Over 17 million people in the United States suffer from some form of alcoholism or alcohol dependence. Alcoholism is often a gradual, progressive disease with warning signs so subtle that they are undetectable until it’s too late to keep a sufferer from plunging head first into the agony of alcoholism. The physical and emotional toll of alcoholism is often present in our news stories. We hear of people blacking out and harming loved ones without even remembering it. We hear about the tragedy of DUI fatalities. We see people lose families and jobs because they simply can’t stop drinking. The question is, can we detect these outcomes before they become a reality? The answer is yes. It’s possible to see someone heading for alcoholism before they ever get there. Unfortunately, few people pay attention these warning signs while there is still time to prevent worst case scenarios from happening. If warning signs are present, it’s natural to want to Find Drug Treatment Centers in Mashantucket CT.
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A few startling facts about alcoholism
Young people are especially susceptible to the evils of alcoholism. It ranks as a third contributing cause of death in teenagers, an alarming statistic for parents and all those who care about the young. They are often too fragile or inexperienced to notice the warning signs of impending danger. Alcohol contributes to many assaults, homicides, suicides and cases of homelessness in the United States, and yet alcohol is so socially acceptable that you’ll find it in even the most innocent of sit down restaurants. How this came to be is a mystery but it’s a huge part of social life in the United States and therefore people often view alcoholics as the exception to the rule. In reality, alcoholism affects over 17 million sufferers in the United States alone and it doesn’t just affect the alcoholics themselves. Their families and friends are often terrified of the behavior of the alcoholic as he or she continues to make baffling decisions while under the influence or withdrawing from the drug.
Families and friends
Naturally, friends and families want to know where to turn to for help. They look for answers and at first find none. They bargain with the alcoholic, believing that if they just love them enough they will stop drinking. Yet after brief attempts to quit, the alcoholic often gives in to innocent situations and drinks again, resulting in disastrous consequences. Warning signs of pending danger are clear.
Common warning signs of alcoholism
The first question many alcoholics have is how to tell if you are an alcoholic. There are a few hallmark warning signs that support a diagnosis of alcoholism.
#1. Financial difficulty: Alcoholics frequently spend outrageous amounts of money on alcohol and then on things while under the influence that they otherwise wouldn’t have purchased.
#2. Occupational difficulty: Alcoholics may lose jobs or encounter trouble with co-workers or employers.
#3. Difficult in school: If the alcoholic is younger, they may experience a decline in school performance or drop out of school altogether so that they can focus on drinking and dealing with the physical effects of drinking.
#4. Withdrawal symptoms: Alcohol is a dangerous drug to withdraw from once the addiction truly takes hold. Many alcoholics experience tremors or even seizures during withdrawal, as well as sweating, nausea, and even hallucinations.
#5. Conflict with loved ones: As loved ones struggle to point out the addiction to the alcoholic, the alcoholic may begin to excuse behavior or make empty promises to stop drinking. In the end, it amounts to broken promises and hearts for families, friends, and the alcoholic himself.
Getting help
If these warning signs are present, it’s time to get help. Convincing an alcoholic to seek treatment is often impossible for family and friends. The alcoholic himself has to make the decision to get help no matter how difficult it is. While it’s definitely not easy, recovery from alcoholism is possible, and there are remarkable success stories of alcoholics who experienced all the deadly disease threw at them but emerged triumphant in sobriety for decades. It can happen. The key is to never give up hope. No matter how far down the road an alcoholic has drawn, it takes only a single day and a single decision to seek treatment to turn things around and begin the journey toward health and recovery.
Recognizing the warning signs of alcoholism can help to arrest the disease before it truly results in catastrophic consequences. People don’t have to lose family, friends, and jobs before they begin the long walk on the road to recovery. The first step is to contact a professional who can direct an alcoholic to inpatient treatment.
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