Monday, October 8, 2007

What is Alcohol Addiction?

What is Alcohol Addiction?
Alcohol addiction is a devastating disease that affects
millions of individuals worldwide. When one experiences an
addiction to alcohol, they become dependent on it as the
factor that starts to control all aspects of their life.

The addiction is both physical and mental. These
individuals lose every ounce of control they have when it
comes to consuming alcohol. They feel as if they must
drink. Normally, these individuals do not stop drinking
until they have actually passed out from consuming too much.

Eventually, it gets to the point in which the person must
consume larger amounts to get the same feelings of euphoria
that the consumption provided in the past. If an individual
attempts to quit consuming the substance, they will
actually experience a withdrawal which includes anxiety,
nausea, and similar symptoms. The withdrawal that many
people experience is similar to those addicted to drugs who
cease engaging in drug activity.

Many individuals who experience an alcohol addiction find
that it leads to numerous complications in their life. This
may include problems at work, relationship troubles, issues
with health, and even problems that are legal in nature.
When an individual has an addiction to alcohol, they will
normally continue to drink even when these negative
consequences and issues keep occurring.

When a person experiences the demoralizing disease of
alcohol addiction, it lasts the entire lifetime. It does
not disappear, but can be held in a state of remission by
not drinking any more. There are many common risks that are
associated with developing this disease. Many individuals
simply make the wrong choices and ended up becoming
addicted to this substance. Many individuals have a genetic
predisposition to developing an addiction of this nature.
While there is no known cure for this disease, there are
many preventive measures that an individual with an alcohol
addiction can practice to avoid consuming this substance.

If you are a person who believes that you may be addicted
to alcohol, there are many common indicators that may mean
that you have a problem. They are:

• Drinking early in the morning

• Hiding your drinking

• Having feelings of guilt when drinking

• Others have mentioned that you may have a problem

• You feel as if you need to drink

• If you do not drink, you experience anxiety

• You want to quit, but cannot seem to control the urge to
drink

• If you do not drink, you actually feel sick

If you find that any of the above situations sound
familiar, you may have an issue with alcohol addiction.
There are many places that you can seek assistance with
this medical condition. You should enlist the help of a
friend or someone in your family to help as far as
emotional support while receiving help for your problem.

It is important to understand, that while getting help for
alcohol addiction, it is best to completely eliminate this
substance from your life. Many individuals try to quit
drinking a little at a time, but since an addiction to
alcohol makes a person lose control, this may not work.
This is true even in individuals who have the best of
intentions.

Alcohol addiction is a widespread disease. In the United
States alone, nearly forty five percent of people drink
large amounts of alcohol. In addition to this figure, there
are many preteens and teenagers that meet the criteria for
alcohol addiction.

This is a devastating fact. Not only can alcohol addiction
pose a severe financial strain on the individual that
suffers from it, it also increases the possibility of
experiencing a life threatening condition. Furthermore, it
can take a toll on those that you love and care about. If
you suffer from alcohol addiction, take a stand and get the
assistance that you need.


----------------------------------------------------
Pick up your Free 101 page Addiction Recovery Help Guide
just for visiting our site. Bill Urell MA.CAAP-II, is an
addictions therapist at a leading treatment center,
teaching healthy recovery skills. Visit:
http://www.AddictionRecoveryBasics.com

No comments: