alcoholic Archives - Best Rahabs In Arizona

February 27, 2022May 11, 2022

I Drink Every Night. Am I An Alcoholic?

I Drink Every Night am I An Alcohol Abuser?

Is a Nightly Drink Alcoholism?

Alcohol use disorder comes in many shapes and sizes. When most people picture alcohol use disorders, the stereotypical profile probably manifests in their mind’s eye: An unkempt, 40 or 50-something that slurs their words, in a state of constant over-emotion. If it’s a male, he probably has a perpetual five o’clock shadow and wreaks of cheap liquor.

While this person certainly exists, and some of us may have met them, the assumption that every alcoholic comes packaged this way is far from the truth. Alcohol use disorder looks like your neighbors, friends, family, and doctor – the possibilities are endless.

The problem with stereotypes like the one mentioned above is that alcohol has no target demographic, and these types of assumptions can make it hard to identify individuals who really need help. In many cases, individuals dealing with alcohol use disorder have no idea that they fit the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) criteria for potentially being an alcoholic.

In fact, individuals suffering from alcohol use disorder don’t even have to frequently reach the point of intoxication or being drunk to earn this diagnosis. What does it take to meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder?

Does Daily Drinking Equal Alcoholism?

I drink every night am I an alcoholic

“I drink every night. Am I an alcoholic?” If you or someone you know has asked this question in regard to drinking habits, it might be time to assess where you stand.

How exactly does one reach the answer to this question? Is there a technical answer or a more specific classification for these types of drinkers?

One of the easiest ways to gauge where you stand when it comes to alcohol use disorder is by using the stages of alcoholism. Comparing your situation to the stages of alcoholism can give you a clear picture of where you stand and what your next course of action should be.

I Drink a Lot Every Weekend. Am I an Alcoholic?

Plenty of working-class Americans arrives home after the workweek to a waiting alcoholic beverage of their choice. It’s not uncommon for many of them to have a single drink and abstain from a second or third. However, the repeated usage of large amounts of alcohol each weekend may be a sign of an alcohol use disorder.

During the workweek though, does a daily pattern of just one drink per day equate to alcohol use disorder? Let’s take a look at the numbers according to the NIAAA.

Drinking In Moderation

Drinking in moderation is considered the consumption of two drinks or less in one single day for men or one drink or less for women. However, there is no clear specification regarding consecutive days under this classification. Let’s see what else the NIAAA has to say.

Binge Drinking

I drink every night am I can alcoholic: binge drinking

Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking that regularly brings the BAC to 0.08 – the legal limit in most state’s for DUI. In the average male, this is about five drinks in a period of two hours. Notice that this states a pattern of regularity but still doesn’t specify a certain number of days.

Heavy Alcohol Use

Heavy alcohol use in men is the consumption of four drinks in one day or the regular consumption of 14 drinks in one week. For women, the consumption of seven drinks in one week is considered heavy alcohol use. SAMHSA considers heavy alcohol use as binge drinking on five or more days during the month.

The NIAAA literature goes on to say that patterns associated with alcohol use disorder include regular patterns of binge drinking and heavy alcohol use. After reading the characteristics outlined by the NIAAA, it’s much easier to answer individuals who ask, “I drink every night. Am I an alcoholic?”

Based on the characteristics outlined above, if an adult male limits his intake to one single drink per day, he isn’t considered an alcoholic. However, two drinks per day, which would equal 14 per week, would land him in alcohol use disorder territory.

However, because alcohol use disorder is often progressive, it would be unwise to assume that someone regularly consuming one drink per day wasn’t dangerously bordering alcoholism.

One of the most commonly repeated themes among individuals who consume alcohol is the affirmation that their drinking is under control or moderated. Because individuals can technically drink every day and not be considered alcoholics, are there any specific steps to further assist in an act already considered “moderate drinking?”

Can You Moderate Regular Drinking?

It’s strongly recommended that anyone engaging in moderate drinking doesn’t participate in binge drinking or heavy drinking. When this happens, the line between moderate drinking and alcohol abuse disorder starts to blur.

If you know someone that is considered a moderate drinker, it may be critical to remain vigilant of the signs of alcohol use disorder. The following section outlines things to look out for.

What Are the Signs of Alcohol Use Disorder?

