06 Jul Signs of Alcoholism Behavioral and Physical Symptoms

Fortunately, reducing your alcohol use can help improve your sleep over time, although you might experience more sleep disturbances for some time after you quit. What might seem harmless at first can get worse if it’s not treated. Your treatment setting will depend on your stage of recovery and the severity of your illness. You may need inpatient medical (hospital), residential rehabilitation (rehab), outpatient intensive therapy or outpatient maintenance. Long-term alcohol use can affect bone density, leading to thinner bones and increasing your risk of fractures if you fall.

1. A person should speak with a healthcare professional if they are experiencing symptoms of AUD.
2. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
3. Pancreatitis can activate the release of pancreatic digestive enzymes and cause abdominal pain.
4. Most residential treatment programs include individual and group therapy, support groups, educational lectures, family involvement, and activity therapy.

Consider talking with a professional about your options to reduce the amount of alcohol you consume safely and avoid serious side effects. Symptoms of alcohol use disorder can look differently in each person. If you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), for example, alcohol use disorder might make symptoms like impulsivity worse. But not everyone who has alcohol use disorder will have the same symptoms. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine.

Your Risk of Certain Diseases Will Decrease

Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction have determined that there is not safe amount of alcohol. One of the financial benefits of giving up alcohol is that you’ll likely have more money to spend. This is because alcohol is a costly habit, so giving it up can free up some extra cash. Another benefit of giving up alcohol is that your mind may be clearer. This is because alcohol can cause changes in brain chemistry, which can lead to cognitive problems.

The side effects often only appear after the damage has happened. Over time, drinking can also damage your frontal lobe, the part of the brain responsible for executive functions, like abstract reasoning, decision making, social behavior, and performance. Slurred speech, a key sign of intoxication, happens because alcohol reduces communication between your brain and body. This makes speech and coordination — think reaction time and balance — more difficult. That’s one major reason why you should never drive after drinking.

When healthcare providers screen for AUD, they look at drinking behavior patterns within the last year to determine a diagnosis. They use 11 criteria alcoholism: disease or a choice? considered a brain disease established by the DSM-5 to assess alcohol use severity. Medications can make detoxification safe while avoiding the worst symptoms of withdrawal.

According to a 2019 study, people with AUD have a heightened risk for depressive disorders. Learn more about the short-term and long-term effects of alcohol. One of the signs of AUD is difficulty stopping alcohol use, even if it causes adverse effects. People who have AUD may continue to use alcohol even though they know it is causing social, health, economic, and possibly even legal problems in their life. You may want to take a family member or friend along, if possible.

More in The Road to Recovery with Alcohol Dependence

Because the condition is progressive, these symptoms may increase over time in terms of the number of symptoms, their severity, and their impact. If you’ve had two or three of those symptoms in the past year, that’s a mild alcohol use disorder. Unhealthy alcohol use includes mixing alcohol and antidepressants any alcohol use that puts your health or safety at risk or causes other alcohol-related problems. It also includes binge drinking — a pattern of drinking where a male has five or more drinks within two hours or a female has at least four drinks within two hours.

What causes alcohol use disorder?

Many people assume the occasional beer or glass of wine at mealtimes or special occasions doesn’t pose much cause for concern. But drinking any amount of alcohol can potentially lead to unwanted health consequences. As the loved one of someone struggling, remember that it’s ultimately up to them to manage the condition. Don’t forget to take care of yourself, too; consider seeking out your systems of support or even medical help if you’re having trouble. Dr. Kevin Wandler of Advanced Recovery Systems describes how tolerance and withdrawal symptoms are indicators of alcohol dependence. When alcoholism is severe, an individual may develop a physical dependence on the drug.

Alcoholism Symptoms and Signs

Drinking alcohol can contribute to a variety of cognitive issues, including poor memory, slow reaction time, impaired impulse control, and poor concentration. Over time, drinking can also damage nerve cells and contribute to a loss of brain volume. Some people who stop drinking may experience delirium tremens (DT).