Alcoholism Symptoms
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As increasing numbers of people experience
various alcoholism symptoms, more and more individuals are
asking how they can better cope with or eliminate these
symptoms. Perhaps this will come as a surprise, but there
are psychological, social, and spiritual alcoholism symptoms
that can be just as painful as the better-known physical
alcoholism symptoms.
Psychological Alcoholism
Symptoms
Most people typically focus on the physical
symptoms of alcoholism and the recovery process.
Our intent is not to
deemphasize the physical symptoms of alcoholism but to
point out that there are other alcoholism symptoms such as
psychological, social, and spiritual symptoms that can be
just as debilitating and painful as the physical
symptoms.
The psychological symptoms of alcoholism are as
follows:
-
Loss of willpower
- Loss of control
- Poor concentration
- An increase in failed promises and resolutions to one's
self and to others
- Anxiety
- Obsession with drinking
- Loss of interests
- Denial of the effects of alcohol
- Sleep problems
- Aggression
- Cloudy thinking
- The collapse of the alibi system
- Depression
- Stress
- Unreasonable resentments
Social Alcoholism
Symptoms
The following represents the social symptoms of
alcoholism:
- Serious relationship and work-related problems
- Blaming problems on others and on things external to
themselves
- Difficulties and arguments with family or friends
- Devaluation of personal relationships
- Unemployment
- Withdrawal from social activities
- Legal problems
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Difficulties performing at work or home
- Financial insecurity
Spiritual Alcoholism
Symptoms
 The spiritual symptoms of alcoholism are as
follows:
-
Feeling useless
- Resentment
- Discontentment
- Self-centeredness
- Restlessness
- Self-pity
- Irritability
- Fearful
- Dysthymia (mild chronic depression)
|
In 1998 in the United States, 1,668 drivers
from the ages of 16 to 20 were involved in
alcohol-related fatal motor vehicle crashes.
Another 21,000 were involved in alcohol-related
accidents that resulted in injury.
|
Physical Alcoholism
Symptoms
It is clear that alcoholism physically affects people while
they are addicted and also when they want to recover from
this disease and, unfortunately, experience withdrawal
symptoms.
One way to look at the physical symptoms of alcoholism is to
focus on the typical alcoholic behaviors in the various stages
of alcoholism.
| United States alcoholism
statistics show that people who start using
alcohol before the age of 15 are 4 times more
likely to become alcoholic at some time in
their lives, compared to those who start
drinking at the legal age of 21. |
Physical Alcoholism Symptoms -
First Stage
The following represents some of the alcoholism symptoms and
behaviors in the first stage of alcoholism:
- Lack of recognition by the person that he or she is in
the early stages of a progressive illness
- An ability to drink great amounts of alcohol without
any apparent impairment
- Gross Drinking Behavior - more frequent drinking of
greater amounts
- Increasing tolerance
- Boasting and a "big shot" complex
- A conscious effort to seek out more drinking
opportunities
| The coping mechanisms typically
used by codependents are denial (I deny,
change, or minimize how I truly feel), low
self-esteem (I value others' approval of my
feelings, actions, and thinking over my own),
compliance (I am afraid to express my own
opinions and feelings, especially if they are
different), and control (I become resentful
when others refuse my help). |
Physical Alcoholism Symptoms - Second
Stage
 The following represents some of the alcoholism
symptoms and behaviors in the second stage of
alcoholism:
- Sneaking extra drinks before social events
- Chronic hangovers
- Drinking because of dependence rather than for stress
relief
- Physical problems increase
- Unsuccessful attempts to stop drinking
- More frequent blackouts
- Gulping the first few drinks to feel the "buzz"
faster
- Sporadic loss of control
- Increasing tolerance
| In the second or third stages of
alcohol dependency the alcoholic's hands may
have trembled slightly on mornings after
getting drunk. In the fourth and final stage of
alcohol addiction, however, alcoholics get "the
shakes" whenever they try or are forced to
abstain from drinking. |
Physical Alcoholism Symptoms - Third
Stage
The following represents some of the alcoholism symptoms and
behaviors in the third stage of alcoholism:
- Problems with the law (e.g, DUIs)
- The start of physical deterioration
- Frequent violent or destructive behavior
- Half-hearted attempts at seeking medical aid
- Aggressive and grandiose behavior
- Avoidance of family and friends
- Increased tremors
- A decrease in alcohol tolerance
- Eye-openers
- Neglect of necessities such as food
- Loss of control has become a pattern
- The development of an alibi system - an elaborate
system of excuses for their drinking
| A wide variety of different
techniques exist for treating alcohol
withdrawal. While some of these treatments use
medications (drugs), many, however, do not. In
case of point, according to current research
studies, the safest way to treat mild
withdrawal symptoms is without medications.
