Alcoholism is a disease although some professionals believe that it is a choice. If you or anyone that you love is addicted to alcohol, it is important that you find professional help with a person who does believe that it is a disease.
Alcoholism due to its chronic as well as the nature of the problem can be claimed as a medical disease. Alcoholism will cause the patient to seek and use alcohol without any care of consequences. These problems not only affect the user, but everyone they are close to. Symptoms of this disease include:
• Not recognizing problem
• Friends and family are aware of signs
• Increasing tolerance
• Changes in behavior
• Dangerous or negative outcomes
Alcoholism Treatment
The first part of any alcoholism treatment is withdrawal from alcohol. It is not an easy part of recoveryand often an addict will be driven back to alcohol. This is a matter of the brain not receiving any alcohol and the chemical changes send the body back to drinking. The withdrawal is severe and depends on the amount of alcohol and the length of the abuse.
Medical Professionals
Because addiction is a disease it is best that treatment is managed by medical professionals highly trained in addiction. They will help the addict through various stages of recovery and teach the addict how to live a life free from temptation and free from addiction. Relapses usually occur due to the dependent part of addiction and it is not uncommon for these relapses to occur often.
Public Appearance
There is a social stigma that comes with having an addiction to alcohol and this often makes many people ashamed to admit that they suffer or have suffered from alcohol addiction. A person who is an alcoholic does not have any ability to control their use of alcohol. This is a mark of addiction. Addicts even understand mentally the harm that is a result of the abuse of alcohol. But the brain is not capable in turning off the part that controls the desire for more alcohol.
Other Symptoms
Often alcoholics believe that they can stop drinking without any help but they will learn that this is not possible and that they need professional help. Many addicts began social drinking and become addicts, either slowly or rapidly. Many will say that they knew after their first few episodes that they had a problem. It is unknown if the process toward addiction is due to a genetic causes for those who become addicted so quickly.
Research is going on and advances are being made. Many professionals believe that soon there will be diagnostic and treatment enhancements to help with alcoholism treatment.