Many pouring a shot, asks himself about his alcoholism

Although everyone handles alcohol use disorder individually and displays different symptoms, certain behaviors may be more noticeable. The following list contains some of the more common characteristics displayed by individuals with alcohol use disorder.

Increasingly negative consequences resulting from drinking. Some of these may be family-related, while some may be more severe and include legal issues.
Drinking to the point of not remembering the events of the night or days before
Attempting to cover up or lie about the amount of alcohol they consume
Feeling the constant need for a drink before going out or engaging in a social activity
Hiding their drinking altogether
Drinking more than intended or more than other people present for an event or special occasion
Using drinking as a stress-reliever or response to negative events
Putting drinking before important family events
Verbalizing a want to stop drinking but never going through with these commitments

While these can all be significant red flags alerting you to the presence of alcohol use disorder, a formal examination can provide a more accurate diagnosis. There are currently five measures that officially determine alcohol dependency.

Methods to Determine Alcohol Dependency

The following five measures are all accepted methods for determining the presence of alcohol dependency.

Alcohol Timeline Followback

This method requires a detailed picture of an individual’s daily drinking habits over a specific time period. Individuals may be required to provide details regarding the prior year.

Form 90

Form 90 is a more specific type of measurement to determine specific changes before and after a 90-day abstinence period. This is typically used as a post-treatment form of measurement.

Drinking Self-Monitoring Log

This measurement requires more detailed information regarding the frequency of an individual’s drinking habits.

Lifetime Drinking Measures

This requires an individual to provide a rough estimate of their habits over the course of their life or any period longer than a year.

Quantity-Frequency Measures

This requires information regarding the individual’s amount of alcohol used and the frequency or regularity of this consumption.

The importance of determining the presence of alcohol dependency is critical to mitigate the risks associated with drinking daily. Keep in mind that these risks are both physical and mental in nature.

Effects and Risks of Daily Drinking

Daily drinking is a habit that can take place on a moderate or severe level. Obviously, someone who drinks daily in high amounts has greater odds of negative consequences than someone who drinks in moderation.

In the past, health professionals believed that moderate levels of drinking posed little to no health risks. In fact, many sources stated that smaller amounts of daily drinking could actually have a positive impact on your health.

However, more recent studies show that, in reality, there is no safe level of drinking. Even moderate amounts can have a negative impact on the way the brain functions.

There are short-term and long-term risks for individuals who actively engage in daily drinking. Even in small amounts, the short-term risks can produce potentially life-changing consequences.

I Drink Every Night. Am I An Alcoholic?

Short-term Risks

Short-term risks of daily drinking are less associated with acute health issues and more closely related to the negative consequences of challenging behavior. Immediate physical health risks normally don’t become a factor until users frequently engage in binge drinking.

Moderate daily drinking may put users at risk for the following:

Accidents related to intoxication, especially since users consume small amounts and don’t believe they are impaired in any way
Injuries that take place as a result of slower reaction times
Engaging in dangerous or impulsive behavior because of impaired judgment
The potential for legal issues associated with poor decision-making

When someone consumes alcohol in small amounts, they may feel like they’re not impaired, which promotes a false sense of security. This momentarily lapse of critical thinking is what leads to the increased risk of the situations mentioned above.

After significant amounts of time spent consistently engaging in daily alcohol consumption, more serious effects may begin to surface.

Long-term Risks

The long-term risks and effects of alcohol can take a toll on the mind and body of individuals with alcohol use disorder.

Mental effects include:

Changes in mood
Insomnia
Decreased sex drive
Problems with memory and concentration
Negative impact on relationships

The physical effects can be even more challenging and can even be deadly in the worst cases. Potential risks include:

Conditions associated with inflammation of the pancreas
Long-term liver damage
Decreased pancreatic functions lead to higher sugar levels that may cause diabetes
Numbness in hands and feet
Damage to the digestive system
High blood pressure and irregular heartbeat

The risk of developing any of the symptoms side effects mentioned above should be enough to trigger the motivation to stop drinking every day. However, individuals with substance abuse disorder may find it difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

How Can I Stop Drinking Every Day?

How to Stop Drinking | Best Rehabs In Arizonas It’s possible to create a plan for recovery and successfully refrain from drinking every day. However, once the situation reaches the level of developing mental and physical symptoms that are directly caused by alcohol use disorder, the goal should be to stop drinking completely.

