alcohol use disorder Archives - Best Rahabs In Arizona

January 31, 2023February 1, 2023

Hiding Alcohol: What Does It Mean?

Why Does My Loved One Hide Alcohol?

Hiding alcohol is a very common sign of alcohol use disorder, also called alcohol addiction. If your loved one hides alcohol, you may find it around the house in the bottle it came in, in a water bottle, or in other drink containers.

When you discover that your loved one is hiding alcohol, it is often a scary time. Perhaps, you knew your loved one engaged in excessive drinking already, and discovering hidden alcohol around the house was the moment you could no longer ignore the problem. Alternatively, hidden alcohol could be one of the first signs of alcohol addiction you see.

Either way, your loved one deserves help and a judgment-free space to land. In this article, we’ll talk about alcohol use disorder and what to do if you discover that your loved one is drinking alcohol in private.

Keep reading to learn more about how to help a loved one with alcohol, and about the effective programs for recovery at Best Rehabs In Arizona in Colorado and Arizona!

Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a mental illness, just like other substance use disorders. It could be that your loved one experiences alcohol addiction alone, or it could be that their alcohol consumption occurs alongside the use of other drugs.

While multiple risk factors increase the risk of an alcohol use disorder, the fact of the matter is that anyone can face alcohol addiction. Substance abuse has become increasingly prevalent throughout the years. The good news is that AUD is a treatable disorder.

Signs And Severity of an Alcohol Use Disorder

While hiding alcohol is one sign of a problem, understanding the other symptoms of alcohol addiction can help you identify it in yourself, family members, friends, or someone else you know, like a partner. Alcohol use disorder can be mild, moderate, or severe. Mild alcohol use disorder is marked by two to three of the signs below, whereas moderate alcohol use disorder is marked by three to five and severe alcohol use disorder is marked by six or more.

Signs of alcohol abuse include but aren’t limited to:

Drinking alcohol in large amounts or over a longer period than intended.
A persistent desire to stop drinking paired with unsuccessful efforts to reduce or control alcohol use.
Cravings or a strong desire to drink alcohol.
Spending a large portion of time on activities required to obtain, use, or recover from the effects of alcohol.
Continued alcohol use that results in failure to attend to obligations at work, school, or home.
Continuing to drink despite negative effects in the form of ongoing social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by alcohol consumption.
Giving up or reducing time spent on important social, occupational, or recreational activities due to alcohol use.
Recurrent alcohol use despite getting into physically hazardous situations due to drinking.
Continued drinking despite recurrent or persistent physical or mental health issues that are likely caused or worsened by alcohol.
Tolerance is marked by either a need for higher drinking levels (a larger quantity of drinks) to achieve desired effects or a markedly reduced level of intoxication from drinking the same amount of alcohol.
Withdrawals marked by either withdrawal syndrome or consuming alcohol or a closely related substance, like benzodiazepines, to avoid or relieve withdrawal symptoms.

Regardless of severity level, getting professional help is crucial. Friends and family members are often an important part of a person’s support system, so the fact that you are reading this is already an excellent first step. Now, what are the treatment options?

Treatment Options For Alcohol Addiction

Everyone with a substance use disorder will have different treatment needs. Thankfully, there’s more than one treatment option for AUD. Treatment options for alcohol addiction include but aren’t limited to:

Residential treatment

Residential treatment involves staying at the treatment facility for the duration of care. In other words, individuals attending residential treatment will sleep and eat at the facility to which they are admitted.

You or your family member attending treatment will typically engage in various therapies (such as individual, group, and family therapy), creating a relapse prevention plan, and other helpful activities while in a residential treatment program.

Long-term rehab

It takes a lot of work and courage to manage addiction. Long-term rehab is ideal for those who require a longer duration of treatment than residential programs provide.

Residential treatment stays are usually around one to three months, whereas long-term rehab allows someone to stay in treatment for more than three months. While it depends on the person and their needs, some stay in long-term rehab for six months to a year.

Partial hospitalization programs

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is more intensive than an outpatient program but less intensive than inpatient treatment. Like with outpatient programs, you do not sleep at the facility when you attend PHP. However, PHP usually requires a time commitment of around twenty hours per week.

