Alcohol Addiction Health Feed

Alcohol consumption is a common problem in our society. Ranging from economic issues, to strained relationships, to neglect, to abuse, it can lead to multiple problems. The key point is that in many people, it may go completely unnoticed. While different people could have different tolerance levels, there are some definitions to qualify someone as having ‘alcohol problem'.

Alcohol consumption resulting in blood alcohol levels of 0.08 or more; some men might need about five drinks and women might need four drinks to reach this level. When any individual is compelled to drink up to five drinks on a day regularly, it is considered to be a problem.

Symptoms

If you are suspecting that your friend or relative could be having a potential drinking problem, look out for the following symptoms:

1. Constant, strong craving for drinking
2. Unable to control their urge to drink alcohol
3. Inability to succeed in efforts to reduce or stop alcohol usage
4. Drinking more than the intended quantity on most occasions
5. Spending extra effort in terms of time and money to lay their hands on alcohol
6. Strained relationships at work or at home
7. Health issues including liver failure, poor overall health, intestinal problems, etc.
8. Failure to see that their health (physical and emotional) is affected by drinking
9. Failure to acknowledge that there is a drinking problem (denial mode)
10. Stealing or lying in an attempt to get money for alcohol
11. Being violent towards spouse or children or even strangers to get alcohol and/or money for alcohol
12. Not very reliable in assigning tasks or fulfilling responsibilities
13. Ability to hold more than their regular quantity of drinks, over a period of time, capacity to tolerate more alcohol
14. Constantly seen in the company of people who enjoy alcohol

What should you tell your friend/relative?

Admit the problem

• Stay away from people who drink with you or encourage you to drink
• Space out drinks, drink with food, and drink enough water as it will reduce the amount of alcohol getting into the body
• Involve close friends and family for emotional support
• Enroll for a detox program
• Get into exercise, sports, photography which are both creative and productive ways to improve your quality of recreation and life

Alcohol, tobacco and drugs; these are some of the most common substances that people can get addicted to. Getting addicted is easy but to get rid of your habit is hard.

Here are a few things that could help:

1. Set a date: Addicts who tell themselves that they will quit tomorrow often never end up doing so. Set a date for yourself when you will have your last smoke and drink. Ideally, you should set this date a few weeks from the day you decide to give up your bad habits to allow yourself to be mentally prepared.
2. Find new friends: Peep pressure is one of the most common reasons for an addiction to begin. Hence, the first thing to do when you are trying to give up a bad habit is to stay away from the people you associate with that habit and make new friends.
3. Hold yourself accountable to someone: While you can give in to yourself, it is harder to make excuses for doing something when you are being held accountable by someone else. Find a mentor or a friend who will be there for you and who will ‘sponsor’ your deaddiction.
4. Find your weak spots: Every habit is triggered by certain factors. If you have decided to try and give up a bad habit, identify the factors that trigger it and avoid them. For example, your morning cup of coffee may trigger the need for a cigarette. By replacing coffee with juice, you can make your morning a little easier.
5. Take up a new hobby: A hobby is a great way to distract yourself from cravings. Crossword puzzles and Sudoku are great as indoor hobbies while swimming is an excellent outdoor hobby. You could even try gardening or crafts.
6. Exercise: One of the many benefits of exercising is that it can help boost endorphins and make you feel happier and thus less likely to crave cigarettes of alcohol. Aim for at least half an hours exercise each day.
7. Maintain a journal: Some days are good and some days are bad. To give yourself a balanced view of your deaddiction process, maintain a journal. Write down your achievements as well as your pitfalls and be proud of what you have achieved for yourself.
8. Help someone else: The best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else. Similarly, with addiction, the best way to be strong and give up a bad habit is to help someone else do it. This way, you are forced to be a good example and give up the habit yourself.
9. Ask for help: Do not be so proud as to not be able to ask for help when you need it. Remember, it is better to appear weak and ask for help rather than go back to your addiction.
10. Don’t give up: Relapses are common but they do not have to be the end of your efforts. If you do have a bad day and have a few drags of smoke or maybe a drink, tell yourself that it’s ok. Identify the reasons why you gave in to yourself and start afresh from the next morning.

Treatment through Mindfulness

The practice of mindfulness involves two primary elements: focused attention and open monitoring. During the practice of focused attention, attention is concentrated on a sensory object (often the sensation of breathing) while one acknowledges and then stops from distracting thoughts and emotions. Focused attention practices are often preceded by the practice of open monitoring. Open monitoring is a metacognitive state of awareness in the sense that it involves monitoring the content of consciousness while reflecting back on the process or quality of consciousness itself. This form of mindfulness practice is thought to reduce anxiety to a larger extent.

Alcohol addiction commonly known as alcoholism is a fairly common problem that has shown to affect people from every walk of life. Scientists have tried to pinpoint the absolute cause behind alcoholism, but to no success. Certain factors like sex, genetic, and socioeconomic factors have shown to have some effect on alcoholism. The cause of alcoholism is never singular. Alcohol addiction is indeed a disease, where a person may not have full control over his actions and is seen to change the neurochemistry of the brain.

The symptoms of alcohol addiction can be seen in many ways and the severity of the situation varies from person to person. Other factors such as the frequency of consumption may also be specific. While some people are heavy drinkers and drink throughout the day; others may drink occasionally and remain sober for a few days.

A person who is dependent on alcohol will prioritise drinking over other essential activities and will eventually cause disruption in his social life, work or other areas of his life. It can also create a negative effect in the victim’s life along with their families and their near and dear ones.

What are the signs of alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse?
The signs and symptoms of alcoholism or addiction are rather conspicuous. Since drinking alcohol is common in social events in most cultures around the world, it becomes difficult to recognise when someone is addicted to alcohol, unlike drugs like cocaine and heroin.

The physical signs of alcohol abuse include:

1. Loss of control over the quantity of alcohol consumed.
2. Lack of adequate sleep, followed by overcompensation for sleep.
3. Expression of anger and other negative behaviours my increase in inappropriate places and situations.
4. Lack of proper attention towards the priorities in life.

How does alcohol affect the body?
Chronic abuse of alcohol can have negative effects on almost every part of your body and plays havoc in your system. Alcohol is liable to cause irreversible damage to several organs of the body which is vital for sustenance:

• Nervous system
• Stomach or Intestines
• Liver
• Heart
• Brain

Alcoholism in itself can lead to several diseases like:

• High blood pressure
• Cancer
• Increased incidences of osteoporosis, especially in women
• Sexual issues