Alcohol Addiction - Symptoms, causes and treatment

Alcohol addiction is a condition when a person is addicted to alcohol and it is difficult to control its consumption. There are several other terms used for this condition, namely alcoholism and alcohol use disorder (alcohol use disorder).

Patterns of excessive alcohol consumption can cause serious problems in a person's health and social life. However, people who are addicted to alcohol cannot stop consuming alcohol, even though they are aware that the habit has caused problems for them.

Causes of Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction is caused by consuming too much alcohol, enough to make chemical changes in the brain. These chemical changes increase the sensation of satisfaction when drinking alcohol, thus triggering the sufferer to drink more often.

Over time, the feeling of satisfaction you feel from drinking alcohol will wear off. Therefore, sufferers will continue to drink alcohol to prevent withdrawal symptoms that can occur when sufferers do not drink alcohol.

Many factors can affect a person experiencing alcohol addiction, including:

• Psychological factors, such as stress, depression, and difficulty adapting
• Social factors, such as encouragement from others to drink alcohol, as well as the availability of alcohol around
• Environmental factors, for example being in an environment that considers excessive alcohol consumption normal
• Genetic factors, such as having parents with alcohol problems

Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol is a strong chemical that can cause a variety of effects on the body. The effects can be mild, moderate, or severe, and can be short-lived or long-term.

The following are some of the symptoms that indicate a person has been addicted to alcohol:

• Unable to limit the amount of alcohol consumed
• Wanted to limit alcohol consumption but didn't work
• Most of the time spent drinking alcohol or recovering from the effects of alcohol
• Have a very strong urge to drink alcohol
• Unable to complete obligations at school, work, or home due to alcohol consumption
• Continue to consume alcohol even if this habit has caused health or social problems
• Stopping or limiting social activities, work, or hobbies, because it prioritizes time to drink alcohol
• Consuming alcohol in conditions known to be dangerous, such as when driving or swimming
• Have increased alcohol tolerance, so it is necessary to consume more alcohol to feel the same effects as before
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, and shaking, when not drinking alcohol, and may feel the need to drink continuously and in large quantities to avoid these symptoms

In certain cases, people who are addicted to alcohol can experience symptoms of alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning occurs due to increased levels of alcohol in the blood. The higher the level of alcohol in the blood, the more severe the condition can be.

Alcohol poisoning can cause behavioral and mental disorders, which include unstable moods, slurred speech, inappropriate behavior, difficulty concentrating and judging things, and poor body coordination.

Alcohol poisoning can also cause sufferers to be unable to remember the events they experienced, or what is known as alcohol poisoning blackout. Very high blood alcohol levels can also lead to coma or even death.

When to go to the doctor

Check with your doctor or psychiatrist if you think you've had too much alcohol, even if only occasionally. You should also see your doctor if your drinking has been causing problems, or if your family and friends are bothered by your drinking.

For parents, it is very important to always be aware of the symptoms that may indicate alcohol addiction in children, such as:

• Not interested in daily activities or hobbies, and not paying attention to appearance
• Red eyes, difficulty speaking clearly, impaired coordination of movements, and easy to forget
• Having trouble with friends or suddenly having a different group of friends than usual
• Having decreased academic performance and having problems at school
• Frequent mood swings
• Have lots of excuses or often lie to cover things up

In this case, early prevention is very important to do so that children can avoid the various problems that can arise due to alcoholism.

Alcohol Addiction Diagnosis

The process of diagnosing alcohol addiction will begin by conducting questions and answers regarding the patient's alcohol drinking habits. The doctor may also ask the patient's family and relatives about this.

Alcohol addiction can have an impact on the patient's body. Therefore, the doctor will also ask for complaints that may be felt and the patient's medical history, then proceed with a physical examination.

To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will also run a series of supporting examinations, such as:

• Laboratory examinations and scans to see any health problems, such as organ damage
• Psychological examination by asking a series of questions about the symptoms experienced, feelings, thought patterns, and behavior of the patient

Alcohol Addiction Treatment

There are several methods that can be used to overcome alcohol addiction. The method used will be adjusted to the level of addiction and the goals of therapy. These methods include:

1. Counseling

Counseling, either in person or by joining a counseling group, can help patients understand their addiction problems.

One of the counseling methods that can be used is cognitive behavioral therapy. In this therapy, the patient will be informed about the dangers of alcohol to health and social life. After that, the patient will be helped to correct his wrong mindset about alcohol consumption.

