Is there someone close to you who you believe is struggling with alcoholism? It’s often difficult to see the differences between alcohol abuse and what could be considered alcohol addiction or as it’s commonly known alcoholism. The distinction, however semantic it may appear, can make it more obvious to you whether or not your friend, parent, significant other, loved one or child needs to seek professional help at a treatment centre or participate in rehab.
It should be noted that while the following signs are common indicators someone is struggling with alcohol addiction, there are other indicators as well. If you are unsure your friend or loved one is suffering from an addiction to alcohol, and want a second opinion, please reach out to a medical professional, addiction specialist or your local addiction treatment center that specializes in alcohol addiction treatment.
Deteriorating Health
Drinking too much and too frequently has very serious effects on the human body. This, coupled with the often frustrating lack of awareness of the loved one suffering, can become increasingly problematic if left unchecked. If you notice a pattern similar to this unfolding with a friend or loved one, encourage them to enter an alcohol rehab program quickly, as they are more and more at risk of serious health complications the longer this goes on.
A Disconnect From Friends and Family
This sad and all too common warning sign of alcohol abuse is often one of the first to be noticed. A loved one or friend is losing interest in those around them, and would prefer to spend their time with a bottle rather than a spouse or good friend. Perhaps they seek out the attention of different family members, friends or acquaintances that drink heavily or more often in an effort to not be judged or shamed, but in the end their closest relationships take hit after hit until they are completely eroded by resentment and contempt.
Neglecting Responsibilities and Obligations
School, work, family activities and social functions are suddenly afterthoughts and are losing meaning to your friend or family member. Their primary concern, their “raison d’etre”, is quickly shifting from work and family barbeques to planning out their next drinking session or prioritizing time alone where a few drinks can be thoroughly enjoyed. Bosses are calling, teachers are noticing more and more absences and close relations are feeling hurt and confused as to why they suddenly don’t seem to matter. It’s not uncommon to notice this behavior in alcoholic, and it’s important that before irreparable damage is done to their careers and families, that they seek treatment and go through rehab.
A Loved One is Suffering From Another Condition as Well as Alcoholism
Addiction experts have found that many people who abuse alcohol also suffer from mental illness or some kind of pre-existing physical ailment. Seeking professional help, particularly for mental health issues is often very time consuming and difficult, which discourages many of those suffering to pursue treatment. Often times they are unaware what is causing them so much pain or discomfort, and resort to alcohol to mitigate the damage or soothe their suffering. This can quickly escalate to alcohol abuse, and make pre-existing conditions worse, therefore seeking treatment would be the best course of action.
Repeated Attempts to Stop Drinking
Perhaps your friend or loved one knows they have a problem, and have tried to handle it themselves but it doesn’t stick. This is commonplace when struggling with an addiction to any substance, especially alcohol. If someone close to you has tried to stop or curb their drinking, but cannot, they are putting themselves at risk of withdrawal symptoms as well as setting themselves up to fail, which can have a very negative impact on their mental well-being. In these situations it’s best that the loved one in question seeks out a treatment that offers a detox program, to ease them through the withdrawal phase with careful medical supervision. The next step would be encouraging your friend or loved one to participate in a rehab program to treat the underlying issues behind their alcohol abuse, and the alcoholism directly.
