In our society, alcohol dependency falls into a grey area of addiction for a lot of people. It isn’t an immediate addiction like cigarettes or harder drugs, and it progresses and builds over a long period of time, making it hard to see in oneself because the change is so gradual. It’s often difficult to recognize the signs until it’s too late. Addiction is always a progressive disease, but alcohol is a tricky substance because the general consensus is that if a person is still able to perform their daily tasks and function, they’re fine. Since the signs aren’t obvious, how can you recognize whether you or a loved one have a problem with alcohol?
The first sign to keep an eye out for is if you or your loved one drinks alone. This is an easily recognizable warning that something’s wrong. This doesn’t mean that you have a glass of wine at your own home occasionally to unwind, but rather that you or your loved one is getting extremely under the influence of alcohol with no one around. Likewise, drinking alone and hiding it from others is a red flag. It is probably clear that there’s an issue, even to the person drinking, otherwise there would be no need to hide it.
If you’re neglecting your other obligations in favor of consuming alcohol, this is another red flag. For example, if a person chooses to drink even though they have to be up early the next day for work, regardless of the hangover affecting their ability to work, it’s a sign that alcohol is taking importance over other facets of life. Likewise, alcohol dependency can cause depression and mood swings. It can make once-enjoyable activities no longer enjoyable since there is no drinking involved, which can negatively impact social relationships. If the desire to drink is stronger than the desire to connect with friends and family, it could be time to seek help.
Along with prioritizing alcohol comes the physical aspect of addiction, or a craving. Craving alcohol is a very dangerous indicator. Nobody needs alcohol to function, so feeling the need to drink in order to go about daily activities is an issue. Since alcohol is a depressant, the body’s nervous system eventually adapts to a depressed state. Stopping after drinking for some time can cause negative bodily reactions because the body becomes overstimulated.
Most people have experience with a hangover, but if drinking is required to stave off panic attacks, excessive sweating, shaking, or pain, then these symptoms might require medical attentions. For those who have been heavily drinking for years, removing alcohol can cause hallucinations, seizures, delirium tremens, trouble breathing, and even death. Alcohol withdrawal is one of the few withdrawals that can lead to death so professional treatment is extremely important.
If you fear you or a someone you know is addicted to alcohol, it can be hard to know what steps to take to fight the addiction. If you do recognize a problem, the best thing you can do is to seek support early, without letting drinking go unabated for years. Recovery from alcohol addiction can be a long process, but it starts by accepting that help is needed. Twelve step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous might be a good place to start and have a long track record of success. For more support, inpatient treatment or rehab facilities are also good options that provide a holistic recovery approach.
Max Gottlieb is the content manager for Senior Planning. Senior Planning provides free assistance to seniors and people with disabilities. Senior Planning specializes in long term care, which includes finding and arranging care services, transitioning people into new living situations, and applying for state or federal benefits.