symptoms of alcohol dependence, or answers “yes” to some/most of these questions, you need to encourage them to seek help.

If you can, Try to catch it early!

Like any other disease, if the signs and Symptom of Alcoholism 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 illness, 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, don’t be afraid to be the “bad guy.” Intervene, seek help, and speak up. You may just save a life.

Denial is a difficult and dangerous symptom of alcoholism click here for more.

Symptom of Alcoholism Symptom of Alcoholism

HOW TO USE THIS SITE:

This site contains five MAIN pages that EVERYONE should read:

ABOUT…

SYMPTOMS…

CAUSES…

TREATMENT…

RECOVERY…

Read these five pages and learn what you need to know to spot alcoholism in:

Yourself... Your Family... Your Friends... Your Community...

The rest of the pages are there for your reference to explain important topics in more detail.

Finally don’t miss the Spiritual and 12-step sections to fully explore how understanding THE SPIRIT can lead to recovery!

You Can Be ADDICTION FREE FOREVER!