Alcoholism Treatment, Causes, Signs, Symptoms, Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

What is Alcoholism?

Alcoholism is clinically referred to as alcohol use disorder (AUD). It is a common, chronic, and progressive medical condition that involves the compulsive consumption of alcohol. Not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic. However, anyone whose life is negatively affected by alcohol consistently is considered to have an alcohol use disorder. Examples of this include failing to fulfill work, family, or social obligations as a result of recurrent drinking. Moreover, regular or frequent drinking means drinking alcohol most days and weeks. If you are concerned that you or someone you love has a problem with alcohol there are alcoholism treatment options available.

Alcohol is commonly consumed as a drink in various forms. Examples are beer, wine, and hard liquor. Alcoholism is organized into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe. You could also be becoming dependent on alcohol. So, if you find it very difficult to enjoy yourself or relax without having a drink, you could have become psychologically dependent on it. Alcoholism treatment is necessary once there is a psychological or physiological dependence, especially when both kinds of dependency are present.

Alcoholism Symptoms

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention [1], excessive alcohol use is the fourth leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

Signs and Symptoms May Include:

  • Worrying about where your next drink is coming from and planning social, family and work events around alcohol.
  • Spending a lot of time drinking, getting alcohol or recovering from alcohol use.
  • Feeling a strong craving or urge to drink alcohol and finding it hard to stop once you start.
  • Wanting to cut down on how much you drink or making unsuccessful attempts to do so.
  • Using alcohol in situations where it’s not safe, such as when driving.
  • Waking up and drinking, or feeling the need to have a drink in the morning.
  • Suffering from withdrawal symptoms, such as sweating, shaking and nausea, which stop once you drink alcohol.

Acute alcohol intoxication is a condition associated with drinking too much alcohol in a short period of time. It’s also called alcohol poisoning. In short, alcohol intoxication is serious. It affects your body temperature, breathing, heart rate, and gag reflex.

Physical symptoms of alcohol withdrawal:

  • Hand tremors (‘the shakes’)
  • Sweating
  • Nausea
  • Visual hallucinations (seeing things that are not actually real)
  • Seizures (fits) in the most serious cases

AWS or Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome (AWS) is a set of symptoms that can occur following a reduction in alcohol use after a period of excessive use. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal occur primarily in the central nervous system. This adjustment period causes the painful side effects of alcohol withdrawal.

Psychological symptoms of alcohol withdrawal:

  • depression
  • anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Restlessness
  • Insomnia (difficulty sleeping)

Causes of Alcoholism

The most common causes of alcoholism are:

  • Drinking at an early age. New findings showed that early drinking was associated with developing alcoholism. This is according to National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [2].
  • Psychiatric disorders like depression, anxiety, mood and personality disorder, or other mental health issues can increase the risk of alcoholism. Further, it’s easy to turn to alcohol when a person is feeling anxious or depressed.  The effects of alcohol may seem to temporarily ease those feelings. Because of this, it can resort to drinking more, leading to alcohol addiction.
  • Stressful Environments. According to the US National Library of Medicine National [3], environmental stress is the most potent. Some people turn to alcohol to relieve stress.
  • Family history. Risk of alcoholism increase if you have a parent or other relative who is alcoholic. Children who have one parent who struggles with alcohol use disorder have 3-4 times increased risk of becoming an alcoholic themselves. This is according to American Addiction Center [4]
  • Taking alcohol with medicine. Some medicines can increase the toxic effects of alcohol on the body. When a person continually takes alcohol with their medications, they may become addicted to the effects that follow – some of which have the capability to be very dangerous and even life-threatening.

Alcoholism Treatment

Medical Detox Program

Medical Detox or Detoxification is the process by which an addicted person clears their body from alcohol and or drugs due to substance use disorder, and begins recovery from their addiction.  Drug detox and rehabilitation centers help alcoholics ease and reduce withdrawal symptoms and their corresponding dangerous side effects.  Detox is the first step in alcoholism treatment.

Withdrawing from alcohol on your own can be life-threatening and incredibly dangerous due to severe symptoms like heart palpitations and seizures. That’s why medical drug detox is needed because it’s a safe and effective way to withdraw from substance abuse with a lower risk of complications. Medical detox treatments are designed for your particular chemical dependency to come off drug and alcohol abuse.

Did you know that our alcohol detox can help prevent and treat delirium tremens? Also, an extremely severe form of alcohol withdrawal can cause body tremors, hallucinations, and seizures.

Other benefits of a alcoholism treatment with medical detox include:

  • Receive 24/7 medical care and support.
  • Recovery away from access to drugs and alcohol.
  • Receive medications that eliminate or reduce withdrawal symptoms.
  • Reduced risk for relapse, overdose, and death.
  • Recovery without having to juggle responsibilities related to work, school, and family.
  • Improve your physical and mental health.
Alcoholism Treatment
One in 12 people requires alcoholism treatment or drug rehab. Alcoholism Treatment medical detox programs provide a safe supervised & monitored setting allowing for more comfortable and reduced withdrawal symptoms

Alcoholism Treatment Plans

Our in-house medical team will design your treatment program to support long-term recovery, using cutting-edge methods in a serene residential setting. Above all, you’ll find a luxury healing setting that offers advanced programs to address your personal needs. Alcoholism treatment does not need to be uncomfortable. You should not have to be in a box. We address that issue.

Levels of Care:

  • Alcoholism Medial Detox
  • Inpatient Alcoholism Treatment
  • Aftercare for Alumni
  • Family Support for all clients
  • Outpatient/PHP Rehabilitation after inpatient alcoholism treatment

Programs, services, and treatments vary. We Level Up CA rehab center offers inpatient alcoholism treatment coupled with co-occurring dual-diagnosis programs. We treat the entirety of addiction and behavioral health disorders including their secondary corresponding illnesses to improve long-term recovery outcomes. Get a free health assessment and find out what treatment options are most suitable for you. Call to learn more.

If you or your loved one is suffering from alcoholism, indeed help is just a phone call away. Professional alcoholism treatment is necessary for fast and effective recovery. To learn more, contact us today at We Level Up CA Treatment Facility, we provide utmost care with doctors and medical staff available 24/7 for life-changing and lasting recovery. We provide an enhanced opportunity to return to a fulfilling and productive life.

Sources:

[1] Disease Control and Prevention – https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/13_0293.htm

[2] National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/early-drinking-linked-higher-lifetime-alcoholism-risk

[3] US National Library of Medicine National -https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3860387/PREVIOUSPsychiatric Disorders TreatmentNEXTCocaine Addiction Treatment


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