What is an alcoholic? If you’re not familiar with alcoholism as a disease, you may think an alcoholic has to drink every day from morning to night. An alcoholic, however, is anyone who’s addicted to alcohol, and they often have great jobs and loving families. In fact, you might sit next to one at work without knowing it.
What Is an Alcoholic?
Alcohol is a drug, and because of that, people can become dependent on it. Because drinking is so widely accepted in society, many people who are alcoholics don’t realize they’re stuck in the grip of dependency. If they’re surrounded by others who also drink heavily, their group of peers may encourage their drinking.
Alcoholics range from people who’ve lost everything to high-functioning individuals who get up every morning, go to work, and—from all outside appearances—seem to be successful and happy. What all of these people share is an overriding compulsion to drink. Once they start drinking, it’s impossible for them to stop.
If they recognize a problem, they may tell themselves that they’ll stop after one or two drinks, but they’re unable to do so. Alcoholics build up a tolerance, so it takes increasing amounts of alcohol for them to achieve the same high.
Functional or not, alcoholics eventually run into problems such as poor health, strained relationships, and poor work performance. They often miss social and family functions due to their addiction.
When to Seek Help
Many people struggling with an alcohol addiction don’t recognize the problem because they’re deep in denial. It often takes a crisis or an intervention for them to admit they need help.
Once individuals accept help and begin to detox, their alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be mild or severe, depending on how long a person has suffered from dependency. Symptoms may begin within hours of taking the last drink and last several weeks. Typical withdrawal symptoms include:
- Anxiety
- Shakiness
- Irritability
- Agitation
- Insomnia
- Muscle pain
- Seizures
Due to the discomfort people feel when they stop drinking, they continue to abuse alcohol because it makes them feel better.
The Difference We Can Make
At Ashley Addiction Treatment, we focus on three pillars of recovery: innovative, integrated, holistic care. Our addiction treatment approach is tailored to your needs, and we maintain an environment of dignity and respect.
Our treatment services include:
- Drug and alcohol detox
- Young adult programs
- Outpatient programs
- Dual diagnosis
- Group therapy
- Family programs
If you ask yourself, “What is an alcoholic?” and you recognize that many of your behaviors fall under the definition, our team is here to get you back on the path to health and healing.
When you’re ready to break free from alcohol or drug addiction, our quality rehab facility can help. Take control of your life by taking that first step to recovery. Call us today: 866-313-6307.