Alcohol Addiction

Do you know of someone who drinks too much he cannot hardly stand straight or take hold of his body? How about someone who considers alcoholic beverages a friend and succumbs to it whenever he has problems rather than talking and confiding in you? Does it feel odd and more so annoying and to a greater degree hurtful that this family member no longer trust you of his dilemmas and troubles? Sadly, these are all manifestation of alcohol addiction.

However, when does one say that indeed a person or a close family member is indeed experiencing addiction? Some important things to remember are given here.

Also known as alcoholism or alcohol dependence, alcohol addiction is actually a disease that is degenerative and has any or a combination of the following symptoms: physical dependence with which withdrawal symptoms are evident whenever a person attempts to stop drinking; craving alcoholic beverages; tolerance for drinking liquor in which on always wants to drink more in order for them to get high or intoxicated with alcohol; and loss of control wherein that individual could no longer limit the number of glasses he can take on a specific occasion or time. Abuse is not the same as addiction simply because abuse is a pattern of drinking.

When to say that your friend or relative is addicted to alcohol. Alcohol addiction signs exist as either psychological or physical. 

Physical Signs

1. red eyes and puffy face
2. numbness especially in the legs or the arms
3. pain in the stomach
4. gaining or losing weight suddenly
5. inconsistent sleeping habits
6. blackouts
7. vomiting
8. nausea
9. selling of property to sustain addiction

Psychological Signs

1. mood swings for unknown reasons
2. keeps secrets from family members and friends
3. keeps away from crowded places or social gatherings
4. sudden change in preferred friends
5. use of alcoholic beverages as means to forget problems
6. blaming others attitude especially pertinent to his own problems  

When one of these signs is already set in an individual, it is highly pronounced that alcohol addiction is set. Early intervention might be very helpful for those individuals. 

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