Alcohol is a socially acceptable drug found at sporting events and celebrations all over the world. Unfortunately, it’s also found in the majority of traffic accidents and domestic violence incidents. Alcohol infiltrates life for better or worse but for the person who is in the grips of alcoholism, it will only get worse.

Alcohol use can spiral into alcohol abuse, alcohol dependency and alcoholism. These are all labels with varying degrees of consequences. Someone may initially start drinking for fun and then find they start drinking to cope with life’s difficulties - a divorce, a death, a job loss or any other major transition. These life-changing events can be the catapult to alcohol abuse. Once alcohol becomes a way to cope, it’s a slippery slope that can lead straight into alcoholism. People who depend on alcohol soon become physically and psychologically addicted. They may have the best intentions to quit but the overwhelming desire for alcohol soon overpowers their good intentions and they drink again. This is why it generally takes professional help at an alcohol rehab in order to arrest alcoholism.

Many people struggle with the idea of being an alcoholic and this label alone can keep them from getting the help they need. It doesn’t matter whether you want to label it alcohol abuse, alcohol dependency or alcoholism, reliance on alcohol to cope with life is a problem that only gets worse. While these various labels can be confusing for someone who is attempting to diagnose whether they or a loved one needs help, the bottom line remains unchanged - If alcohol is causing problems with your health, relationships, work, school or any other major responsibilities that affect your ability to live a healthy, functional life then it’s time to consider alcohol treatment.

The good news is that alcoholism can be treated for those willing to get help and there are hundreds of resources available on this website that offer it. If you or a loved on are caught in the grips of alcoholism, don’t despair. Alcohol treatment is available all over the nation. Many people have overcome their alcohol abuse and you can too.

Alcohol abuse may start innocently enough. Letting off steam on the weekends, sporting events where you tie on a few too many, grabbing a buddy to hit the bar scene after a break-up. No one intentionally sets out to engage in alcohol abuse or set the stage for alcoholism, but all too often that’s exactly what happens.

There’s a lot of misconceptions swirling around about the notion of alcohol abuse and alcoholism. While alcohol abuse is often a precursor to alcoholism, this is not always the case. Someone can abuse alcohol and not be an alcoholic. The difference lies in the genetic make-up of each individual. People predisposed to alcoholism have a genetic predisposition that results in processing alcohol differently than others. This makes it difficult for them to stop drinking once they start. This phenomenon is known as craving. Craving for alcohol occurs on a mental and physical level, and can be so intense in alcoholics that everything else goes out the window. Work, school, relationships, responsibilities - all have been known to fall by the wayside in order to satisfy the craving for alcohol.

This is a considerable difference from someone who may begin drinking heavily after the loss of a loved one. Major life trauma or transitions can lead an individual to abuse alcohol in order to cope with grief and stress. While this is not the healthiest behavior, neither does it mean someone is an alcoholic. The best indicator is life management. If someone drinks, even heavily, but maintains significant responsibilities such as family, work, school and health, then counseling may be a more appropriate course of action than alcohol rehab. However, if after a period of time alcohol abuse continues instead of abates, then professional help to determine whether alcohol rehab is necessary should be sought.

Where alcohol abuse generally occurs in response to life situations, alcoholism is a set of behavioral and personality problems that lends itself to drinking regardless of the circumstances. In any event, if you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol abuse or alcoholism it’s a good idea to seek professional help. A counselor, therapist or intake coordinator at an alcohol rehab can help evaluate your alcohol use and determine whether you need the structured environment of alcohol rehab to overcome it.

Alcohol depresses the Central Nervous System (CNS), which has a central role in the coordination of activity and control of behavior. This is why excessive alcohol intake results in impaired judgment, movement and behavior. Ceasing the presence of alcohol by going “cold turkey” after a prolonged period of drinking can cause the CNS to rebound too quickly, resulting in anxiety, nervousness, tremors, shakes and life-threatening seizures. Alcohol detox should always be medically supervised in order to ensure a safe withdrawal.

The process of going through alcohol detox results in a variety of symptoms that range from mild to severe. Mild withdrawal symptoms include typical hangover symptoms of headache, nausea, vomiting, perspiration, restlessness, agitation, loss of appetite and insomnia. But for the alcoholic who has been drinking heavily and consistently for a long period of time, severe withdrawal symptoms can include night sweats, night terrors, auditory or visual hallucinations, convulsions and the DTs (dilirium tremens). Fear of alcohol detox and the accompanying symptoms keeps many alcoholics drinking long after they know they need to stop. There are three types of alcohol detox available:

Cold Turkey

Cold turkey derived its name from the goose bumps that arise during the process of withdrawal from alcohol, drugs or nicotine.  You just stop drinking alcohol and white knuckle through the withdrawal symptoms as they come. It’s estimated that 1 in 4 people are at risk for a seizure if they choose to go cold turkey rather than receive medical care during alcohol detox.

Medical Detox

The safest form of alcohol detox is a medical detox. Individuals receive mild prescription medication to help ease them through the most dangerous phase of alcohol detox where the potential for seizure is greatest. Hospitals or drug rehab centers state-licensed for medical detox offer these services. Individuals undergoing medical detox receive medication in tapering amounts until their body is physically stabilized and they are able to enter an inpatient alcohol rehab program. This is the most prevalent and comfortable form of alcohol detox available.

NeuroTransmiter Restoration Therapy (NTR)

NeuroTransmiter Restoration Therapy (NTR) is a relatively new alcohol detox process offered by only a few select drug and alcohol rehabs in the United States. NTR utilizes an all-natural amino acid and mineral solution that coats the brain’s neurotransmitter receptor sites where most of the damage from drug and alcohol abuse occurs. This process stimulates the body’s cells to shift into repair mode, easing withdrawal symptoms, cravings and the fogginess that can accompany alcohol detox. In spite of its benefits, NTR is generally combined with medical detox as prescription medication is often necessary to ease alcoholic individuals past the danger stage when life-threatening convulsions can occur.

Have you ever asked: Am I an alcoholic? If you have, you might want to consider taking a personal inventory to determine if you really do have a problem with alcohol. One of the biggest issues that face most alcoholics is the denial that they really have a problem, so if you catch yourself fudging on these questions and saying “maybe” or “sorta”, count that as a “yes” for the purposes of this self-evaluation.

• Do you lose time from work, school or other responsibilities because of drinking alcohol?
• Do you find that drinking alcohol makes you feel more confident socially?
• Is drinking alcohol ruining your reputation?
• Do you feel guilty for how much you drink?
• Is drinking alcohol interfering with your financial situation?
• Do you find yourself careless of your loved ones when you’re drinking alcohol?
• Does drinking alcohol interfere with your ambition?
• Do you want a drink in the morning?
• Does drinking interfere with your sleep?
• Do you drink to forget about trouble?

If you’ve answered yes to one or more of these questions, you are at risk for being an alcoholic should look into getting help.

If You’re an Alcoholic, There is Help

There are many groups and organizations that can help you stop drinking if you’re an alcoholic and want to be sober. You don’t have to go it alone and you don’t have to live in shame. There are many people who have found themselves as alcoholics and are now living clean, sober lives that they really enjoy. Someone who has been through what you have is in a good position to help you, so don’t be shy about reaching out. You deserve better than living an alcoholic life, so be ready to recover and really enjoy living.