Intensive outpatient programs

An intensive outpatient program (IOP) for mental health concerns like substance use disorders is exactly what it sounds like. Rather than sleep and eat at a treatment facility, intensive outpatient allows someone to live at home or otherwise outside of a facility while in care. IOP requires a time commitment of between nine to nineteen hours per week.

Medical detox

Withdrawals are uncomfortable. Medical detox is a safe space to go through the initial withdrawal and detoxification process while supervised by medical professionals. Some people, though not all, attend medical detox prior to treatment.

The Myth Of The “High-Functioning Alcoholic”

You may or may not have heard the term “high-functioning alcoholic.” Usually, the term high-functioning alcoholic is used to describe a person who continues to engage in society through maintaining a job or their family life despite heavy drinking or an otherwise notable drinking problem. This may represent your loved one who attempts to hide alcohol.

Loved ones hiding drinking problems sometimes feel that they “have it under control” and may initially resist treatment. That said, a drinking problem is always serious enough to get help. Take a deep breath and know that your loved one can get to a better place.

Get Help For Yourself Or A Loved One

If your loved one is hiding alcohol or shows other signs of alcohol addiction, there is hope. Best Rehabs In Arizona is here to help. Best Rehabs In Arizona has many locations and levels of care in Arizona and Colorado. The levels of care we offer include residential, outpatient, partial hospitalization, detox, and long-term rehab.

Our hotline is available 24/7 for people with substance use disorders and their loved ones. When you contact Best Rehabs In Arizona, we will help you verify insurance coverage for treatment and find a placement at one of our facilities.

Call Best Rehabs In Arizona to speak with an addiction counselor today or fill out the Contact Us form on our website now!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Hiding Alcohol

Why do people hide their alcohol?

If someone hides alcohol in their own home, it is usually because the person knows that they have a problem. A person may hide alcohol out of shame or so that others do not know how much alcohol they drink.

Where do people usually hide alcohol?

If you find alcohol hidden by a loved one once, you may wonder where else they’re hiding alcohol. Common spots to find hidden alcohol include dresser drawers, closets, or containers typically used for other drinks, such as water bottles.

January 6, 2022July 25, 2022

Chest Pain Drinking Alcohol?

Why Does Alcohol Affect the Heart?

Most of us know that overdoing it with alcohol can cause health problems. However, there are plenty of longtime alcoholics who don’t even think about that. It’s not something I ever thought about until I began experiencing serious health complications.

I remember my grandfather complaining a lot about chest pains near the end of his life. He was a lifelong drinker himself and didn’t put a lot of thought into his health. He ended up dying from alcoholic cardiomyopathy. He had a number of other issues going on including diabetes and alcohol-induced gastritis.

A Family History of Alcoholic Heart Conditions

You’d think watching him drink himself to death would’ve stopped me, but it didn’t. I became a heavy drinker myself and was in and out of trouble all through my younger years. Drunk driving charges, disorderly conduct, I was a mess for a long time.

I began dabbling with other drugs during this time, and excessive drinking also led me to pick up smoking. I’ve known a lot of people who started smoking because of alcohol. Smoking when drunk is pretty common due to alcohol increasing the craving to smoke. It’s just like mixing any other drugs. One enhances the other.

Should Alcohol Consumption Cause Chest Pains?

The short answer is: it depends on your consumption. The fact of the matter is if you drink heavily, you are going to experience some type of health difficulty. A lot of factors are in play. When it comes to chest pain, there are many causes of chest pain after drinking. Alcohol has a great effect on the heart. There is a direct link between alcohol and heart attack risk.

Alcohol temporarily increases heart rate and blood pressure. When you drink, the alcohol enters the bloodstream and is released into various parts of the body. Long-term alcohol consumption can lead to high blood pressure and weakened heart muscles.

Side Effects of Alcohol Consumption

There are a lot of additional alcohol side effects that may not be as severe. Heartburn from alcohol consumption. Alcohol typically contains a lot of sugar which can take longer for your body to break down. We’ve all had uncomfortable heartburn before. Imagine having it on a consistent basis.

Other uncomfortable side effects of alcohol include organ stress and damage, pancreatitis, and dehydration. There is also a link between acid reflux and alcohol. Alcohol is known to contribute to acid reflux due to its interaction with your esophagus.