Patients will also be given advice regarding things that can be done to reduce alcohol consumption, for example by recording the amount of alcohol consumption for 1 week, or replacing alcohol with soft drinks.

2. Detoxification

Patients who are addicted to alcohol are generally advised to stop drinking alcohol gradually. However, there are several conditions that make it necessary for patients to stop drinking alcohol completely or immediately, namely:

• Suffering from liver disorders, such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, liver cancer, and other liver diseases
• Suffering from heart disease
• Pregnant or planning a pregnancy
• Taking drugs that interact with alcohol, such as antipsychotic drugs

In cases of severe addiction, patients need to be hospitalized to stop alcohol consumption. This is because usually withdrawal symptoms that appear are also severe and require medical treatment.

Withdrawal symptoms can be severe for the first 48 hours, and then get better as alcohol levels drop. This entire process generally takes 3–7 days since the patient last consumed alcohol.

If alcohol addiction is mild or moderate, the detox process can be carried out at home under the direction and supervision of a doctor. If withdrawal symptoms are severe enough, your doctor can prescribe medication to take at home.

3. Drug therapy

If needed, the doctor will prescribe medications, such as naltrexone, acamprosate, or disulfiram, to help with the alcohol addiction recovery process.

4. Lifestyle changes

Lifestyle changes are an important step in overcoming alcoholism. In this case, the patient needs to start adopting a healthy lifestyle, such as by getting enough rest and exercising regularly.

Old activities related to alcohol need to be shunned and replaced with new, more positive activities, such as building spiritual activities with more regular worship. In addition, patients also need to stay away from friends and situations that do not support the recovery process.

Several alternative therapies can be combined as additional therapy in the recovery period, such as yoga, meditation, and acupuncture, while under the supervision of a doctor.

Alcohol Addiction Complications

A number of diseases and health problems that can occur due to alcoholism are:

• Brain and nerve disorders

  Dementia and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome are neurological disorders that can result from long-term alcohol consumption. Symptoms can include confusion, loss of balance, and loss of vision.

• liver disease

  Consumption of alcohol in large quantities can cause fatty liver (hepatic steatosis), inflammation of the liver (alcoholic hepatitis), to cirrhosis.

• Heart and blood vessel disease

  Excessive alcohol consumption can trigger high blood pressure, which can increase the risk of stroke and heart failure. Heart rhythm disturbances (atrial fibrillation) can also occur due to excessive alcohol consumption.

• Digestive problems

  Alcohol addiction can cause inflammation of the lining of the stomach (gastritis). This can interfere with the absorption of B vitamins and other nutrients, causing the body to lack nutrients. In addition, damage to the pancreas that leads to pancreatitis can also occur due to alcoholism.

• Menstrual disorders and sexual function

  Alcohol addiction can cause impotence in men and cessation of menstruation in women.

• Pregnancy problems

  Consumption of alcohol during pregnancy is at risk of causing miscarriage or fetal alcohol syndrome resulting in birth defects in children.

• Visual disturbance

  Long-term alcohol consumption can cause uncontrolled eye movement (nystagmus) and paralysis of the eye muscles due to vitamin B1 deficiency.

• Hypoglycemia

  Alcohol can interfere with the release of sugar (glucose) from the liver, putting it at risk for hypoglycemia, especially in people with diabetes who take insulin.

• Bone damage

  Alcohol can inhibit the production of new bone cells, thus potentially causing bone loss or osteoporosis. In addition to bone, bone marrow can also be damaged by alcohol, so that the production of blood cells is disrupted.

• Cancer

  Long-term alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing liver cancer, oral cancer, colon cancer, throat cancer, and breast cancer.

• Vulnerable to infection

  Alcohol consumption can weaken the immune system, thereby increasing the risk of developing infections, especially lung infections (pneumonia).

• Alcohol and drug interactions

  Alcohol can interact with some medications. This interaction can make the drug dangerous for the body.

Also, keep in mind that consuming alcohol or being under the effects of alcohol under certain conditions, such as driving or operating heavy machinery, carries a high risk of causing an accident that can be fatal.

Alcohol Addiction Prevention

Alcohol addiction can be prevented by avoiding alcohol consumption or at least limiting the amount of alcohol consumed per day. The following is the dose of alcohol consumption that is still relatively safe for health: