According to Akron Drug Rehab Centers, the well-respected alcohol addiction rehab in Akron, alcohol abuse affects 20% of the population. It is a proportion that is higher than the national average, in which close to 10% of adults are alcohol dependent in some form. 1 in 10 children in the country live at home with at least one alcohol-dependent parent, and excessive alcohol abuse is responsible for close to 100,000 deaths a year.
Alcohol is the most easily available and most commonly used of any addictive substance. Affected by little of the poor reputation that goes with marijuana use, drugs, or even tobacco, alcohol abuse often starts early. With youth-friendly alcohol energy drinks to caffeinated alcohol beverages, this leads to more serious drinking problems in early adulthood.
The most meaningful way to describe alcohol addiction is as a mental disorder. To those who have never seen addiction to be described in this way, it may be difficult to understand how such an attitude may be reasonable. Taking into consideration that unlike psychological disorders like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, alcohol abuse is voluntary. Alcohol addiction is not an exercise of self-will, but in fact, is a disease known as "the disease of addiction."
According to professionals involved in alcohol addiction treatment, in many people's minds, alcoholism starts when a person voluntarily decides to drink to excess. The person, therefore, seems to deserve all the blame. In truth, however, alcohol abuse only shows up in some people who indulge in such behavior. Often, those who cross the line from alcohol abuse to addiction do so because they suffer from a genetic predisposition to addiction or other mental conditions. Our dual diagnosis treatment programs in Akron sheds more light on this idea.
When those who are vulnerable to addictive behaviors are exposed to alcohol, they tend to have far less control over their alcohol use than those who are not. In these people, alcohol use quickly brings about long-term changes to the brain's physical form and neurochemistry to make the exercise of willpower impossible.
Addiction is a disease of the mind that can occur in anyone, no matter their age, or how responsible and "in control" they may seem. As with many mental disorders, alcohol addiction can be difficult to recognize at first. The fact that alcohol use is socially acceptable makes abuse and addiction even harder to identify. A person making the transition from frequent use to alcohol abuse, however, does tend to exhibit some symptoms. Friends and family who stay alert to potential signs can notice a problem.
Early warning signs:
While some addicts tend to be "high-functioning" and do not allow their addiction to get them to fall back on their responsibilities at home or at work, this kind of self-control tends to be impossible to most. Neglect of home and work responsibilities is one of the first symptoms to show up. Repeated incidents of driving while under the influence or disorderly conduct is another sign. Drinking at socially unacceptable times, or the giving up of previously favored activities, are other signs frequently noticed.
Warning signs down the line:
When a person on the path isn't helped early, alcoholism quickly sets in. Tolerance is the first sign. When a person seems to develop an uncommon ability to "hold their liquor," it's a sign of the brain beginning to develop a high level of tolerance. The appearance of withdrawal symptoms can be the clearest sign of alcohol addiction. The brain begins to require the presence of alcohol to function normally. Absence of alcohol can lead to frequent and serious bouts of anxiety, tremors, irritability, headaches, insomnia, or depression.
According to Akron Drug Rehab Centers, the leading alcohol addiction rehab in Akron, refusal to accept the existence of a dependency problem tends to be a significant and powerful part of most addictions. Alcohol addiction is no different. In the initial stages, denial tends to be nothing more than a simple desire to be left alone with an activity that involves social disapproval. Over time however, the physical and chemical changes to the brain caused by alcohol tends to take on powerful effects. These changes result in an actual inability to see the reality of the destructiveness of alcoholism.
Accepting treatment through our alcohol addiction programs is really the only way towards helping an addict to both accept their condition and successfully battle its grip on their lives. It starts with an intervention. At the alcohol addiction rehab in Akron, for example, professionals are able to arrange for skillfully managed interventions that help to persuade people suffering from addictions to seek help. They are able to offer medically managed treatment courses designed to remove the serious health risks that come with unsupervised withdrawal.
The best rehab programs are scientifically designed medical programs, which makes them highly successful. Alcohol addiction can be one of the most difficult diseases that life can bring, and it takes highly trained addiction specialists to battle this disorder. By participating in alcohol addiction treatment, you or your loved one will receive the best treatment possible. If you or your loved one is suffering from alcohol addiction, please call us now at (234) 312--4745 for immediate help.