How To Recognize Alcohol Addiction? Warning Signals.
3 min readAlcohol dependence is a disease that can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, education or place of residence. A disease that develops over the years, often almost imperceptibly causing further consequences and irreparable losses.
A disease that is stigmatized due to many harmful myths and stereotypes, which in our society is unconsciously supported by the famous “you won’t drink with me ?!”, herring “or” on the other leg “. These social alcohol conventions, as well as attachment to a pleasant state after the proverbial glass of wine, often make it difficult to look at the problem of addiction soberly and face it personally. Remember that alcoholism is a disease and, as with any other disease, it is good to take care of prophylaxis in advance, learn about the symptoms and check them at home, and contact a specialist if you are concerned about something.
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So what should you pay attention to in your use of the substance? What should raise our vigilance and when would it be good to go to a specialist?
Are There Any Amounts Of Alcohol That Are Safe For My Health?
Alcohol is a poison that, if consumed in excessive amounts, has a negative impact on our health by flushing out vitamins and micronutrients, and also leads to over 200 different diseases and health damages. The World Health Organization ranks alcohol the third largest health risk factor behind smoking and high blood pressure. The WHO has set limits on the amount of alcohol you drink, the compliance with which carries a low risk of harm to health – NOTE – low, not zero!
What Is Addiction Tendency?
We distinguish certain personal and environmental characteristics that make individuals more susceptible to addiction. It is worth being aware of them in order to avoid falling into addiction.
People with a high level of anxiety, high sensitivity or frequent mood swings, as well as people with low mood, depression or frequent anger are more likely to become addicted. Alcohol alleviates these unpleasant states, making its effects seem more attractive to these people, and they tend to use alcohol more quickly. On the other hand, impulsive and sensation-seeking people are also susceptible to addiction – for them, alcohol is associated with entertainment and the desire to feel joy, excitement and enhancing a pleasant state as much as possible.
Another risk factor is the environment in which we operate. A social group that abuses alcohol, or alcohol often consumed in the family home, and even more so, the parent’s addiction is conducive to his own addiction because the consumption of alcohol seems to be something natural, indispensable and accompanying building social bonds and spending free time.
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Addiction may also have biological reasons, and more specifically genetic reasons related to the inheritance of the tendency to addiction and, according to research, concerns mainly men.
Does it mean that we are safe without the features described above? No, only those who do not drink at all can be sure that they will not be addicted. If you are not abstinent, you may become addicted at some point in your life, so it is worth monitoring your drinking style, especially if there are significant changes in your life, or if there are adversities causing stress and difficult emotions.
What Are The First Signs That Alcohol Dependence May Be Developing?
What’s the difference between a person who just touches or is about to touch this dangerous line of addiction to the safe drinker? Such a person drinks as much or little more than everyone else. Symptomatic behavior related to addiction at this stage will be related to the psychological aspects and attitude to the substance – alcohol becomes more and more important in life, such a person begins to notice that it can act as a “medicine” for improving mood or relaxation. He can create and initiate drinking opportunities more and more.
If you are in this place, it is worth redefining your attitude towards alcohol and looking for other ways to deal with difficult emotions, stress or boredom.