It is not uncommon for some people to enjoy a glass of wine at dinner or a beer with friends. But a person who has trouble controlling how much or how often they drink may be struggling with alcohol use disorder, which is commonly known as alcohol addiction or alcoholism.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism describes alcohol addiction as a condition that inhibits a person’s ability to stop drinking alcohol despite any negative health, relationship, or occupational consequences they may have suffered.
While the effects of alcohol addiction can be devastating, effective treatment for alcoholism is available. Glenwood Behavioral Health Hospital provides inpatient and outpatient treatment for adults age 18 and older of all genders whose struggles with alcohol addiction have severely impacted their daily lives.
Signs & Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction
While different factors can influence how alcohol affects a person, there are certain warning signs and symptoms of alcohol addiction that may indicate that they need professional support. Mayo Clinic lists the following as common alcohol addiction symptoms and warning signs:
- Preoccupied with drinking or getting alcohol
- Loses interest in previously enjoyed activities
- Has powerful urges to drink alcohol
- Drinks alcohol in unsafe situations, such as while driving
- Spends a lot of time recovering from alcohol use
- Unable to drink in moderation
- Cannot stop drinking despite several attempts
- Needs to drink more to get the same effect as before
- Drinks to avoid feeling sick and shaky
- Keeps drinking despite harm to health, relationships, or career
Alcohol Addiction Statistics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which was sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), reported the following statistics on alcohol addiction:
- In 2018, about 11.9 million (34.9%) emerging adults ages 18-25 and 54 million (25.1%) adults age 26 or older met the criteria for binge drinking in the previous month.
- During the same period, approximately 3.1 million (9%) emerging adults and 13.4 million (6.2%) adults met the criteria for heavy drinking.
- In 2019, there were 24,110 deaths linked to alcohol-related liver disease.
- Also in 2019, there were 39,043 alcohol-related deaths, excluding those that involved accidents or homicides.
Potential Effects of Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol addiction can damage a person’s health and overall quality of life. These are common alcohol addiction effects:
- Decreased job performance or trouble keeping a job
- Damaged relationships with friends and family
- Increased risk of homelessness
- Risky behavior, frequent arrest, or incarceration
- Injuries or accidents while intoxicated
- Death due to alcohol-related accident or injury
- Development of other medical conditions
- Development of other mental health disorders
- Feelings of intense loneliness and isolation
- Suicidal ideation or death by suicide
Reaching out for professional help at an alcohol addiction treatment place is the first step toward reducing your risk for any long-term negative effects of alcohol addiction. The experts at Glenwood Behavioral Health Hospital are highly experienced in helping adults find the path to recovery that is right for them.
The Benefits of Alcohol Addiction Treatment
Your struggles with alcohol addiction do not have to control your life. Getting alcohol addiction treatment can help you regain control, build your confidence, and show you that you can find joy and hope without alcohol.
Throughout your time in alcohol addiction treatment, you will do powerful work that will lessen your cravings for alcohol and teach you powerful coping skills that can help you manage stress and other triggers in healthier ways.
By working with professionals at an alcohol addiction treatment place, you will gain the knowledge and relapse prevention strategies you need to prepare yourself for a life in recovery.
Choosing the Right Alcohol Addiction Treatment Center
At Glenwood Behavioral Health Hospital, we recognize how overwhelming it can be when a person’s battle with alcohol addiction is interfering with their daily life.
Our inpatient and outpatient programs serve adults age 18 and older of all genders who need crisis stabilization due to severe and persistent symptoms of alcohol use disorder.
This level of care provides round-the-clock monitoring and a highly supportive therapeutic environment. We work in active collaboration with each person to help them achieve stabilization and start functioning at a higher level.
Your length of stay in our programs is individual to you. The expert team at our alcohol addiction treatment center will assess your progress and treatment goals to determine the best time to discharge you.
Therapies Used in Alcohol Addiction Treatment
We take special care to gain a detailed understanding of how your struggles with alcohol addiction have impacted your health and life.
To accomplish this, we will have you complete a comprehensive assessment of your past and present alcohol use, your medical history, and your goals for treatment. This process allows us to develop a treatment plan that we customize specifically to you.
Based on this information, your care team may determine that your recovery process should start with detoxification to safely support you through the withdrawal process.
As you are able, you will then begin to take part in other interventions recommended in your treatment plan, which may include:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
- Activities therapy
- Recreational therapy
You can expect to work closely with your care team throughout your time at our alcohol addiction treatment center.
We understand how devastating alcohol addiction can be. By seeking inpatient or outpatient alcohol addiction treatment at Glenwood Behavioral Health Hospital, you can build a solid foundation for long-term recovery.
This content was written on behalf of and reviewed by the clinical staff at Glenwood Behavioral Health Hospital.
