Alcohol remains the number one drug of choice for all age groups and sometimes is combined with other drugs. Although alcohol is legal, it requires the most medical intervention due to the lethality of medical compilations of withdrawal.

Alcohol addiction can lead to dependency which becomes an all-consuming factor of an individual. It begins by the alcoholic being less engaged with the family and the relationships become strained. Alcohol use disorders involve the inability to manage drinking habits. These types of disorders can be either mild, moderate, or severe. Each category has various symptoms and can cause harmful side effects. If left untreated, any type of alcohol use can damage the individual and continues to progress until it ultimately can be fatal.

Drinking Patterns May Vary

Some people drink high amounts of alcohol, no matter day or night. Others are binge drinkers, meaning that they maintain employment for long or short periods at a time, sometimes binge drinking can occur for several days and nights or just one night every few weeks. The issue with this type of alcoholism is that it is damaging to the family and the alcoholic really “isn’t there.” It can be dangerous because blackouts occur and they can get DUI’s or in fights with family members but justify this behavior because otherwise they are responsible. Often these types of drinkers hide alcohol.

No matter what type one may be, the tie that binds all alcoholics is the fact that once you ingest an amount of alcohol, you cannot always guarantee how much you will drink or for how long.

Individuals struggling with severe alcoholism often feel as though they cannot function normally without alcohol. This can lead to a wide range of issues that impact professional goals, personal relationships, and overall health.

Common signs of alcoholism include:

• Being unable to control alcohol consumption once you start
  
• Continuing to drink despite the desire to quit
  
• Unable to maintain commitment to sobriety
  
• Thinking about how to “drink successfully” despite evidence that you cannot
  
• Putting alcohol above personal responsibilities and relationships
  
• Feeling the need to keep drinking more for the same effect
  
• Spending a substantial amount of money on alcohol
  
• Behaving differently after drinking
  
• Damaging relationships because of use
  
• Alcohol Affects Every Organ in the Body
  

The most commonly known related disease is cirrhosis of the liver, but there are many adverse medical effects of alcohol use.

These include:

• Heart problems
  
• Stroke
  
• Pancreatitis
  
• Gastrointestinal problems
  
• Liver cancer
  
• Malnutrition
  
• High blood pressure
  
• Cognition problems
  
• Moodiness
  
• Anxiety
  
• Depression
  
• Insomnia or other sleep disorders
  
• Uncontrolled anger
  
• Withdrawal Symptoms can vary but can include:
  
• Nausea
  
• Seizures
  
• Rapid heart rate, heart complications
  
• Tremors
  
• Delirium (The DT's)
  

Our medical staff will:

• Manage acute withdrawal symptoms
  
• Prescribe medications that lessen the impact of withdrawal and suppress cravings
  
• Ensure the individual is stabilized physically and able to undertake alcohol treatment programming