Accepting that you have a problem with alcohol may be difficult. You may view yourself as a social drinker who likes having a good time. You may not understand why friends and family constantly nag you for having a little too much on occasion. What’s wrong with having a drink to relieve stress? You may have an alcohol use disorder if you can’t control the amount of alcohol you consume. It’s vital that you understand the risks of alcohol abuse, which could include losing your life.
What is Alcohol-Use Disorder?
Alcohol use disorder refers to a pattern of being preoccupied with drinking alcohol to the point where it negatively affects your life. People with alcohol use disorder don’t necessarily drink every day. They may get through the week without alcohol and indulge in binge drinking over the weekend. Even if you’re not drinking every day, binge drinking still puts you in danger of experiencing the risks of alcohol abuse.
Some common symptoms of alcohol use disorder include:
- An inability to control the amount of alcohol you drink
- You start experiencing blackouts
- You’ve begun having problems with your short-term memory
- You’re always making excuses to friends and family about your drinking
- You prefer drinking alone so no one can see how much you consume
- You continuously feel hungover even when you are not drinking
There’s a category of questions, called CAGE, used to screen those who may be at risk of alcohol abuse. How familiar do the following scenarios seem?
- Do you feel the need to cut back on your drinking?
- Do you feel as if you’re attacked continuously for your drinking?
- Does your drinking make you feel bad or guilty?
- Do you need a drink first thing in the morning to feel somewhat normal or get past a hangover?
Only a professional substance abuse professional can accurately diagnose you with an alcohol-use disorder. However, you can take the first steps toward getting help by recognizing your condition and the risks of alcohol abuse.
What are the Risks of Alcohol Abuse?
The risks of alcohol abuse extend to every organ in your body. The short-term memory lapses you experience could turn into long-term brain damage. Continued alcohol abuse starts to damage the regions of your brain in control of communication and motor skills. That affects your emotional responses and your ability to maintain balance.
Another risk of alcohol abuse is the potential damage to your heart. Persistent heavy drinking may weaken the muscles of the heart, impacting its ability to deliver much-needed oxygen to other organs in your body. You may also begin suffering from other cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, or even experience a stroke.
Your liver’s primary function is filtering out toxins from your body. One of the risks of alcohol abuse is that it breaks down the liver’s ability to perform its job. You could end up with diabetes or even experience liver failure.
Overcome Alcohol Abuse at Viewpoint Dual Recovery Center
Viewpoint Dual Recovery Center provides help to those looking for a way out of the cycle of alcohol abuse. We make various therapies available through our treatment programs. Moreover, we’re a treatment center that specializes in dual diagnosis treatment. In other words, we focus on treating those people who struggle with both alcohol addiction and mental health conditions. This specialty makes us adept at focusing on the patient and providing individualized treatment.
- Alcohol use treatment
- Outpatient treatment
- Intensive outpatient program
- Sober living homes
- Women’s recovery programs
- Men’s recovery programs
To learn more about the risks of alcohol abuse, or to enroll in treatment, call Viewpoint Dual Recovery Center at 855.746.3633.
