Having a drink with your friends after a long day of work is nothing out of the ordinary. Around 86% of Americans have consumed alcohol at least once in their lifetime. But how do you determine when you’ve crossed the line into alcoholism? How do you know when it’s time to opt for alcohol rehab?
Contact us for immediate support and get empowered at California Behavioral Health today.
Well, you can’t just google how to stop drinking alcohol and hope it will suffice. Not to worry, though, as our effective alcohol rehab experts are here to help. We will provide in-depth detail about suitable levels of alcohol consumption and how to identify when a loved one has become addicted and how to help them on their alcohol recovery journey.
Identifying Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol addiction is quite difficult to identify as the line between heavy drinking and abuse is blurry. If you’re trying to learn more about how to help an alcoholic, knowing how to identify an addiction is the most important step. The Center for Disease Control identifies three distinct levels of alcohol consumption.
1. Binge Drinking
Binge drinking is when a person consumes enough alcohol in one sitting to increase their blood alcohol level to 0.08 percent or higher. At 0.08%, a person is considered legally impaired by law and should not be driving. However, it does not count as abusive drinking.
What amount constitutes binge drinking?
Five drinks for men and four for women within two hours counts as binge drinking.
2. Heavy Drinking
Around fifteen drinks for men and eight for women per week falls under the heavy drinking category. Regularly consuming such a large volume of alcohol is unhealthy for you. Yet, even this doesn’t count as abusive consumption patterns. Heavy drinkers don’t need to get admitted to an alcohol treatment center and can curb their intake with mild therapy.
3. Alcoholism
Anything higher than heavy drinking falls under the category of alcohol addiction. Regular consumption of more than fifteen drinks can build alcohol tolerance in the body. Over time, you start craving higher amounts of alcohol, which fuels dependence and can lead to many other side effects.
Symptoms of Addiction
The symptoms and physical evidence of alcoholism depend upon the level of abuse. However, some of the common signs to watch out for are:
- Red-eye and puffy face
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of memory
- Unexplained injuries
- Digestive difficulties
- Skin sores and infections
- Loss of balance
- Loss of libido
These are just some signs that you can use to identify whether or not your loved one needs help or not. However, to be sure they need help from professional alcoholism treatment, watch out for signs of irritation in the absence of alcohol. If they seem particularly pleased with the idea of drinking all the time or get annoyed if there is no alcohol, then it’s a telltale sign they need alcohol addiction treatment.
Commonly Used Forms of Alcohol Addiction Treatment
The level of alcoholism depends upon the number of symptoms a patient shows. Addictions can range from mild to severe, and thus, the treatment for them varies accordingly. Some people require more intensive treatment and may need to be kept under observation in a residential alcohol treatment program. In contrast, others may show significant improvement with partial hospitalization or outpatient treatments.
Whatever the treatment may be, a patient is bound to experience possibly life-threatening withdrawal symptoms during alcohol recovery. To aid the treatment and to flush out the fluid, alcohol rehab centers often opt for alcohol detox.
Detox alone isn’t enough as an alcoholism treatment but is more of a support treatment that experts use in combination with others like behavioral therapy and peer support groups. Some patients may even need medication to curb withdrawal symptoms and reduce their cravings and the risk of a potential relapse.
Monitoring Withdrawal Symptoms
In some cases, it becomes essential for the patient to be admitted to a 24-hour care alcohol rehab center because their withdrawal symptoms may be too strong. While anxiety, depression, shaking hands, and a lack of sleep are common and not very harmful, others can be potentially life-threatening.
Delirium Tremens is the most dangerous of all the withdrawal symptoms. It can be deadly as it causes feelings of confusion, hallucinations, fever, restlessness, and seizures. Leaving a patient unattended in this state is not the wisest of moves as it can endanger their well-being.
Many even experience unstable changes in blood pressure, which can be pretty dangerous for those suffering from heart diseases. Here is where an alcohol detox program can help by removing the fluid from the body and eventually restoring the body’s natural working mechanism.
California Behavioral Health for Customized Alcohol Rehab Programs
We at California Behavioral Health do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach and provide customized treatments to our patients. We house well-trained experts who know how to identify deeply rooted, problematic behaviors and how to help an alcoholic. With our extensive knowledge and experience, we guarantee quality care to all our patients.
We have master level therapists and well-trained nurses and staff present 24/7 at our alcohol treatment center. For those seeking privacy, we have private rooms as well as shared living spaces to ensure the patient gets a healthy dose of social interaction, which is essential for alcohol recovery.
Whatever your needs may be, our staff can cater to your requirements and ensure effective residential alcohol treatment. If you have a loved one who may need alcohol addiction treatment, don’t just google how to stop drinking alcohol, it’s potentially making the situation worse. Instead, reach out to us for a consultation. We will be more than happy to guide you through the required treatment procedure and the best way to go about it.
