| An addiction to alcohol is a disease that is rarely initially | | | | alcohol-dependant person's tolerance to liquor may |
| self-diagnosed. In other words, individuals who live with | | | | drop, their ability to mask their drunken state may |
| an addiction to alcohol hardly ever realise that they are | | | | proportionally increase. In other words, it may become |
| contracting the disease until it is well advanced. | | | | more tough for people to tell when the alcoholic person |
| Indeed, the path to an alcohol dependency is generally | | | | is drunk. |
| paved with declarations such as, "I only drink when I'm | | | | If you or friends and family members are showing |
| socialising" and "I can stop drinking any time I like". For | | | | these Symptoms, the first rule is not to panic. |
| this reason it is vital that friends and family are able to | | | | Remember that a proper diagnosis of the problem is |
| recognise the warning signs of alcohol addiction, so as | | | | the first step towards healing! |
| to help the alcoholic person come to terms with the | | | | The healing process always begins with detoxification, |
| nature of their condition. | | | | which means the done abstinence from alcohol. Some |
| Alcoholism is a state in which the body is totally | | | | people will have the strength and self-discipline to get |
| dependent on alcohol to feel normal and good. In | | | | through this without external help but generally it is a |
| alcoholism, the individual entirely loses control over | | | | good idea to detox in an environment where there are |
| alcohol in-take and continues to consume it despite the | | | | trained medical staff. This is particularly important in |
| severe health problems it is causing. | | | | cases of advanced an alcohol dependency, where |
| Normally, an alcoholic displays four signs that are | | | | there can be severe symptomatic reactions to alcohol |
| characteristics of an addiction to alcohol: his body | | | | withdrawal, such as 'delirium tremens', which needs to |
| hungers after liquor, he loses control over alcohol | | | | be treated with drugs. |
| consumption, he becomes physically in need of | | | | After the physical detoxification is accomplished, the |
| alcoholic substances, and he has a reduced tolerance | | | | person needs to address the social and psychological |
| level to alcoholic drinks. These four Indications are | | | | factors that led them to alcoholism, in order to stop |
| briefly described below: | | | | themselves repeating the same pattern and |
| Craving: The patient suffers from the strong longing to | | | | back-sliding back into the disease. Specialised |
| drink all the time. | | | | counselling is readily available in most Western |
| Loss of control: The patient fails to control his alcohol | | | | countries, and groups such as 'Alcoholics Anonymous' |
| intake and, as a result, repeatedly gives in to | | | | are ready to give ongoing support to alcoholic persons. |
| excessive drinking. | | | | Bear in mind that the principal step towards healing is |
| Physical dependence: The patient shows withdrawal | | | | recognising the disease. Be aware of the Signs, though |
| indicators like nausea, dizziness, prolific sweating, and | | | | be careful too how you first confront an alcoholic |
| worry when he has not had a drink for a while. | | | | colleague with their problem. Alcoholics invariably initially |
| Tolerance levels: The patient's tolerance to alcoholic | | | | deny their condition and can become aggressively |
| drinks decreases, as his body gradually loses its ability | | | | defensive. A bona fide friend though will persist in |
| to process alcoholic substances. Therefore, he gets | | | | helping an alcoholic friend come to terms with their |
| drunk very easily, even with little alcohol consumption. | | | | disease. |
| It should be added to this last statement, that while the | | | | |