Life has its ups and downs, and sometimes, the downs can lead one to turn to alcohol as a way to feel good, forget, or cope. While social or moderate drinking is considered more or less safe (provided one does not have other pre-existing health conditions), when social drinking gives way to alcohol addiction or alcohol use disorder, it can be very difficult to break free on your own. In this article, let us explore alcohol use disorder, its causes and symptoms, and what lies beyond it in recovery.
What Is Alcohol Addiction?
Alcohol addiction, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD) or alcoholism, is a behavioral health condition characterized by heavy, chronic drinking as well as the inability to control drinking despite its ill effects on health, relationships, and daily life.
AUD does not begin as such right away – it begins with one or two drinks after a long, winding day. It feels good, as it reinforces the reward centers in your brain, leaving you craving for the reward in different events and circumstances.
AUD can range from mild to moderate to severe. Previously, alcoholism was considered to be a moral failing, but now we know that regular alcohol use affects your brain chemistry and functioning in a way that quitting it all on your own becomes incredibly difficult.
What Are the Causes of Alcohol Addiction?
The reasons underlying alcohol use disorder are many. They can range from genetics, brain chemistry, external factors, and social factors to mental health conditions. Let us take a closer look at all of these causes of alcohol addiction.
- Genetic Predispositions: A genome-wide analysis identified a total of 29 genetic variants linked with problematic drinking patterns. A genetic risk can be present if parents, grandparents, or other close relatives misuse alcohol.
- Biological Factors: When your brain is regularly exposed to alcohol, it gets used to it and you will need more quantities of the substance to experience the desired effect (tolerance). As tolerance levels rise, so do withdrawal symptoms in case you suddenly reduce or stop drinking.
- Chronic Stress or Trauma: External factors like ongoing stress or trauma can lead one toward alcohol as a way to escape from the pain and suffering of it all.
- Other Mental Health Conditions: While experts have not been able to say whether one leads to the other, alcoholism and mental health conditions often go hand-in-hand, feeding off and worsening each other.
- Sociocultural Factors: Environments where drinking is glorified can normalize problematic drinking patterns. In fact, even in regions where social norms are more stringent around alcohol use, alcoholism can develop as an act of rebellion.
What Are the Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction?
Here are the symptoms of alcohol addiction as provided by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) that you can use to understand whether you or your loved one is struggling with the same:
- Intense cravings and urges to use alcohol.
- Drinking more frequently and heavily than intended.
- Spending a lot of time acquiring and using alcohol.
- Prioritizing alcohol use over other things in life, like education, employment, family, and other responsibilities.
- Drinking despite the ill effects on physical, psychological, and social health.
- Unsuccessful attempts at quitting alcohol.
- Using alcohol under dangerous circumstances, such as driving under the influence (DUI) or operating heavy machinery.
- Develop tolerance for alcohol, which means that you need larger quantities for the desired effect.
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you reduce or stop alcohol intake suddenly, which is what makes quitting alcohol on your own difficult or even dangerous.
What Are the Health Complications of Alcohol Addiction?
Alcohol gives rise to a relaxing, peaceful effect in the beginning, but it also gives rise to other unwanted side effects, such as hangovers and withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can range from discomfort to life-threatening, like the following:
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Sleep disturbances
- Sweating
- Body tremors
- Paranoia
- Psychosis
- Seizures
- Delirium tremens – characterized by fever, confusion, and seizures.
On the other hand, severe alcohol use can also lead to other health risks and conditions, such as:
- Alcohol poisoning
- Alcohol-induced hepatitis
- Liver cirrhosis
- High blood pressure
- Cardiovascular conditions
- Increased risk of cancer
- Premature death.
How Is Alcohol Addiction Diagnosed?
The official diagnosis for alcohol addiction is known as alcohol use disorder. Your healthcare providers will conduct physical examinations to understand the symptoms of alcohol use. Then, licensed and trained mental health practitioners will use the DSM-5-TR to diagnose the severity of alcohol use and refer you to a certain level of care for recovery.
If you are diagnosed with mild AUD, you meet 2-3 criteria; for moderate AUD, you meet 4-5 criteria, whereas meeting 6 or more criteria means you are struggling with severe AUD.
For mild to moderate symptoms, you may be referred to standard outpatient treatment or intensive outpatient programs. For more severe symptoms, you may be referred to partial hospitalization programs or inpatient programs.
How Is Alcohol Addiction Treated?
Wherever you stand in your relationship with alcohol, recovery can be your tangible reality. There are holistic inpatient and outpatient rehab programs that can be tailored to your needs and goals so that they are relevant and effective. Generally speaking, AUD treatment will look something like this:
- Detox: Medical detox is the first step to alcohol use, depending on the severity of cravings and withdrawal symptoms. During this, alcohol is systematically tapered off from your body so as to manage cravings and withdrawal.
- Psychotherapy: Motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, contingency management, and 12-Step models are utilized to change the underlying patterns leading to alcohol use.
- Holistic Therapies: Nutrition, physical exercise, meditation, mindfulness, yoga, art therapy, dance therapy, and more are used to complement psychotherapy and instill healthy living practices.
- Medication Management: Medications like acamprosate, disulfiram, and naltrexone are prescribed and monitored to reduce cravings, prevent relapse, and uplift the quality of your life.
- Peer Support: Group therapy sessions and peer support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and SMART Recovery, you heal by sharing and learning from others’ experiences as you find a sense of community.
- Aftercare: To provide you with the ongoing structure and support to maintain your recovery, aftercare will typically involve supportive counseling, medication monitoring, relapse prevention, sober living, and 12-step/non-12-step meetings.
Take Your First Step Toward Healing Today!
If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol use, then it is crucial to remember that you are not alone. Taking the first step toward recovery can be very overwhelming, but it is courageous, too – and Sober Living West can be with you in this journey.
We provide premier sober living homes where you can strengthen your recovery, but we can also connect you with reputable rehab centers and leading alcohol addiction medicine specialists who can provide personalized care that is tailored to your needs and goals.
Please do not hesitate to call us at (310) 218-5158 to begin your recovery journey today!