Signs you are dealing with an alcoholic 

Aug 07, 2022 News

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Health Facts

By Rehanna Ramsay

Kaieteur News – Do you believe you or someone you know may be an alcoholic? If so, there are some definite signs that you need to help diagnose this chronic disease. According to information obtained from the Ministry of Health, some top symptoms of alcoholism include heavy consumption, denial of abusing it, a change in personality, and neglect of personal well-being, lack of control.

The information reveals that heavy consumption is drinking at least three or four alcoholic drinks on any day or more than 7 – 14 drinks per week. For some persons the consumption or intake may be less but the effect of drunkenness is the same. The health sheet noted that drinking alcohol once in a while is normal but habitual imbibing can lead to dependence on the substance, placing persons in the category of an alcoholic.

The data lists alcoholism as a chronic disease because it causes physical effects on the brain and other organs.  According to the information, alcoholism should not be a sign of moral weakness but a physiological response to, at times, some societal issue that causes a person or persons to drink as a method of coping. For example, stress can be the reason someone leans on a bottle of rum rather than deal with the problems in the home or family.

The information noted too that it isn’t uncommon for a person who has become addicted to alcohol to not want to admit that they have a problem.  Denial is the first real sign of a drinking problem. If you bring up the issue and the person denies having a problem with alcohol and refuses to discuss it further, it’s possible that that person has an issue with alcohol.

Alcoholics are known to have a change of personality, even in a state of sobriety, that person can become reclusive, easily irritated, and become abnormal to socialise with.

Neglect is another factor that occurs if someone has succumbed to the dangerous allure of liquor. These persons often neglect the things they once cared about, for instance, their family, loved ones, work, bills, personal hygiene, appearance, and any other thing that can help them lead normal lives. All of the above would be easily replaced to satisfy the craving for alcohol.

A lack of control is another defining symptom. A person who is an addict may say “Ok, I’ll give it up,” but if you’ve heard it before and it hasn’t happened, it’s possible that that is an addict. Addicts and alcoholics persist in their symptoms no matter what, which leads to problems. Someone who isn’t an addict should be capable of giving up for a week or two at least.

Further, this is how you can tell that a person is really in trouble with alcohol when they can no longer function at work or school. Alcoholics are prone to hangovers which will cause them to experience the effects of drinking, a day or days’ after the drunkenness should have subsided. This results in mood swings; it affects their ability to focus and they experience difficulty getting tasks completed or done properly. For alcoholics this is a regular occurrence and not just once in the while.

If a person who has a drinking problem does decide to be rid of the condition, it is likely that they will experience something called withdrawal.

According to several papers written on alcoholism, withdrawal is a big indicator of dependence on alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms happen because of the changes in the brain that take place. Alcohol affects brain function in that it stimulates the release of certain chemicals in the brain. The body becomes used to this effect and suffers when alcohol is no longer in the body. Shakes, fever, and convulsions are all signs of serious withdrawal, along with lesser symptoms like cravings, thirstiness, and anxiety.

Outside of the psychological problem, alcohol dependence affects the functions of the brain and liver. Liver problems result in one of the most serious symptoms of alcoholism. It’s one of the leading causes of death for alcoholics, and it occurs because the liver scars overtime. It quite literally destroys it. As a result, addicts turn yellow, suffer immense pain, and then die. It’s not a nice way to go, and it exceeds the discomfort of withdrawal.

As it relates to the brain, heavy alcohol use blocks chemical signals between brain cells (called neurons), leading to the common immediate symptoms of intoxication, including impulsive behaviour, slurred speech, poor memory, and slowed reflexes.

Death by alcohol may be what awaits many with an alcohol use disorder, so if you or someone you know needs help, you can contact the Ministry of Health on telephone number 226-7400.

 

 

 

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