Alcohol and Atrial Fibrillation

Another scary side effect of alcohol abuse is atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a rapid, irregular heartbeat, commonly referred to as ‘afib’. This is commonly referred to as holiday heart. It’s important to understand the holiday heart and its risks. Everyone seems to overdo it around the holidays. We overdo it with food and alcohol.

Doctors tend to see more cases of ‘afib’ around the holiday season. The bottom line is that a lot of bad things can happen from excessive alcohol intake. Alcohol toxicity (commonly referred to as alcohol poisoning) is a very common occurrence and is most often deadly.

Seeking Treatment For Alcohol

Even if you know you have a drinking problem, getting help is not as easy as it may seem. A lot of people try to get help to save their job or marriage. The truth is, unless you truly want to do it for yourself, it probably won’t work. Recovery is an ongoing process and is something that has to be maintained.

You don’t just get sober and then never have to put any effort into it. You get out of it what you put in. If you put in the work, sobriety can be a very rewarding thing.

Find Your Reason for Getting Sober

We all have different reasons that help us get clean. Finding recovery for your heart is one of the most common reasons. As you get older, you start paying more attention to your mortality. Especially when the things you once enjoyed begin giving you health issues. I would wake up almost every day with ‘hangxiety’ and chest pains. Hangxiety refers to the anxiety that can occur over getting a hangover. Worrying about whether or not you will be hungover can be very distressing and can easily make your situation worse.

How Can I Cure my Hangxiety?

First, we have to know, can you cure hangxiety in general? From my research, it seems that the best you can do is figure out why you are having it in the first place. I know that alcohol makes me anxious, but it is much more than that. My anxiety and my drinking are rooted in something deeper within me. I used to ask myself why alcohol gave me anxiety, instead of asking myself why I needed to drink so much.

It turned out I was trying to hide the pain and suffering that I was going through my entire life. I had a rough upbringing and didn’t have both of my parents. My father was in and out of prison, and my mother was often homeless and unable to take care of me or my siblings. Both of my parents had problems with alcohol. Was it any surprise that I would end up this way myself?

Anxiety and Hangover Guilt

Hangover guilt is another common feeling that drinkers who suffer from anxiety will experience. A lot of us who binge drink wake up not remembering the events from the previous day or night. We instantly began worrying about what transpired. Did I say or do something I shouldn’t have? Did I call anybody and leave an embarrassing voice message? A bunch of these questions comes to mind, and they feed your feelings of anxiety.

I know that if I overdo it, which I used to do frequently, I would usually feel pretty guilty about it. We tell ourselves that we won’t overdo it, and when we do, we beat ourselves up about it. We find it hard to forgive ourselves. It just points to the fact that you probably don’t have any control over your drinking.

It took me a long time to realize that I needed help. I knew I needed to change my habits. I couldn’t go another night with alcohol making me anxious. I couldn’t go another day feeling like death. I had more to deal with than just my drinking. I was not in a good place mentally after suffering from hangxiety day in and day out.

I needed to do something. I checked myself into treatment through the Best Rehabs In Arizona and began to put my life back together. It wasn’t easy, but it was the only thing that was going to fix my issues.

Regain Control with Alcohol Treatment

It’s common to experience anxiety and depression days after binge drinking. Alcohol alters our mental state, and it can take a while for our brain to recover. Feelings of anxiety and depression after drinking are very common. After all, alcohol is a depressant.

It slows down our brains and impairs our cognitive functions. When you aren’t drinking, you have to face the effects that come with it. It’s very similar to what a drug addict feels when they can’t get the drug. Remember, alcohol is not only a drug but probably the most abused drug of all of them.

Because of the level of my anxiety, I was pretty nervous about detox. I felt the same feelings of anxiety that I felt when I was hungover. I just tried to tell myself that this would give me the positive result that drinking didn’t. It was going to be uncomfortable, but I was going to have something to show for it when all was said and done.

That helped curb my anxiety and put me in the place where I needed to get better. The people at Best Rehabs In Arizona did everything they could to make me feel comfortable during such an uncomfortable process. They did an amazing job of getting me through that initial struggle.

The children of alcoholics usually suffer at some point in their lives. They often develop anxiety, depression, and addictions of their own. It is a cycle that isn’t easily broken. Once we get too far into an addiction, we often think we are beyond being saved. We are the way we are and that’s that. There’s no fixing it. Meeting other folks in recovery helps a lot. I met so many people in group therapy who drank for decades. They assumed there was nothing that could be done. Once your body and mind have gone through years of damage, you think there’s no reversing it.

