Call 888-647-0579 to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.

Who Answers?

Recognizing the signs of alcoholism

Having a glass of wine with dinner every night or drinking a few beers at a ballgame doesn’t mean that you have an alcohol problem – does it? Drinking in moderation – up to one drink a day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men – may be no cause for concern. How can you be sure, though? It may be hard to tell how alcohol is affecting your life. People often have a hard time admitting that they drink too much. However, staying in the dark about your alcohol use can be bad for your health.

Why worry?

Some studies link moderate alcohol use to a lower risk of heart disease. Heavy drinking is a different story, though. It raises your risk for certain types of stroke and cancer. It also can cause cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and problems with your immune system.

Your alcohol use can put others at risk, too. Drinking during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome (a variable group of birth defects). It can also cause serious physical, mental and behavioral problems for your baby. Drinking and driving puts everyone on the road in danger.

A blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of just 0.02 percent can impair driving skills. If a 160-pound man drinks two beers, his BAC will be twice that amount, or 0.04. Smaller people need to drink even less to reach this level.

Review your risk

At every age, men are more likely than women to have drinking problems. Alcoholism also runs in families. However, having an alcoholic parent doesn’t necessarily mean you will be one, too.

Have a heart-to-heart

Ask friends and family about how they view your drinking. They may have noticed that you’re anxious or depressed. You may have been in traffic accidents or received tickets. They may see that you’re not sleeping well, lacking self-esteem or not doing well at work. These are all signs of a possible problem.

Reach for recovery

Talk with your doctor if you’re worried about your drinking. Alcoholism can be treated with therapy. Sometimes medication is prescribed for withdrawal and cravings.

Successful recovery depends on abstaining from alcohol for the rest of your life. This sounds like a tall order, but avoiding events with alcohol and keeping alcohol out of your home can help. So can the support of your family, friends and other recovering alcoholics.

Ask yourself these questions:

Do I have a strong desire to drink?
Have I ever felt I should cut down on my drinking?
Do I feel unable to control my drinking?
Have people annoyed me by criticizing the amount of alcohol I consume?
Do I need to drink more and more alcohol over time to feel its effects?
Have I ever felt guilty about drinking?
Do I have withdrawal symptoms when I stop drinking for a while?
Have I ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady my nerves? To get rid of a hangover?

Even one “yes” answer may be a sign of a drinking problem. More than one “yes” makes it more likely that you’re dependent on alcohol.

source: My Optum Health

More Treatment & Detox Articles

Young Europeans Drink To Increase Chance of Sex

A new study of young adults in nine European countries found that nearly one in four women and one in three men deliberately engage in binge drinking and drug use to improve their chances of sex. The study also found that young people were more at risk of unsafe sex while under the influence of….

Alcohol a ‘major contributing factor’ in self harm

Alcohol was involved in nearly two thirds of self harm cases which were recorded as part of a pilot programme in the Western Health Trust area. The “Registry of Deliberate Self Harm” recorded almost 2,700 incidents between January 2007 and December 2008. The A&E units of Altnagelvin, Tyrone County and Erne Hospitals took part. The….

Is denial always part of the deal?

Maybe denial really IS just a river in Egypt. Lorraine T. Midanik, dean of the School of Social Welfare at the University of California in Berkeley, is convinced that the contemporary concept of denial as applied to alcoholism represents a weak link in the disease model of addiction. Neither the founding fathers of Alcoholics Anonymous,….

Scots are drinking themselves into early grave

Scots are drinking themselves to death faster than Ever as the nation’s disturbing booze-binge culture starts to take its toll among thirtysomethings. Hospitals are now being swamped with more than 100 patients needing treatment for alcohol-related conditions Every Day, the frightening new NHS figures show. Liver disease has trebled in the past 15 years. But….

Methadone clinic’s biggest headache is misperceptions

Calgary facility on move for third time since 2003 Lisa Jovetic isn’t the kind of woman who often comes to mind when people grumble about drug addicts. The once happily married mother of two and self-described “goody-goody” got hooked on drugs nearly five years ago after she was hospitalized for pneumonia and contracted a superbug…..