Content
A person with AUD might not hang out in a bar all day or fall down after they’ve been drinking heavily. Some people seem fine and functional in their daily lives despite their alcohol addiction. Just because someone is high-functioning doesn’t mean they’re not at risk of hurting themselves or others as a result of their drinking. It’s important to treat high-functioning alcoholics just like all other addicts by helping them realize the severity of their addiction and encouraging them to seek treatment. This “increased risk” category contains three different drinking pattern groups. Overall, nearly 20% of people who drink in this category have alcohol use disorder.
Discovering you aren’t just a casual drinker and are facing an alcohol problem can be shocking. And when you’re ready, learn about alcohol detox or other treatment programs or get started with online rehab. In some cases, the individual may experience delirium tremens — the most severe form of alcohol withdrawal.
Alcohol detox isn’t easy and not everyone can do it on their own. That is why alcohol detox and alcohol withdrawal treatment is administered by medical professionals. Individuals in the young adult subtype make up 31% of people addicted to alcohol in the U.S. They drink less frequently than the other subtypes, but when they do drink, they’re likely to overdo it and binge. They typically come from families with low rates of alcoholism.
For some people, alcohol misuse results from psychological or social factors. Others use alcohol to cope with psychological issues or stress in their daily lives. Another complication is alcohol withdrawal syndrome, which may occur after you stop drinking and can cause symptoms such as nausea, shaking, and sweating. It can also lead to serious symptoms like seizures, fever, or hallucinations, and can be a medical emergency.
Secret drinking occurs when the user drinks in the early hours of the morning, outside the house, or alone. In fact, according to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 85.6 percent of people ages 18 and older reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime. Why does an alcoholic continue to drink despite the known facts about the disease and the obvious adverse consequences of continued drinking? In the early stage, the alcoholic does not consider himself or herself sick because his or her tolerance is increasing. In the middle stage, the alcoholic is unknowingly physically dependent on alcohol.
Hence, consuming alcohol as your primary source of fuel will lead to poor nutrition and weight loss. If you’ve noticed consistent weight gain, it may be time to reflect on your drinking habits. The sooner you recognize there may be a problem and talk to your healthcare provider, the better your recovery chances.
The third characteristic of the middle stage is loss of control. The alcoholic simply loses his or her ability to limit his or her drinking to socially acceptable times, patterns, and places. This loss of control is due to a decrease in the alcoholic’s tolerance and an increase in the withdrawal symptoms. The alcoholic cannot handle as sober house much alcohol as they once could without getting drunk, yet needs increasing amounts to avoid withdrawal. If you think a family member or loved one might be showing signs, signals or symptoms of alcoholism, know that it won’t “go away” on its own. Their brain is changing—and without help, there can be serious long-term consequences.
The employee may also be absent from his or her duty station without explanation or permission for significant periods of time. Even though you must not try to diagnose the problem, there are many signs that may indicate a problem with alcohol, and should trigger a referral to the EAP. As you recover from AUD, you may find it helpful to see a psychotherapist who uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques.
