How Do I Know if I’m an Alcoholic

In a world where alcohol is a widely used substance, whether you’re of legal drinking age or not, it’s difficult to know if you’re an alcoholic. Thousands and thousands of people die each year from alcohol-related problems, but many go unnoticed. This is due to several reasons, but many people don’t see alcohol use disorder or alcohol addiction as the primary cause. Some statistics only focus on drunk driving numbers, but many die far too soon due to alcohol-related medical issues. One of the biggest issues is people don’t know what the signs of alcoholism are, so they can get help when they need it. Alcoholism, which we now refer to as alcohol use disorder or alcohol addiction, is highly treatable. At Beaches Recovery, our counselors, therapists, and medical professionals can help an individual understand the disease and heal from it properly.

How Does Someone Become an Alcoholic?

Not everyone who drinks alcohol will develop an alcohol addiction, but certain risk factors make a person more prone to it. Due to alcoholism and genetics, if alcohol abuse runs in your family, you are at a much higher risk of developing an alcohol use disorder. Genetics or a family history doesn’t mean an individual is fated to abuse alcohol, however. Rather, it means individuals need to be more aware and educated about their choices so they recognize the signs of the disease of addiction taking hold. This is one of the factors, but most people develop alcoholism for many other reasons. These are some of the most common risk factors for developing an addiction to alcohol:

• Untreated or undiagnosed mental health disorders
• Environment someone was raised in
• Age someone started drinking
• The way a person copes with everyday stress

Like any disease, alcohol use disorder requires professional support to heal from and recover. But when individuals are aware of the signs or symptoms of alcohol addiction, they are better positioned to find the help they need for themselves or those they care about.

What are The Signs of an Alcoholic?

They often say that alcoholism is a very cunning disease, which is extremely true due to how it affects the brain. Addiction affects two very crucial parts of the brain. When someone develops alcoholism, the most powerful part of the brain, meant for survival, tells the alcoholic person they need to drink. Unfortunately, the part of the brain meant for making logical decisions is not functioning properly.

Those who develop alcoholism struggle with two primary symptoms that manifest in a variety of different ways. The first symptom is the person has a physical craving that makes him or her lose the power of choice over alcohol. If you find that you’re incapable of stopping or moderating once you start drinking, this is a clear sign of alcoholism. The other symptom is a mental obsession when a person constantly thinks about drinking or arranging his or her life around the next drink.

Getting Help for Alcoholism

Beaches Recovery, an addiction treatment center located in beautiful Jacksonville, Florida, will help you overcome alcohol addiction. As a Joint Commission-accredited facility, we use treatment methods that have been proven to help people overcome addiction. We want to provide you with the hope that you no longer have to be a slave to alcohol. You can go on to live an incredible life. Some of the various treatment programs we offer here include:

• First responder alcohol treatment program
• Student addiction treatment
• Executive alcohol rehab

Find out more about how Beaches Recovery can help you get better and live a new life. Call an addiction specialist today at 866.605.0532, or contact us online.