I Think My Loved One is Addicted to Alcohol

Almost 17 million Americans live with alcohol abuse. It can be distressing to see someone you love suffer from this brutal disease. If someone close to you drinks too much or exhibits other signs of addiction, you can turn to Thriving Center of Psychology for help.

Our psychologists and therapists offer wide-ranging treatments for alcohol addiction and other types of substance abuse. Learn more about identifiable symptoms and stages of alcohol addiction so that you can help your loved one get treatment and recovery.

Understanding Alcohol Addiction

A person with an alcohol addiction suffers from a psychological and physical dependency on alcohol, ranging from mild to severe. It also comes with long-lasting health problems. This addiction can also lead to psychological, emotional, and relationship difficulties that continue to worsen over time.

Typical Stages of Alcohol Addiction

Stage 1: Occasional Alcohol Abuse

The path to alcoholism usually begins with experimentation in adulthood or adolescence. Frequent consumption of alcohol can give rise to binge drinking, defined as a two-hour sitting of five or more alcoholic drinks for men and four or more alcoholic beverages for women.

Drinking large quantities of alcohol can lead to chronic conditions and serious health hazards, such as coma and premature death.

Stage 2: Increase in Drinking

A person is at risk for increased dependence when their alcohol consumption increasingly occurs outside of social settings. Your loved one might drink to cope with stress or emotional pain, or they might drink out of boredom.

Stage 3: Problematic Drinking

Alcohol consumption becomes problematic when it disrupts daily life. At this stage, a person may start to withdraw from others, exhibit unstable behavior, and have difficulty maintaining relationships. Problematic drinking can be an obstacle when fulfilling normal obligations and put someone at odds with the law.

Stage 4: Alcohol Dependence

When someone becomes dependent on alcohol, they begin to lose control over their drinking. At this point, sweating, fast heart rate, sleep difficulties, and tremors start to emerge. An alcohol-dependent person also develops a stronger tolerance, which requires them to consume larger amounts of alcohol to get the same high they did during earlier stages.

Stage 5: Alcohol Addiction

At the addiction stage, the person has a physical and psychological need to drink. Alcoholic beverages are no longer just a source of pleasure. The need to drink can be so strong that your loved one may lie, steal, and risk damaging their relationships to feed their addiction.

Helping Your Loved One Find Sobriety

You can do many things to help your loved one toward recovery. First, learn all you can about addiction and recovery. Thriving Center of Psychology provides alcohol and substance abuse treatment services from experienced professionals. Talk with our professionals or get information from Alcoholics Anonymous or Al-Anon.

Offer support when your loved one reaches out for help. When confronting them about their drinking, be ready for all possible reactions, even negative ones. Also, remember that you can’t force someone into recovery; they must be willing to seek help.

You can get help for a loved one with alcohol addiction by contacting Thriving Center of Psychology. Book a session today by calling the office or using the online scheduler.