Alcoholism – What Are The Warning Signs?

Alcoholism is an equal opportunity disease. It does not cater to differences in sex, age, religion, social status or race. Safety is not a luxury of any establishment or creed. We are all affected, whether personally or via friends, family members, co-workers, or the community at large. In this entry, we will discuss some of the warning signs associated with this disease in an effort to better address the issue head-on.

Drinking Alone

One of the most common warning signs of alcohol abuse is drinking alone. Individuals who drink by themselves are no longer drinking for social reasons; rather, they are attempting to cope with life in their own way. Alcoholics often choose to drink solo to avoid friends and family members finding out exactly how often they drink. 

What We Do Is Secret

Drinking in secret is yet another alcoholism warning sign. Those suffering from alcohol addiction will often use discarded bottles and drinking cups as alcohol containers in an effort to conceal the fact that they are drinking throughout the day.

The Shakes

Trembling or “the shakes” is another alcoholism warming sign. When an alcoholic awakes in the morning, their system is still in shock from a lack of alcohol – causing their bodies to tremble.

Excuses, Excuses

Alcoholics will always find a reason to drink. Instead of recognizing that they suffer from alcoholism, they will often come up with ways to celebrate or console themselves alongside an alcoholic beverage. Making excuses for excessive and regular drinking is a very common sign of alcoholism.

1-2-3-GO!

Many alcoholics find difficulty stopping once drinking has commenced. Instead of calling it a day following 1 or 2 social beers, an alcoholic will empty the entire case throughout an evening. Alcoholics also experience difficulty reducing their intake amount to smaller quantities.

Hygiene

Physical appearance can often take a back seat. Alcoholics may appear unshaven, unkempt, and dirty at their place of employment or social gatherings. Where once the individual took pride in their outward appearance, now little-to-no effort is made.

Why Should I Stop Drinking?

Though alcohol is often portrayed as the end-all / be-all of excitement and fun, regular and excessive alcohol abuse can lead to an array of issues. From social elements to health-related problems, the potential losses stemming from alcohol far outweigh any real benefit. In this entry, we will offer up a few reasons to lose the booze. 

Humiliation

Even a slight buzz can result in a loss of control, causing drinkers to say and do things they might normally not. This includes sexual encounters, hurtful comments, and engaging in activities that are embarrassing to both user and those surrounding them.

Danger!

Alcohol use can be attributed to an array of dangerous life situations. Driving while intoxicated can result in a death or harm to both the drinker and others on the road. Additional possibilities including homicide, drowning and suicide.

Addiction

As with other drug types, alcohol is an addictive substance. Alcoholism can effectively consume a life, while manifesting throughout a variety of unpleasant and unhealthy mental and physical symptoms, including depression, withdrawal, mood swings, dependence, anger, antisocial behavior, rage, relationship issues, shakiness, nausea, stomachaches, puffiness and blackouts.

Poisoning

An individual who drinks an excessive amount of liquor over a short period of time runs to risk of experiencing alcohol poisoning – a condition characterized by aggressive vomiting. Additional symptoms of poisoning include loss of consciousness, drowsiness, seizures, shortness of breath and diminished glucose levels. Extreme cases of alcohol poisoning may even result in death.

In the Long Term…

Alcohol abuse poses a threat to user health in a number of ways. In addition to liver damage, years of excess can pose serious harm to the heart, brain and pancreas. Those who have become severely dependent may also experience weight loss and malnutrition.

Need Help?

When it comes to the best alcohol treatment centers in United States, Above It All is the place to call. Pick up the phone today, and let our team of addiction specialists help you back on track towards the healthy, happy, and sober lifestyle you've been missing. 

The Effects of Alcohol on Body Weight

Though people commonly joke about the “freshman 15” and beer bellies, the simple truth is that alcohol contains calories; regular or excess consumption of which can result in unwanted weight gain. 

OJ vs Beer

Calories

When considering the effects of alcohol on body weight, drinkers should take a look at the average alcoholic beverage calorie count:

-Wine: (4-oz) 62 – 160 Cal

-Shot of Liquor: (1.5-oz) 115 – 200 Cal

-Beer: (12-oz.) 140 – 200 Cal

-Light Beer (12-oz.) 100 – 150 Cal

Food

The main rule of weight maintenance and loss is burning the same or more calories per day than taken in via beverage and food. However, a few key characteristics of alcoholic beverages, in addition to calorie count, make them more prone to result in weight gain.

Alcohol consumption is typically associated with high-fat food choices: wine with steak – beer with pizza. Alcohol also lowers the body’s blood sugar levels, causing food cravings.

Body

In addition to the extra meals and snacks ingested, alcohol’s “empty calorie” content holds little-to-no nutritional value. Though beer may seem filling to some, it is no substitute for a well-balanced meal.

Once alcohol has been digested, our bodies convert portions of it into fat. The liver is then tasked with converting the remainder into acetate, which affects our fat metabolism rate. Simply put, when the body is faced with high acetate levels, burning acetate – not fat - takes priority. As such, the body must store the fatty calories, resulting in weight gain.

Need Help?

Looking for an alcohol recovery inpatient facility? Pick up the phone and call Above it All! With a team of seasoned drug and alcohol addiction specialists available to address your individual needs, you can count on Above it All to have you on the fast track to recovery in no time. 

