Could last night’s drinking binge be the sign of a problem? When taking out the recycling, did the amount of empty alcoholic beverage containers worry you? Although you can’t always point to alcohol dependence as a result of these signs, there are a few other real alcoholic symptoms that make a compelling point. Do you know what they are?
Is it an Addiction?
Mayo Clinic experts explain that the symptoms associated with alcohol use disorder not only vary in number but also in severity. Although not an exhaustive list of possible signs, look for the most commonly reported ones:
- Involvement of alcohol in daily life. You or a loved one may spend a lot of time buying alcoholic beverages, drinking them, dealing with the physical symptoms of a hangover, and cleaning up empty bottles or glasses. Doing so becomes a daily process as the severity of the dependence increases.
- Losing the ability to control consumption. Does the amount of alcohol you consume worry you? Do you make plans to only drink on the weekends? Do you find that when you arrive home from work, you can’t stop yourself from drinking anyway? An inability to limit your drinking, as well as how much you consume at one time are signs of a problem.
- Intrusive alcohol use. When you or a loved one is unable to make it to a work-related meeting because of a hangover, the use of alcohol is intruding into important daily activities. As the severity of alcoholic symptoms gets stronger, you’ll also notice this intrusion in your personal life. You may experience relationship problems or frictions within your circle of friends.
Physical Alcoholic Symptoms in the Later Stages of the Disorder
Remember that alcohol addiction doesn’t limit itself to social and emotional signs. You may also notice a number of physical symptoms as your dependence get stronger. Since alcohol abuse is a gradual addiction, the physical symptoms come on little by little. Examples include nausea and other signs of physical sickness when you go without alcohol for too long. Your hands may shake, and you may notice an increase in your heart rate that feels as though you’re nervous about something. Gradual liver and kidney failures may begin to show up on blood screenings.
Get Help Now!
There’s never a wrong time to get help with alcohol addiction. No matter the severity of the symptoms or the length of time you’ve spent using alcohol, you don’t have to let this drug control your life for another day. Whether you’ve noticed that you’re showing some or all of the symptoms associated with an alcohol use disorder, there’s still a way out of the addiction’s vicious cycle. A quality rehab program that offers professional assistance from friendly staff members, who understand the intricacies of the problems associated with your addiction, is the lifeline you’ll need. Call 866-957-4960 today so we can help you find the right program to get on the road to recovery.