Symptoms of Alcohol Dependency

Alcoholism or alcohol dependency is a condition in which the affected individual is addicted to alcohol and cannot live without it. Drinking too much alcohol can affect the brain. Alcohol abusers drink too much alcohol on a regular basis, but still have some degree of control over it. After alcohol abuse, the next stage is alcoholism, also called alcohol addiction or alcohol dependency, in which there is a lack of control over drinking alcohol. One in every 13 adults is an alcohol abuser. Alcoholism can lead to loss of job, discontinuance of education, damage to the fetus during pregnancy in case of women, accident, death and poverty. It is important to know the symptoms of alcohol dependency to both treat and prevent it.

Causes of Alcohol Dependency

Alcohol dependency can be a result of various factors. Some causes of alcohol dependency are given below:

• If someone is afflicted with depression, he might drink alcohol to get relief from depressing thoughts.
• If all your friends and acquaintances are drinking, there is pressure on you to drink.
• Job stress could be a cause - work pressure, stringent deadlines, bad relations with colleagues or a domineering boss could push a person to drinking.
• Some people drink to get over some deeply felt disappointment or rejection like failed relationships such as divorce or split from a lover.
• Some people may start drinking because of curiosity or to pass time and it becomes a habit.
• Availability of alcohol is a significant factor - if one or both parents are drinking, the children may find it acceptable and follow suit.
• There may exist a genetic predisposition towards alcohol consumption.

Symptoms of Alcohol Dependency

The affected person develops a tolerance to alcohol needing increasingly higher doses to get the same effect. There are "black-out" periods of which the person remembers nothing. Drinking in the morning is a sign of alcohol dependence. The person gets irritated and short-tempered when alcohol is not available.

The person cannot quit drinking or control the amount he drinks. He needs to drink alcohol to feel "normal" or "good". Drinking causes the person to undergo a personality change; he may lose interest in activities he used to enjoy earlier. He may also put himself and others in risky situations such as driving when intoxicated.

Drinking takes precedence over other activities. The person's day is planned over drinking and he also feels guilty about it. It can lead the person to hide alcohol from people especially near and dear ones and resort to keeping it in places of easy access at office, in the car or at home.

Decreased ability to learn new information and insomnia are signs of alcohol dependency. Getting into legal problems because of drinking and having problems in education, employment and handling finances are few other signs.

How to Overcome Alcohol Dependency?

When taking treatment, there are withdrawal symptoms such as tremors, sweating and hallucinations after a short period of not consuming alcohol. Given below are some helpful suggestions to overcome alcohol dependency:

• Do regular and strenuous exercise.
• Take long cold baths.
• To overcome loneliness establish a social network. One possible option is to join Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
• Try to slowly reduce the quantity of alcohol intake.
• Take medications to tackle alcohol addiction under the guidance of a qualified doctor.