How To Spot A Binge Drinker

Alcoholism is a serious issue affecting millions of people throughout the world. But in some cases, it may prove difficult to tell whether a person actually has an issue. When it comes to binge drinking – drinking an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time – there are a few signs to look for when determining whether someone has a problem. 

1 – Understand the difference between social and binge drinking. Social drinking commonly occurs at public or group events, such as a dinner party, BBQ, or night out with the girls. Social drinkers may indulge in a drink… maybe two, for the sake of being social. Maybe that second drink turns into a forth or fifth; Perhaps the individual becomes loud and belligerent; Do we even know what the count is anymore?  At this point, you may be looking at a binge drinker.

2 – Keep an eye out for the “point of no return.” For many alcohol enthusiasts, a fork in the road will present itself: Full steam ahead or full stop. This point can be in the middle of a drink, between drinks, or full abstention. Maintaining the ability to control this decision is often a deciding factor in whether or not you are dealing with a more serious issue. 

3 – Take an empty bottle inventory. Towards the end of the evening, set out all of the night’s empty bottles and take an accurate count to determine how much has been consumed.

4 – Take a close look at the drinker’s health to help identify a drinking problem. Measuring hangover intensity is a great way to determine whether or not someone is binging. Light headaches and a little crankiness is one thing… A debilitating migraine, blackouts and “couch days” are another.

5 – To determine whether a real binge has taken place, take a look around the home the following day for “crossover” drinking signs. This form of drinking refers to instances in which an individual consumes all the booze they have brought to an event, before proceeding to invade other sources. An empty liquor shelf or wine cellar is a red flag. A dry keg is a much stronger signal.

Need Help?

When looking for the best alcohol and chemical dependency treatment centers, Los Angeles residents call Above It All. 

Stages Of Alcoholism

Alcoholism is viewed by most experts as a chronic condition, which must be addressed as such. Just as an individual with diabetes must manage their condition throughout life, so must the alcoholic.

Considerations

Certain people are able to abuse alcohol for many years before slipping into the grasp of addiction. Others notice the beginning stages of alcoholism after only a few experiences. An array of factors come into consideration when determining who is at risk for alcoholism. Heredity is one.

First Stage

The drinker begins using to self-medicate. The alcohol serves to reduce anxiety and release inhibition in the individual, resulting in a minor dependence. In some cases, alcoholics will only take part in events that revolve around alcohol use; withdrawing from those where it is prohibited.

Second Stage

The pattern of addiction is now more apparent. The alcoholic drinks more regularly and lacks the discipline to control their intake. Blackouts, hangovers and stomach issues are common occurrences by stage two, and the alcoholic is immersed in denial. Stage two is also the period where employment and relationships begin to take a back seat.

Third Stage

Addiction is king and holds priority over all else, including friends, family, employment and even morals. The alcoholic often finds themselves struggling with finances and health issues.

Consequences

An alcoholic who has reached the third stage of addiction must seek immediate help from a specialized addiction treatment facility. For friends and family members, this may be the time to consider an intervention or other form of pressure to help push recovery.

Traditional Ten

"Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never to be drawn into public controversy." NEVER since it began has Alcoholics Anonymous been divided by a major controversial issue. Nor has our Fellowship ever publicly taken sides on any question in an embattled world. This, however, has been no earned virtue. It could almost be said that we were born with it, for, as one old-timer recently declared, "Practically never have I heard a heated religious, political, or reform argument among A.A. members. So long as we don't argue these matters privately, it's a cinch we never shall publicly." As by some deep instinct, we A.A.'s have known from the very beginning that we must never, no matter what the provocation, publicly take sides in any fight, even a worthy one.- from the chapter on tradition ten from the AA Twelve and Twelve 

As opinionated as alcoholics can be at times there has been tremendous respect for this tradition. It is imperative that we stick to our side of the street when it comes to giving our opinions on a public level. When we first got sober by going through a alcohol and drug rehab, AA, or Above It All many of us were filled with thoughts and ideas that often flooded us but as time went on we realized we needed to focus on important things like the fact that we have been so blessed to have received alcohol addiction detox and recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. We learn how to find a happy medium between feeling like we have a voice and being sure that we are not affecting AA as a whole with our opinions.

Forming Sober Bonds

“For you will escape disaster together and you will commence shoulder to shoulder your common journey. Then you will know what it means to give of yourself that others may survive and rediscover life. You will learn the full meaning of “love thy neighbor as thyself.” It may seem incredible that these men are to become happy, respected, and useful once more. How can they rise out of such misery, bad repute and hopelessness? The practical answer is that since these things happened among us, they can happen with you.”- pg. 153 from the chapter entitled “A vision for you” from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

When we get sober there is a bond that is formed between us and our fellows in recovery. It is a bond that exists because only we know what it is like to recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body of that variety. When we were using many of us had become isolated, withdrawn, and miserable. The idea that one day we might be able to get drug or alcohol detox seemed impossible .The fact is that we all have a chance to recover if we are able to do the work through Above It All, AA, or a drug addiction detox. When we get sober we find there is a huge amount of magic, happiness, and freedom in the life we live and the sober experiences we have. It is an amazing selfless path that we get to travel and when we are ready we get to “pay it forward” for fun and for free so that someone else may see the experience, strength, and hope that exists through this way of living.