Alcohol use disorder, more commonly known as alcoholism, is a chronic, worsening condition that impacts a person’s wellbeing and health. What makes alcohol addiction challenging is that many people can drink alcohol without being at risk for developing an addiction. Others may not need a lot of consistent alcohol use to develop dependence.
For a loved one watching their family member, it is hard to know if they need help or if they are just having a few drinks with friends. If you are unsure if your loved one has developed an addiction, reach out to our team at America’s Rehab Campuses to gain more insight and support. We are here to help answer your questions.
Common Signs of Alcohol Use Disorder
One of the best ways to know if your loved one is struggling with an alcohol use disorder is to simply consider their current behaviors and determine what has changed. Here are some common signs of addiction forming:
Changes in behavior
Many people begin to act differently. They may be surrounded by people that are different. Sometimes they will:
- Drink alone
- Isolate themselves from other people
- No longer engage in things they used to love to do
- No longer put in the same amount of time and effort into personal hygiene
- Drink at work or at school
- They may drink in the morning
If you are noticing these types of symptoms, it is common to believe that alcohol misuse is occurring. However, that’s not all that may happen. For example, some people are high functioning alcoholics. That means that they are able to go to work and meet some of their responsibilities at home. What’s different, though, is that they may not be able to do their job as well. They may find themselves unable to focus on what they need to do because of what’s occurring.
In short, a person with an alcohol addiction is not necessarily someone that is stumbling around and unable to participate in life. More so, this could be a person that is having a few drinks each day after work. It does not have to be a large amount of alcohol.
Understanding Alcohol Dependence
At the core of addiction to alcohol is the development of dependence. As a loved one, this is where you may be critical to the support of a person’s ability to break free from addiction. Dependence occurs when the body and brain require access to alcohol to feel normal and function throughout the day. This is evident in the development of withdrawal symptoms.
If your loved one tried to stop drinking, they may experience symptoms such as:
- Intense headaches
- Insomnia
- Intense anxiety and even paranoia
- Physical pain in their bones and muscles
- Vomiting and nausea
As this occurs, a person may struggle with the inability to stop using. They may want to, but they may be unable to just stop. When this occurs, it is nearly essential to help your loved one to get into an alcohol detox program. Otherwise, they may not be able to overcome this addiction on their own.
How to Help Your Loved One with Alcohol Addiction Treatment in Arizona
It is critical to know that, in 2019, 14.5 million people suffered from an alcohol use disorder as adults. That is an incredibly large number of people who need help. Yet, many of them will never get that help. That is because this condition is often overlooked, and symptoms are not noticed soon enough. For many people, it is not possible to simply stop using alcohol. Their cravings are simply too strong to just stop it. They need someone to help support them in reaching out for treatment.
You can prevent this in your loved one by seeking out one-on-one support from our team at America’s Rehab Campuses. Contact us today for help. We can offer one-on-one guidance to you about your loved one’s options, including as related to detox, inpatient treatment, and outpatient care. There is no cure for addiction, but there are tools that can help a person to live with this condition and not let it cost them their life.
