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Alcohol is a legal, easily available product and normalised substance here in the UK. While such factors reduce the threat of alcohol, especially in comparison to harder substances, alcoholism is a wide-spanning condition, impacting millions across the world.
Sadly, the innocent image of alcohol makes it an easy coping strategy for many individuals. Others see its low toxicity branding as the best option to unwind and to fuel social situations.
Binge drinking has in fact been normalised to such a significant degree. Alcohol, to some, may also be viewed as an escape, carrying few side effects or consequences.
However, once initial use turns into regular consumption, mirroring alcohol abuse, the slippery slope to an alcohol addiction will be visible, which for many is an everyday controlling condition.
To onlookers, those who abuse alcohol are perceived as weak, uncontrollable and destructive. However, under the surface, causations of alcohol addiction are regularly linked to trauma, high stress, mental health issues, suffering and environmental influences, in fact, making it an involuntary illness.
Those who do struggle are more than likely looking for a way out, a way to suppress emotions, and a way to cope through life, highlighting the supportive traits of alcohol.
Yet, we must remember that alcohol is toxic and that healthier coping strategies are promoted, in subsequent the opportunity to open up and instead recover from personal issues.
At Rehab Clinics Group, we’re here offering alcohol addiction treatment, to help those with any degree of alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Find A Rehab Near You
Are you suffering from Alcohol Addiction and need help? If so, Rehab Clinics Group are leading UK based experts in alcohol rehabilitation treatment. Find out how we can help by getting in touch with our friendly team today. You can either call our confidential helpline on 0800 470 0382 or request a callback by clicking on the below form.
What is alcoholism?
Alcoholism stands as a physical and psychological illness, where alcohol consumption has turned from normal, to highly excessive.
Those with an alcohol addiction vocalise how exposure and consumption of alcohol rules their lives, making it impossible to go a day without a drink.
Usually starting off innocently, alcohol will be used for pleasure, as a coping strategy or as a form of respite.
Through such actions, many individuals can experience alcohol abuse, which is where an alcohol dependency will be present, without the psychological addictive characteristics, present in alcoholism.
For someone with an alcohol dependency, a degree of control is present, where consumers may be irregular, where withdrawal symptoms may be experienced, and where a sense of normality can still be encountered.
Yet, if enabled, abuse can merge into the addiction cycle, where both the body and brain become accustomed to alcohol and its impactive traits, making it very difficult to stop drinking.
At this moment, it can be challenging to lead a normal life, as for an addict, alcohol is known to consume every responsibility, role, thought, action, behaviour, motion and need.
The sad reality is, is that alcoholism is seen as a lifestyle choice. Yet it’s in fact a developed brain condition, usually stemming from suffering, resulting in even further struggles of withdrawal symptoms, side effects and the downfalls of alcohol addiction.
Causations of alcohol abuse
Alcoholism will usually develop through a stage-by-stage process. As we’ve shared above, it will start with normal consumption, will develop to alcohol abuse down to the positive effects it offers, will advance to dependence, and will result in alcohol addiction.
With this in mind, it can be a long process from the start of the development process, making it difficult to fully understand the severity of alcohol consumption.
The process will begin with the causation itself, which will trigger the desire for alcohol consumption. Standing as innocent, many causations surround environments, stresses, social pressures, ill health, change, trauma and genetics.
All can cause a vulnerability that highlights the desires of alcohol consumption, ultimately shining a light on the positive attributes that alcohol can bring in the moment.
As those attributes continue to benefit, users will continue to access alcohol, with the attempt to push beyond tolerances.
This continuity is the addiction development process, all starting off with a trigger, which has intensified into a habit.
Alcohol addiction is very complex, where both internal and external factors can cause susceptibility to alcoholism. This is important to know, as the choice to consume alcohol in fact isn’t there for someone with an addiction.
Signs and symptoms of alcohol addiction
Signs and symptoms of an alcohol addiction do embody those of other habitual behaviours. For example, the symptoms of alcoholism are also similar to those of drug addiction.
Anxiety, depression, mood swings, headaches, vomiting, trembling, increased heart rate, fluctuating weight, and bloodshot eyes are a few to consider.
As such symptoms can be similar, it’s instead important to consider the changes that users experience in the behaviour, associated with alcohol consumption.
- Are you craving alcohol every day?
- Are you experiencing physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms, like the above?
- Are your days controlled by alcohol?
- Have your relationships, your roles, your routine and your decisions been impacted by alcohol exposure?
- Do you drink as a coping strategy?
- Do you blackout from drinking?
If the above resonates with you or describe the behaviours of those around you, this is an indication that abuse is turning into an addiction.
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The Brain and Alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption can be extremely dangerous for the entire body. Alcoholics do usually experience risks of organ failure, damage to their kidneys and liver, weakened immune systems, and overall reduced quality of health.
Yet the greatest worry surrounds the effects that alcohol can have on the brain through the consumption pattern of addiction.
Mental health issues are highly associated with such behaviour, risking cognitive impairment and behavioural issues.
The presence of alcohol can induce memory problems, can speed up the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and can also place significant pressure on general functionality.
This is why concern is present, as an innocently perceived substance can cause irreversible health problems.
Treatment for alcohol addiction
To overcome alcoholism, treatment will need to be sourced and completed. While many individuals believe that stopping consumption will allow for recovery, greater effort is required when treating alcohol addiction.
At Rehab Clinics Group, through our group of leading alcohol rehab clinics, you can look to experience a personal, private and safe programme of treatment to help you withdraw, help stabilise your mind, and help to build a foundation for relapse prevention.
A wide range of treatments are available to assist with your recovery journey, helping to secure sobriety as a lifestyle choice.
Alcohol addiction can be extremely invasive, controlling and can change your life, even if at the beginning you experience minimal consequences.
Consider this when consuming alcohol, with a strong possibility to overcome alcoholism here with our support.
