Alcoholism doesn’t always look like binge drinking at a party.
An alcoholic could just be a person who never turns down a drink, even if they only have one or two beers at a time. A drinking problem can manifest as feeling like every stressful encounter needs a glass of wine to handle. At its core, alcoholism is a dependency that bleeds into nearly every aspect of life. When you notice an addiction to alcohol, your first instinct might be justification. You’re just trying to handle the curveballs of life the best way you can…it can’t be that big of a problem, right?
When you suspect you have a drinking problem, alcohol detox centers are ready to help. They’ll provide you the means of addressing your addiction practically, with a support system cheering you on every step of the way.
Alcoholism is one of the biggest health issue facing Americans today. It’s right up there with high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s disease, and obesity as a severe long-term condition. What makes this a particularly difficult issue to treat is its glorification in mainstream media. People who drink are regularly exposed to advertisements and films that put alcohol consumption on a pedestal. This makes it difficult to ask for help or even realize there’s a problem in the first place.
The medical industry regularly sees alcohol cases brought to their front steps. Among emergency room patients admitted for injuries, nearly 50% will test positive for alcohol and 35% will be heavily intoxicated. Of those that are intoxicated, 75% will show signs of chronic alcoholism that has gone untreated for years. The average alcohol addiction patient will receive eight years after the age in which they develop the condition. The sooner you reach out for treatment, the better.
Drinking problems that are not addressed run the risk of exposing a person to delirium tremens. Shortened to ‘DT’, this is a severe condition that will involve a sudden mental or nervous system change. This develops within two to three days after the last drink, but can show up as late as 10 days later. Acute withdrawal is a phase of withdrawal that can last between three to five days — this includes nausea, headache, fainting, memory loss, and impaired motor function. Last, but not least, post-acute withdrawal syndrome (or PAWS) can last a year or more.
The drug detox process is a reliable method of addressing these symptoms medically. It also must be completed before drug rehab can begin. Alcohol detox centers will provide you the means of reducing your symptoms and, thus, your craving for alcohol. They’ll ask for an overview of your family history — alcoholism is a genetic condition that can be predisposed if your parents or grandparents faced something similar. Today more than 7% of the American population over the ages of 18 have problems with drinking.
Nearly 15 million people are in need of a helping hand. If you show signs of depending on alcohol overmuch, reach out to alcohol detox centers in your area and sign up for an appointment. Bring any data on your family history, as well as an overview on how much you drink and for what reasons. If you’ve been recently diagnosed for a mental illness, inform your doctor so they can better redirect you to therapy services. Every little bit goes a long way on the road to recovery.
There’s no shame in admitting you need help. Let alcoholism therapy in Fort Lauderdale improve your quality of life this year.
