Alcohol addiction comes with a myriad of health-related issues. What’s even more alarming is that excessive alcohol use is a massive problem, contributing to around 140,000 deaths yearly in the US alone. Understanding how alcohol abuse happens is a vexing problem for many addiction treatment specialists and programs. Symptoms of alcohol abuse often occur gradually, making it hard to identify when casual drinking becomes problematic. Genetics, mental health, and social life can also influence alcohol abuse. As more data becomes available, alcohol use disorder treatment seeks to find the best methods of addressing the problems with alcohol.
Alcohol Addiction and Diseases
The sad reality is that if you have problems with alcohol, it is linked to numerous diseases and contributes to a growing epidemic. It’s the country’s third leading cause of preventable deaths, with more individuals succumbing to an alcohol-induced lifestyle solely due to its wide acceptance. Treatment programs are working to address these increasing numbers and provide clarity on addressing long-term sobriety.
If you or someone you know is looking for alcohol use disorder treatment, it’s essential to understand that every person’s needs are different. Speaking with a treatment specialist can provide information on the best steps to take as you work toward healing. Contact us 24/7 directly at 855-281-5588.
How Do You Know You Are Drinking Too Much?
Alcohol addiction is a condition that develops subtly. It starts slow and then gains momentum over time, and before you know it, you become a functioning alcoholic and cannot carry out your daily activities without drinking.
Alcohol use disorder treatment is not a one-size-fits-all situation, and a tailored approach has proven to help those seeking long-term sobriety. Our Colorado alcohol rehab program helps individuals understand the disease of addiction and address underlying mental health issues that may contribute to ongoing drinking. We’re also available to help individuals and families no matter where they exist on the spectrum of alcohol abuse. But how much is too much drinking?
According to the experts, having more than one drink a day for a woman or more than two a day for a man means taking too much alcohol. One drink is equal to:
- 1.5 ounces of liquor which includes rum, whisky, and tequila
- 12 ounces of beer
- 5 ounces of wine
When considering your drinking habits, you should also consider how much alcohol you take on average in a week. Heavy drinking means you take more than seven drinks a week for women or 14 drinks a week for men.
How Does Alcohol Use Disorder Affect Men and Women?
Alcohol Use Disorder affects both genders differently, but the results are almost always the same. Alcohol addiction leads to severe health-related issues, which include:
Liver Damage
This is one of the most common health-related conditions due to alcohol use disorder. Every time you drink, your liver filters the alcohol, and some of the cells die in the process. The liver then develops new cells, but the prolonged misuse of alcohol over the years reduces the ability for regeneration.
In the end, you will have severe and permanent damage to your liver.
Heart Disease
Excessive alcohol use can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, and heart failure. Excessive drinking of alcohol also contributes to cardiomyopathy, a disorder affecting the heart muscle.
Brain Damage
Excessive alcohol addiction can cause long-lasting effects on the neurotransmitters in your brain. Alcohol use disorder further destroys brain cells and contracts the brain tissue. This decreases their effectiveness.
Breast Cancer
There’s an association between drinking too much alcohol and breast cancer. Studies show that women who consume at least one drink a day have a higher chance of almost 9% developing breast cancer than women who don’t.
Signs That You Are Probably an Alcoholic
Some people will vehemently deny that they have an alcohol problem. If you are wondering about your drinking habits or someone you love, you can take our quiz “Am I Becoming An Alcoholic” to shed some light on problematic drinking.
Some of the most prevalent symptoms of alcohol use disorder include:
- An uncontrollable need to drink alcohol.
- The lack of control over how much you are drinking.
- Having negative thoughts when you do not drink alcohol.
- Drinking even under risky situations.
- Drinking even when it interferes with your life.
- Continuing to drink even when it causes more problems with alcohol, and makes your life worse.
- Alienating friends and family in a bid to keep drinking.
- Avoiding social activities and other events in a request to go drinking.
First-line Treatment
Alcohol use disorder treatment is a personal decision. No one can make this decision for you, and taking those first initial steps toward recovery is essential. Our Colorado Springs and Denver alcohol rehab centers can provide the tools you need to get started on the path to sobriety. While it’s not an easy journey, a life without alcohol is possible.
But, once you do, you will find that alcohol use disorder is a treatable disease, and the effects can be reversed, regardless of what you may have suffered or done.
There are several options for treatment, which include:
Counseling and Support
Therapy is one of the most successful treatment options if you have problems with alcohol. Most inpatient treatment facilities offer this option and can help you understand why you suffer from the disease and how you can overcome it.
Some treatment options, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), have successfully treated alcohol use disorder.
Medication
If you suffer from severe or moderate AUD, you can have your doctor prescribe some medication to help you. These must be followed strictly and under medical supervision because a person with an addiction may get addicted to anything.
The most common medications used with AUD include:
- Benzodiazepines like lorazepam
- Alprazolam
- Diazepam
Other drug options are used to decrease the risks associated with alcohol withdrawal, such as seizures.
Inpatient Treatment
Residential treatment is one of the most successful treatment options for people with severe alcohol use disorder.
The person with an addiction will live in the treatment facility for the duration of the treatment. The medical professionals offer first-hand treatment for withdrawal symptoms and ensure you are away from alcohol triggers.
Outpatient Rehabilitation
This involves visiting the treatment facility only when you need to go for counseling and other group activities.
This can be very successful if the treatment program is followed strictly and the person with an addiction has good support from family and friends at home. It also involves group therapy options, AA treatment, and many other programs to help those seeking treatment remain sober and avoid relapsing.
AspenRidge Colorado Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment Center
We are Colorado’s leading alcohol use disorder treatment provider, including mental health and dual diagnosis. Our treatment options work for individuals seeking a life of sobriety.
If you wonder what are the main problems with alcohol? We provide lasting solutions and outpatient care programs to individuals and their families suffering from these conditions. Our compassionate and licensed staff is here to help you move toward long-term recovery.
We provide lasting solutions and outpatient care programs to individuals and their families suffering from these conditions. Call us today at 855-281-5588. Our compassionate and licensed staff is here to help you move toward long-term recovery.
