Alcoholism or the medical definition “Alcohol use disorder” is a chronic disease of the brain that can be treated. Alcoholism is a progressive disease that is cunning, baffling and powerful over those who develop cravings for alcohol that over time they cannot control. Problems with alcohol begin when a person does not know that they have the disease of alcoholism and drinking begins to progress over time.
Most people are able to drink normally, or control their intake of alcohol. The brain of the person with alcoholism changes so that they lose their ability to control their impulses related to drinking. There is a reduced ability to control the urge to drink despite negative life consequences and the urge to drink takes over many other aspects of their lives. The concern with alcoholism is that this progressive disease often sneaks up on people – they often do not know that they have lost control over their ability to control the amount of alcohol that they are drinking until they have crossed the very thin, invisible line of heavy drinking to full blown alcoholism. It is not until a person’s physical, emotional, spiritual, financial, or family life is affected that the disease of alcoholism becomes evident.
Some signs that the disease of alcoholism is progressing include: increasing amounts of alcohol are being consumed, not being able to control the amount that you are drinking such as – “Once I start I can’t stop”, wanting to stop drinking but finding that you are not able to stop - “I wake up every day saying that I am not going to drink today and then I drink again day after day”, wanting to cut down on how much you drink or trying to change the type of alcohol that you drink in an attempt to stop but not being able to stop, spending more time finding alcohol, hiding or lying about the amount alcohol used – “I have to hide the bottles from my family” or “I need to drink prior to going to social events so people do not know how much I really drink’, cravings for alcohol “I did not want to drink again today – but I will just have one”, continuing to drink even though physical or mental health is affected, not spending time with family and friends due to alcohol use, using alcohol in unsafe situations “I am a better driver when I am drinking”, and having symptoms of withdrawal when you try stop drinking such as nausea, headache, stomach pain, shaking, anxiety and depression.
Alcohol use disorder is diagnosed in healthcare as mild, moderate, or severe. When the disease of alcoholism has progressed to the severe level the person does not use alcohol for pleasure anymore – they drink simply to survive – to eliminate the symptoms of withdrawal, to avoid pain. It is this point at time that medical intervention for withdrawal symptoms is necessary to prevent death related to alcohol withdrawal. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may include: tremors or shaking, increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, nausea, vomiting, difficulty sleeping, hallucinations, seizures and delirium tremens. Some of these symptoms can lead to death and should be treated medically to prevent complications for those with long term, heavy alcohol use.
If you or someone you care about is concerned about alcoholism reach out and ask for help. Treatment options may include inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, counseling, medications, self-help groups and Alcoholics Anonymous.The first step is identifying that there is a problem with drinking, understanding that you cannot stop drinking on your own and that you need assistance with this deadly disease. Alcoholism, as a disease of the brain can be treated if the person is able to accept that they have a deadly disease, ask for help and begin a journey toward a rewarding life in sobriety.