Such types of non-drug detoxification use
screening and extensive social support
throughout the entire withdrawal process. Other
non-drug detoxification programs, additionally,
use proper nutrition and vitamin therapy
(especially thiamin) in treating mild
withdrawal symptoms. |
Physical Alcoholism Symptoms - Fourth
Stage
The following represents some of the alcoholism
symptoms and behaviors in the fourth stage of alcoholism:
- Unreasonable resentments and hostility toward
others
- Loss of tolerance for alcohol
- "The shakes"
- The "DTs"
- Moral deterioration
- Benders, or lengthy intoxications
- Continual loss of control
- Auditory and visual hallucinations
- Loss of tolerance for alcohol
Studies have shown that
inpatient detoxification programs are more
effective and longer lasting than outpatient
detox programs. The important issue here,
however, is the following: the more severe the
alcohol-related withdrawal symptoms, the more
likely that inpatient detox programs
should be used. |
Alcohol Withdrawal
Symptoms
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a group of symptoms exhibited
by individuals who stop drinking alcohol after a pattern of
continuous and excessive consumption. These symptoms can
range from mild to moderate to severe and include both
behavioral and psychological components.
| Even at low doses, alcohol
significantly impairs the judgment and
coordination required to drive a car or operate
machinery safely. |
Mild to Moderate Withdrawal
Symptoms
The following represents mild to moderate physical symptoms
that typically occur within 6 to 48 hours after the last
alcoholic drink:
- Insomnia, sleeping difficulties
- Headaches (especially those that pulsate)
- Involuntary, abnormal movements of the eyelids
- Loss of appetite
- Abnormal movements
- Sweating (especially on the face or the palms of the
hands)
- Tremor of the hands
| Research has demonstrated that
American children who are raised in
single-family households are almost twice as
likely to experience an alcohol-related problem
such as alcohol abuse as compared with children
who are raised by both parents in the same
household. |
- Clammy skin
- Looking pale, without color
- Rapid heart rate
- Eyes or pupils different size (enlarged, dilated
pupils)
- Nausea
- Vomiting
| The following represents some of
the negative consequences of drinking alcohol
and the fertility of the father: killing off
the sperm-generating cells in the testicles and
abnormal liver function and a rise in estrogen
levels that, in turn, affect sperm development
and hormone levels. |
Severe Withdrawal
Symptoms
The following represents severe symptoms that typically
occur within 48 to 96 hours after the last alcoholic drink:
- Visual hallucinations
- Delirium tremens (DTs)
- Severe autonomic nervous system overactivity
- Black outs
- Muscle tremors
- Convulsions
- Fever
- Seizures
| Factors that affect your blood
alcohol level include the following: how
quickly your body metabolizes alcohol, how
quickly you consume the alcoholic drink, how
much food is in your stomach at the time you
drink, and how strong the alcoholic drink
is. |
What To Do When Experiencing
Withdrawal Symptoms
 The first concern when experiencing alcohol
withdrawal should be "who should I contact about the
alcohol withdrawal symptoms I am experiencing" rather than
"what helps for alcohol withdrawals?"
When experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms,
always see your doctor or healthcare provider
immediately so that he or she can assess the severity of your
situation and suggest the best option for treatment.
Alcoholism Symptoms:
Conclusion
Based on the above, it is clear that
alcoholism symptoms affect people when
they drink, when they try to quit drinking, and
 when they involve themselves in the recovery
process and, regrettably, experience withdrawal
symptoms. Based on an analysis of the
information articulated above, however, the important
messages regarding alcoholism symptoms are these.
First, alcoholism leads to a series of damaging
and painful physical, psychological, social, and spiritual
symptoms that will continue to get worse unless the person
stops drinking. Second, a critical step in the
recovery process is acknowledging the fact that drinking has
become a problem and then possessing the desire and the will to
stop drinking. Third, once the alcoholic reaches this
point, the next hurdle to overcome is how to best handle the
withdrawal symptoms that usually follow.
Fourth, the most effective and reasonable way
to cope with and overcome withdrawal symptoms is to immediately
see a doctor or healthcare provider so that he or she can
assess the severity of the problem and suggest the most
appropriate form of treatment.
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More than 2 million Americans
suffer from alcohol-related liver disease. Some
drinkers, moreover, develop alcoholic hepatitis
(that is, an inflammation of the liver) as a
result of long-term
heavy drinking. |
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