Listening to other people’s stories made me understand that this cycle can be broken no matter where you are in your struggle. You can be an addict for years and still quit. It all comes down to you wanting it bad enough. I used to think I wanted to get clean, but it took me a long time before I wanted it bad enough to go through with it.

We like the idea of being sober and leaving all that suffering behind, but you have to put in the work. It’s a practice that takes time and effort. Once you get sober, it doesn’t mean the process is over. It’s a daily struggle sometimes, but one you will be well equipped to deal with the following treatment. Reach out to the folks at Best Rehabs In Arizonas today to get started, and let your own hangxiety become a thing of the past!

February 28, 2021July 23, 2022

Alcohol Rehab Treatment

Alcohol Rehab Best Rehabs In Arizona - drunk young man falls asleep at the bar with multiple drinks in front of him, as his loved ones and surrounding friends decide it may be time for him to attend alcohol rehab.

What is Alcohol Rehab?

When someone who is abusing alcohol finds they are unable to stop drinking, it may be time to consider attending alcohol rehab.

Many people think of those who struggle with alcohol misuse are a certain age or type of person, but this is far from the truth.

There are a few different types of individuals that struggle with alcoholism, and all of them have to deal with ways this chronic disease affects their brain and their body — among many other factors.

Over 14 million American adults struggle with alcoholism, and 95,000 die each year from an alcohol-related illness.

No matter what type you are, seeking the help of an alcohol rehab program is the best way to overcome your addiction.

What is Alcoholism?

What most individuals struggling with alcohol use disorder have in common is they drink alcohol frequently or in very large quantities.

Alcoholism is considered a chronic disease because of how it changes the way the brain works. When you drink, your brain releases dopamine, a chemical that makes you feel happy and relaxed. The longer you abuse alcohol, the more you will have to drink to feel these effects.

Over time, your brain forgets how to release dopamine naturally. This makes your brain crave alcohol to make you feel good. This is what makes alcoholism a chronic disease. It is very challenging for those who struggle with alcoholism to stop drinking, even when they know it is causing problems with their health.

Immediate Placement in an Alcohol Treatment Facility – Get Help Now

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Understanding the Types of Alcoholics

There are many stereotypes regarding people who have a drinking problem, from not being able to hold down a job to not caring about their physical appearance.

There is no such thing as one type of alcoholic. Alcoholism can affect people of any age with any background, no matter how successful they are in their careers.

When it comes to the different types of alcoholics, there are typically five main groups:

Young Antisocial:
This type of alcoholic begins drinking very young, usually around the age of 15 years old. Some of these young people may have a mental illness as well, such as an antisocial personality disorder, which makes them impulsive and uncaring of the physical dangers of alcohol.

Young Adult:
This type of alcoholic begins showing impulsive behaviors when they are around 20 years old. They typically do not drink every day, but instead, binge drink two or more times per week. This is the most common type of alcoholic in the United States today.

Functional:
This type of alcoholic usually has a higher level of education and income level. They also tend to have more stable personal relationships than other types of alcoholics. Functional alcoholics are usually binge drinkers who consume alcohol at least every other day.

Intermediate Familial:
This type of alcoholic usually has a close family member who either had or has a drinking issue. These people usually begin drinking when they are around 17 years old in order to try and cope with family stress.

Chronic Severe:
This type of alcoholic has the most severe symptoms and issues. Most chronic severe alcoholics are men and, as a result, have a high rate of divorce because of their drinking. They also have a high rate of abusing other drugs along with alcohol.

Learn More About Alcohol Rehab at Best Rehabs In Arizona: Call Today

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The Effects of Alcohol Abuse

For all types of alcoholics, alcohol poses a serious risk to their health.

This is because alcoholism can create a wide range of negative symptoms and long-term health problems.

Certified alcoholics can experience heart problems, including high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and heart attacks. They often also experience problems with their livers. These problems can include fatty liver, liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis.

Alcoholism can weaken your immune system, making it more likely that you will deal with things like colds, the flu, and pneumonia. One of the more dangerous risks for the different types of alcoholics is an increased risk of certain cancers. Alcohol increases your chances of getting liver, throat, esophageal, colon, and breast cancers.

