What is Alcohol Addiction?
In modern healthcare, addiction is classified as a mental health disorder called substance use disorder. Addiction is not simply someone’s lack of self-control; it goes much deeper, affecting the brain on a chemical level which results in a compulsive need to drink alcohol. Sometimes these compulsions are triggered by high-stress or emotional events; other times, continued abuse of alcohol causes withdrawal symptoms that make being sober unbearably painful. What’s important to understand is that no one is at fault for the development of an addiction — it emerges slowly as a response to a growing dependency on alcohol and eventually progresses beyond the control of the addict or those around them.
Since alcohol use is ubiquitous in modern American culture, it can be difficult to identify someone who is addicted to alcohol — or, it can be easy for someone who is addicted to pass their alcohol use off as normal behavior. At The Guest House Ocala we offer some insight into signs that might indicate alcohol addiction versus normal drinking habits, including:
- Drinking every day, possibly for many years
- Drinking interferes with responsibilities like school, work or family
- An increase over time in the amount of alcohol it takes for an individual to become intoxicated
- Continued alcohol use even if it causes problems with important aspects of life, such as relationships or finances
- Associated risky behaviors such as drunk driving, getting into fights or having unprotected sex
If you are questioning your own drinking habits or the drinking habits of someone close to you, addiction experts everywhere agree that reaching out for help is best done sooner rather than later. When left alone, alcoholism can take over a struggling addict’s life and trap them in a cycle of self-destructive behaviors. Finding a diagnosis and getting necessary treatment is the most effective way to help prevent long-lasting harm.