According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in 2018, over 14 million Americans were diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Approximately 88,000 people die annually due to alcohol abuse, making it a leading cause of preventable death.

In the United States, alcohol-related health issues are among the most pressing public health concerns. Alcohol addiction is a common problem that many individuals face at some point in their life.

Don’t wait until it’s too late if you or a loved one is showing indications of alcohol addiction. Redpoint’s [internal link to ‘Homepage’] clinical staff uses evidence-based therapies to help individuals restore their sobriety and create a brighter future. With our aid, you may overcome the physical and emotional symptoms of alcoholism that are interfering with your everyday life.

Alcohol Use Disorder

There is a progression in the severity of the signs and symptoms of AUD. As a general rule, how long you have been abusing alcohol and the average quantity you drink on occasion will significantly impact AUD.

Signs of a Problem With Alcohol

AUD is a medical disorder that is diagnosed by physicians when drinking is causing discomfort or injury. Answering “yes” to any of the following questions may suggest that you should seek further consultation. In the past year, have you:

• Had times when you ended up drinking more or longer than you intended?
• More than once wanted to cut down or stop drinking, or tried to, but couldn’t?
• Spent a lot of time drinking? Or being sick or getting over the after-effects?
• Experienced a strong need to drink?
• Found that drinking — or being sick from drinking — often interfered with taking care of your home or family? Or caused job troubles? Or school problems?
• Continued to drink even though it was causing trouble with your family or friends?
• Given up or cut back on activities that were important or interesting to you or gave you pleasure in order to drink?
• More than once gotten into situations while or after drinking that increased your chances of getting hurt (such as driving, swimming, using machinery, or walking in a dangerous area)?
• Continued to drink even though it made you feel depressed or anxious or added to another health problem? Or after having had a memory blackout?
• Had to drink much more than you once did to get the effect you want? Or found that your usual number of drinks had much less effect than before?
• Found that when the effects of alcohol were wearing off, you had withdrawal symptoms, such as trouble sleeping, shakiness, irritability, anxiety, depression [internal link, “Depression”], restlessness, nausea, or sweating? Or sensed things that were not there?

What Can Come as a Result of AUD?

If you drink too much, whether in one sitting or over a long period of time, you might be damaging your health. Physical dependency is widespread among individuals who regularly drink over the recommended limit. However, not everyone with an AUD will have a physical dependence. However, the longer a person drinks alcohol, the more likely they are to develop a physical reliance.

Here are some of the physical effects of alcohol:

• Brain: Drinking alcohol may alter the brain’s communication networks, resulting in changes in how the brain looks and functions. It can affect mood and behavior, making it difficult to think clearly and move with precision. Overindulgence in alcohol causes a variety of unpleasant side effects, including:
  • Headache
  • Nausea and dizziness
  • Excessive tiredness
  • Apathy
  • Dehydration
  • Light sensitivity
  • Irritability
  • Elevated heart rate and blood pressure
• Heart: Drinking a lot over a long time or too much on a single occasion can damage the heart, causing problems including:
  • Cardiomyopathy: Stretching and drooping of the heart muscle
  • Arrhythmias: Irregular heartbeat
  • Stroke
  • High blood pressure
• Liver: Heavy drinking takes a toll on the liver and can lead to a variety of problems and liver inflammations, including:
  • Steatosis, or fatty liver
  • Alcoholic hepatitis
  • Fibrosis
  • Cirrhosis
• Pancreas: Drinking alcohol may damage the pancreas by causing it to create toxins that induce inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels in the organ, preventing it from performing its normal function and resulting in a dangerous and very painful condition known as pancreatitis.

AUD and Dual Diagnosis

Risk factors for both alcoholism and mental health issues can develop in relation to one another. Treatment for dual diagnosis, which includes AUD and mental health issues, necessitates a wide range of options. Treatments include:

• One-on-one therapy
• Group therapy
• Medication to treat symptoms
• Relapse prevention
• Life skills education

At Redpoint, we understand your continuing recovery relies on our ability to treat all mental and addictive disorders. Learn more about how our clinical team can help by visiting our Dual Diagnosis page.

How to Recognize the Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction

In the U.S., it is often considered socially acceptable to drink more than the recommended amount, which can make it challenging to recognize the signs of a developing drinking problem. You or someone you love may have an AUD if you notice the following things:

• Cravings
• Preoccupation with getting more alcohol
• Inability to control how much you drink
• Failed attempts at abstinence
• Withdrawal symptoms when you stop or decrease alcohol consumption
• Inability to function due to symptoms of AUD
• Difficulties with personal relationships and professional responsibilities

Treatment and Therapy Options

Anxiety-inducing withdrawal symptoms may be eased or even completely eliminated with the use of psychotherapy and medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Depending on the specifics of your condition, your clinical team will assist in choosing the right course of action for you. The following are examples of common forms of treatment for AUD:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Motivational interviewing (MI)
• Family therapy
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
• Alternative therapies like art, music, or relaxation therapy

At Redpoint, our experts can help with AUD. We have the treatment and therapy options necessary to get your life back on track. Call us at (303) 710-8496.