Attending an alcohol rehab program as soon as you realize you have a drinking problem will avoid some of these issues.

Mental Illness and the Certified Alcoholic

Many people who are certified alcoholics also deal with mental health issues.

Anyone struggling with alcoholism has an increased chance of either developing a mental health issue or worsening one they already had. This is because alcohol changes your moods and your behaviors. Alcohol makes it harder for you to think clearly.

When abused, it also changes the way that your brain sends chemicals that make you feel happy and relaxed. Over time, your brain gets used to relying on alcohol to release these chemicals, which makes it difficult for you to feel happy from anything else. This can make you feel anxious and depressed.

And, eventually, these mental health symptoms can affect your personal relationships and your performance at work or school. This can lead to losing your job, dropping out of school, and divorce. Many people who have alcohol abuse issues also suffer from anger issues, which can cause further problems with their loved ones.

24-Hour Alcohol Rehab Hotline – Get Help Now

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Treatment Options for the Different Types of Alcoholics

Much like other types of addictions, there are many alcohol rehab treatment options available depending on your specifics needs and level of addiction.

For the most serious addictions, the first step is detox. At Best Rehabs In Arizona, we offer medical detox options to our clients. This allows us to help make your detox symptoms less uncomfortable.

Once this is complete, we can move on to a behavioral therapy program.

There are three main therapy options that work best for alcohol rehab: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), and Family Counseling.

CBT helps you to see the thoughts and behaviors that lead to your drinking. It also teaches healthy ways to manage stress and avoid things that trigger you to drink.

MET is a way that helps you build positive motivations to avoid relapsing.

Lastly, family counseling focuses on working to repair any family relationships that have been damaged by addiction or alcoholism. These sessions take place with your family members and can include your spouse, children, parents, other family members, or close friends. Being able to build a stronger family system helps your family heal from any emotional damage, as well as increases your chances of staying sober.

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Getting the Help You Need for Your Alcohol Addiction

At Best Rehabs In Arizona, we know exactly what it takes to get your life back from the cycle and negative effects of addiction.

That is why you can trust our alcohol rehab programs to help you overcome your dependence on this substance.

Our luxury locations provide a comfortable and home-like atmosphere so that our clients feel safe and secure throughout the length of their treatment program.

We only use only scientifically-researched, cutting-edge, and effective drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs.

We have over 25 years of experience in helping people with addictions and co-occurring disorders overcome their struggles and live a happy, healthy, and sober life.

Many of our clients wonder whether or not they will be able to take advantage of their health insurance benefits to help cover their treatment. That is why we offer free insurance verification.

Simply give us a call and one of our addiction specialists can check to see how much of your treatment program will be covered by your insurance before you begin treatment.

You can trust us to communicate with your insurance provider to ensure that you receive every benefit that you are entitled to.

For all types of alcoholics, experiencing health problems from your drinking is a serious risk.

Let us use our years of experience to get you on the right path to a meaningful and lasting recovery.

See the difference getting sober can make in your life.

November 25, 2020November 13, 2020

The 5 Types of Alcoholics

Not All Alcoholics Are the Same

When we think of the term “alcoholics,” we think of individuals addicted to drinking alcohol.

For this reason, it is easy to lump everyone who is affected by alcohol addiction into a single group.

However, this kind of catch-all approach does not reflect the reality of alcohol addiction.

Current research shows there are five subgroups of people dealing with alcoholism.

No matter which of these groups you belong to, you will likely need help to recover your sobriety.

Additionally, it’s important to know that not everyone with serious drinking problems faces the same situation.

This kind of awareness gives doctors the ability to tailor treatment plans surrounding their specific needs and situation.

How Is Alcoholism Defined?

Before breaking down the sub-types of alcoholism, it helps to clarify what alcoholism itself means. Today, experts view alcoholism as part of an illness called alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Symptoms that point to an alcohol addiction include:

Regularly consuming more alcohol than you initially planned
Repeated lack of success when you try multiple times to stop drinking
Making drinking and drinking-related activities the focus of your day
Needing more and more alcohol to feel like its effects on you
Not quitting drinking after seeing its negative impact on your health
Feeling a strong pull toward drinking when not consuming alcohol
Experiencing withdrawal if you take a break from drinking or try to quit

You can be diagnosed with AUD if you have experienced two of these symptoms. You can also be diagnosed if you have just one symptom of alcoholism and one symptom of non-addicted alcohol abuse. The most severely affected drinkers typically experience six to 11 alcohol-related symptoms.

