From Curiosity to Dependence: The 4 Stages of Alcohol Misuse

Your healthcare provider will recommend and encourage treatment for alcohol use disorder. Alcohol withdrawal causes a range of symptoms when a person with alcohol use disorder stops or significantly decreases their alcohol intake. The symptoms can range from mild to severe, with the most severe being life-threatening. Two other drugs, gabapentin and topiramate, also interact with GABA and glutamate systems. The FDA approved them to treat seizures, but health care professionals sometimes prescribe them “off-label” for alcohol use disorder.

Alcohol Detoxification

Ultimately, sobriety is the responsibility of the person who has the alcohol addiction. It’s important to not enable destructive behaviors and to maintain appropriate boundaries if the person with the alcohol addiction is still drinking. This can mean cutting off financial assistance or making it difficult for them to What is Alcohol Abuse & How To Treat Alcoholism? fulfill the addiction. For example, antidepressants, if someone with an alcohol addiction were self-medicating to treat their depression. Or a doctor could prescribe drugs to assist with other emotions common in recovery. As an addiction tends to get worse over time, it’s important to look for early warning signs.

Withdrawal symptoms

It can help someone handle withdrawal symptoms and emotional challenges. Outpatient treatment provides daily support while allowing the person to live at home. In many states, insurance companies and Medicaid now cover “telehealth” services. These are phone or video sessions for talk therapy or medical care. They can be particularly useful in locations with few addiction health professionals. There are even accredited, all-telehealth alcohol treatment programs.

What types of alcohol treatments are available?

If you or someone you care about is struggling with an AUD, you will likely benefit from some form of treatment. Once people begin drinking excessively, the problem can perpetuate itself. Heavy drinking can cause physiological changes that make more drinking the only way to avoid discomfort. Individuals with alcohol dependence may drink partly to reduce or avoid withdrawal symptoms. Dr. Umhau urges folks not to overlook prescription medications like naltrexone or acamprosate. “These are safe, non-addicting medications that have been proven to help people reduce the craving for alcohol, stay sober and are especially helpful,” he shared.

It depresses the central nervous system by altering how neurotransmitters submit signals to the brain. Certain medications and excessive alcohol can work in tandem to suppress or amplify the effects of the other. Alcohol can diminish the effectiveness of medications, and medications can amplify the effect of alcohol on the body. Chronic alcohol use also can damage the brain and exacerbate the effects of certain diseases. Research has shown that excessive alcohol use can diminish white matter in the brain. White matter lies under the brain’s gray matter and is the network of nerve fibers that transmit information throughout the brain.

Residential or Inpatient Alcohol Rehab

Sober communities can also share relatable experiences and offer new, healthy friendships. And these communities make the person with an alcohol addiction accountable and provide a place to turn to if there is a relapse. A common initial treatment option for someone with an alcohol addiction is an outpatient or inpatient rehabilitation program.

People with higher dependence should contact their GP who can offer advice and a referral, should medical help be required. Receive free access to exclusive content, a personalized homepage based on your interests, and a weekly newsletter with the topics of your choice. Receive free access to exclusive content, a personalized homepage based on your interests, and a weekly newsletter with topics of your choice. Kushner stresses the importance of setting boundaries and seeking out your own help (like therapy or a support group). Above all, she recommends folks find their own balance of offering support while also supporting themselves.

Preparation for quitting alcohol

• You need to tell the DVLA if you have an alcohol problem – failure to do so could result in a fine of up to £1,000.
• This disorder also involves having to drink more to get the same effect or having withdrawal symptoms when you rapidly decrease or stop drinking.
• It can cause you to be unable to function at work and in other areas of your life.
• Recovery can take a long time, so you may need ongoing treatment.

Treatment enables people to counteract addiction’s disruptive effects on their brain and behavior and regain control of their lives. Your withdrawal symptoms will be at their worst for the first 48 hours. They should gradually start to improve as your body begins to adjust to being without alcohol. This usually takes three to seven days from the time of your last drink. This usually takes 3 to 7 days from the time of your last drink.

• Typically, a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder doesn’t require any other type of diagnostic test.
• With two party tricks up its sleeve, alcohol has its way to help us feel good, at least temporarily.
• This article introduces a number of AUD topics that link to other Core articles for more detail.

It wasn’t until she did Sober September a few times, which is when one abstains from all alcohol and substances for September, that she realized she wanted to have a different experience in her life. He continued by sharing that those suffering from alcohol use disorder think about alcohol differently than those who don’t suffer from the disorder. Simply put, those with alcohol use disorder often obsess about when their next drink is, while those without it don’t drink more than they intend to nor anticipate their next drink.