Watching for the Signs of Alcohol Addiction

Addictions are conditions many tend to believe they’re immune to—“It won’t happen to me,” we often say—but the truth is alcoholism and addictions, in general, are more common than people think.

The truth is that 19.7 million Americans aged 12 and up have dealt with an addiction of some kind in 2017 alone. These substance abuse disorders not only damage the people struggling with them and their loved ones, but also hurt the country’s economy. Between absence in the workplace, criminal charges, healthcare, and therapy costs, drug addiction costs the United States more than $740 billion every year.

Anyone can be feeding into an addiction without realizing it, which is why identifying the signs of alcoholism is crucial. You should not only be aware of what puts you at risk of alcohol addiction, but what may endanger your friends and family.

Stressful Environments and Time Periods

The strain of personal life is one of the most common reasons people abuse alcohol. From troubles in the workplace to arguing in the household, financial problems, deadlines, personal obligations, the list goes on.

Adding alcohol to the mix, however, is often not a solution to these problems, but makes them much worse. Alcohol addictions tend to make their victims neglectful of their problems rather than solve them, ultimately magnifying them.

It’s important to keep in mind if you or a loved one are prone to stressful situations. You may also be more prone to alcohol addiction, as well as with other substances.

Loneliness and Lack of Companionship

Humans are social animals—we often enjoy people’s company and feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment with friends, social groups, or even soulmates. At the same time, it’s easy for us to get jealous of other people with relationships we don’t have, so alcohol might seem like an easy way to numb the pain that comes with solitude.

Alcohol addictions can not only push lonely feelings further, but it can hurt any relationships you currently have or even future relationships. The dependence on alcohol can make decision-making, memory recall, and managing a relationship much more difficult.

A lack of self-esteem can also impact a person’s sense of loneliness, making them want to isolate themselves and resort to alcoholism. Watching out for a person’s confidence can be an important factor to diagnose addiction.

Mental Disorders and Anxiety

It’s not uncommon that people who deal with mental disorders, such as depression or even anxiety disorders, are often more susceptible to alcohol and substance addictions. This is especially true if their conditions go untreated, making victims feel trapped.

Over 40 million Americans deal with anxiety disorders, but less than half of them receive any proper treatment. On the other hand, drinking alcohol with medications can also not only make the addiction worse, but, in some cases, can be outright deadly.

When dealing with people who struggle with mental disorders, helping them seek the right treatment and avoid abusing alcohol is crucial to avoid addiction.

Knowing how or why you may be more vulnerable to alcohol addiction and the symptoms that can lead to it is important to be aware of. Having an addiction because of these conditions, however, doesn’t doom you or leave you doomed from treatment.

If you or a loved one is dealing with alcohol addiction, consider seeking a local alcohol addiction program in Tennessee. At Discovery Place, you can find multiple programs for addict victims or family members alike. Consider looking into Discovery Place’s 30 Day Residental Treatment program in Burns, Tennessee or call at 1-800-725-0922.