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The Five Types of Alcoholics

Being addicted to alcohol is just the baseline definition of alcoholism. To understand alcoholism better, researchers have studied the condition in greater detail.

There are a couple of reasons why this is significant. First, this additional information makes it possible for doctors to better understand their patients struggling with alcohol abuse and addiction. Moreover, it allows people affected by the illness to understand themselves better.

With all of this in mind, here are five subgroups of people affected by alcohol addiction.

Drinkers Who Are Young Adults

Young adults are people between the ages of 18 and 25. People in this age range make up a large percentage of all alcohol consumers in the U.S. They also make up a significant percentage of binge drinkers and heavy drinkers.

Roughly one-third of all Americans addicted to alcohol are young adults. People in this category are not as likely to have additional problems often found in heavy drinkers.

These problems include a family history of alcoholism. They also include the presence of other mental health issues, including additional substance addiction. If you belong to this subgroup of drinkers, chances are low that you have sought help for your problems.

Young People With Antisocial Tendencies

People who behave in antisocial ways do things that violate the norms of everyday behavior.

Some of these actions include stealing, invading other people’s personal space, and committing violent or aggressive acts. In some cases, these individuals may have an antisocial personality disorder.

About a fifth of all Americans addicted to alcohol are young adults in their 20s with antisocial tendencies. If you belong to this subgroup, you may also have:

An anxiety disorder
A bipolar illness
Major depression

It is not uncommon for those affected to have an additional addiction to opioids or cocaine. There is also a very good chance that these individuals use marijuana or smoke cigarettes. Interestingly, antisocial problem drinkers often seek treatment. Over 33% of people in this category do so.

“Functional” Alcoholics

Functional alcoholics are addicted to alcohol and manage to maintain much of their daily competence.

For this reason, they may slip through the cracks when it comes to detecting an alcohol-related problem. Roughly one in five problem drinkers fit into this subgroup. These people tend to be in their 40s or 50s. They also tend to have a high level of education and meet their responsibilities at work and home. Many people in this category have parents or grandparents with alcohol problems. Cases of major depression are also relatively common. The same holds true for cigarette use.

Intermediate Familial Drinkers

People in this subgroup are middle-aged adults. About 50% have some diagnosable depression, and about 20% have bipolar disorder. The same holds true for marijuana and cocaine abuse. Close to 20% of all people with alcoholism belong to the intermediate familial subgroup. Unfortunately, one in four of these people are likely to seek treatment for their drinking.

Long-Term, Severe Drinkers

9% of those that struggle with alcoholism belong to this subgroup of long-term, severe drinkers. This group includes those most heavily affected by alcohol use disorder. It also consists of those most heavily affected by other mental health issues, including antisocial personality disorder, bipolar disorders, and major depression.

The vast majority of long-term severe drinkers come from families with alcohol problems. People in this category also frequently suffer from addictions to substances such as:

Opioids
Cocaine
Marijuana

It is common for severe alcoholics to seek treatment. This is the only subgroup where more than 50% of those affected seek help.

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Not Enough Alcoholics Enter Treatment

One glaring statistic holds true for most problem drinkers: They do not seek help for their alcohol use disorder. This is a truly unfortunate situation. Why? In the 21st century, there are multiple proven treatments for people affected by AUD.

Those treatments options include medication and supportive care that makes it possible to stop drinking. They also include medication and behavioral therapy to help you remain alcohol-free. This does not mean the road to sobriety is easy. Setbacks are common, and you will almost certainly have bad days while in alcohol rehab. Still, lasting sobriety is possible, and rehab programs help people make progress toward their recovery goals each and every day.

24 Hour Alcohol Rehab Hotline – Get Help Now

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Regardless of Your Sub-Type, Seek Help

Today, it is common for health insurance to cover the cost of an alcohol rehab program. Even if your insurance does not cover your treatment, you have a good chance of finding programs that provide alternative flexible payment options. This means that people in all kinds of financial situations can get the assistance they need.

The understanding that you belong to a subgroup of alcoholics does not need to be a negative realization. On the contrary, you can use this knowledge to learn more about your situation. You can also use it to focus on treatments known to have helped many people in similar circumstances. Experienced professionals in your program will help identify these treatments.

The 5 Types of Alcoholics Best Rehabs In Arizona - A group of individuals suffering from alcoholism are in a group therapy session as part of their treatment plan to discuss their stories and experiences as alcoholics, learn healthy coping strategies, and build a strong, sober support system.

For information on how to get the help you need, contact Best Rehabs In Arizona today. Our addiction specialists will answer all of your questions about the available treatments. We also offer treatment services that benefit all types of problem drinkers.

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April 21, 2017December 15, 2022

Alcohol: Effects On Your Brain and Body

Alcohols Effects On Your Brain and Body

Alcoholism was first recognized as a disease in 1956 by the American Medical Association. Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States. 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

This article is meant to explain and inform people on what exactly alcohol does to us on a physiological level.

Negative Side Effects Of Prolonged Alcohol Abuse

A lot of people love drinking, but this is a very dangerous pastime when we are not able to maintain moderation like so many of us have not been able to. This is especially dangerous to a young brain that is still developing because of how damaging alcohol abuse is to the brain and other vital organs.

What are the Short and Long Term Effects of Alcohol?

There are dozens of negative side effects to alcohol abuse, in the short and long run. These effects can be extremely damaging to every aspect of an addict’s life.

Some of the short term signs and side effects of alcohol abuse include:

Lower inhibitions
Decreased reaction time
Slowed brain activity
Poor vision
Slurred, disoriented speech
Vomiting
Alcohol poisoning
Difficulty breathing

Here are some health risks and other long term effects associated with repetitive over consumption of alcohol:

Intense physical and mental cravings for alcohol
Withdrawal symptoms when not drinking including nausea, vomiting, shaking, sweating, seizures and death
Lapses in memory (complete black outs)
Cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver
Physical and mental deterioration
Legal issues
Marital problems
Decreased performance at work and/or job loss

How does alcohol affect the digestive system? Alcohol’s effect on the digestive system creates unpleasant symptoms for consumers. Irritating the entire system, resulting in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and internal bleeding. These effects can be seen after one time use, long term abuse and during withdrawal during detox.

How Does Alcohol Affect The Brain?

Alcohol that is not broken down in the liver runs through the rest of our body through our blood stream. This includes passing through our brain’s cerebral cortex, medulla, hypothalamus, hippocampus, cerebellum, and frontal lobe. Alcohol can affect parts of the brain that command our movement, speech, judgement, inhibition, and memory. This is why we see drunk people having difficulty walking, slurring their speech, acting impulsively and having memory lapses. We have probably been in that state many times ourselves, and seeing this can be a harsh reminder of how we used to be. After prolonged use of alcohol negative side effects such as depression and anxiety disorders may develop.

What are the Long Term Effects of Alcohol on the Body?

Alcohol is rapidly absorbed into the blood, stomach and small intestine immediately after a drink is ingested. The effects are felt within 5 to 10 minutes after drinking. Blood alcohol content usually peaks between 30-90 minutes after being consumed and is carried throughout every organ in the body. Many people question, “What does a beer do to the body?” Or, “What effect will hard liquor have on me?” The answer is dependent on the amount of alcohol consumption and the time period that the alcohol is consumed. The more consistently a person drinks alcohol in excess, the worse the negative effects on his or her body will be.

Here are some of the ways alcohol will affect your body after prolonged use:

Immune system – an immune system weakened by alcohol consumption cannot properly fight off germs, viruses and illnesses
Muscles and bones become weakened
Erectile dysfunction and infertility are common side effects of overconsumption
Stroke, heart attack and cardiomyopathy (poisoning of the heart’s muscle cells) are common amongst heavy drinkers

Here to Help

If you or a loved one is struggling with alcoholism, please contact us for help; we have been there. We have found through many different experiences a way of life that is much more gratifying, and pleasurable as time goes on. At Best Rehabs In Arizona we are here to share this message of redemption and recovery with the world. At the end of my own alcoholism I had wanted to stop for about two years but could not do it on my own. We are a community of men and women that walk through this sober life together and we never have to be alone again.