Consider the following steps as a pathway to recovery:

Look into the benefits of residential rehab. If you feel like you need professional help to overcome alcohol use disorder, you’re probably a good candidate for inpatient treatment.
Don’t stop when treatment is over. Continue to remain proactive in battling substance use disorder by attending 12-step recovery groups and maintaining a strong support system.
Alternatively, if you’ve been ordered to attend any type of court-ordered treatment, use this as a stepping stone to recovery. Sometimes your greatest challenges are actually blessings in disguise.

Alcohol use disorder doesn’t just disappear after treatment or a certain period of recovery. However, if you actively seek out ways to strengthen your support systems and maintain high levels of willpower, the daily struggle against alcohol use disorder gets easier with time.

At Best Rehabs In Arizona, we’ve helped clients navigate their recovery from alcohol use disorders of all kinds and severities. From detox services to inpatient treatment with multiple approaches to therapy, you’ll have access to different treatment levels that we believe can be very successful in promoting long-term recovery.

Contact an Admissions team member to find out more about how we can help provide you with the tools you need to take your life back.

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

877-651-3366

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.

Free Insurance Verification for Rehab for Alcoholism – Get Help Now

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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.

February 18, 2021July 22, 2021

Alcohol Rehab Centers Near Me

What are Alcohol Rehab Centers?

For most people, five standard drinks are metabolized in about five hours.

Alcohol does not affect everyone the same way. It can vary depending on how much you weigh, how often you drink, how fast you drink, your gender, and many other factors.

For people who have a drinking problem, five standard drinks are metabolized faster.

This means they need to drink more to feel the alcohol’s effects.

An increase in the amount you drink can lead to serious health issues, including alcoholism, which is a serious, chronic disease.

Understanding “Alcohol Rehab Centers Near Me”

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to treat an alcohol use disorder. That is why when you search “alcohol rehab centers near me,” you are provided a range of treatment options.

At Best Rehabs In Arizona, this means we are able to custom-tailor treatments to suit every client that comes to us for help. Our programs include detox, residential rehab, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient rehab, and dual diagnosis care.

If you are looking for inpatient alcohol rehab centers near you, we have exactly the program you need. Our inpatient alcohol rehab treatment allows you to complete your treatment at our facility without the distractions and temptations of the outside world.

Immediate Placement in Alcohol Rehab – Get Help Now

877-651-3366

The Physical Effects of Alcohol Abuse

While five standard drinks are metabolized in about five hours, their effects on your health can last a lifetime.

Alcohol abuse can cause serious damage to various parts of the body. It can cause damage to your heart muscles. This can lead to an irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.

Alcohol abuse also causes many different issues with your liver. This can include cirrhosis, fibrosis, a fatty liver, and alcoholic hepatitis.

Alcoholic hepatitis has many side effects, including bloating and yellow skin or eyes. The long-term damage these issues cause can lead to serious liver damage, and even require a liver transplant.

One of the biggest risks of alcohol abuse is the risk of developing certain kinds of cancer. People who abuse alcohol are at a higher risk of having esophageal, liver, breast, and colon cancer.

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

866-263-1847

Mental Illness and Alcohol Abuse

Another issue frequently seen at local alcohol rehab centers is mental health illnesses that often simultaneously occur with addiction issues. This is known as a dual diagnosis.

For example, some people had mental health issues before they began drinking and tried to use alcohol to treat their symptoms. Others developed them after their alcohol abuse worsened.

Alcohol is a depressant, which means that it slows down your nervous system. When someone drinks occasionally, alcohol can make them feel relaxed and more confident. When someone abuses alcohol, their brain begins to rely on alcohol to transmit these so-called “feel good” chemicals. This makes your brain crave alcohol in order to make you feel good. The longer you abuse alcohol, the worse this issue becomes. You may begin to experience serious depression, anxiety, or anger issues when you are not drinking.

This is what leads to an addiction to alcohol. With the help of simply searching for “alcohol rehab centers near me,” you are on your way to learning how to manage and treat your mental health issues in a healthy way. This means you will no longer attempt to self-medicate with alcohol and can overcome your addiction

How to Tell if you Need an Alcohol Rehab Center Near You

If you are looking for an outpatient or inpatient alcohol center near you, chances are that you are already aware you have a drinking problem. You may not be sure, or you may be looking up this information for someone else.

Alcoholism has many different symptoms you can look for in yourself and in others.

These symptoms can include:

Do you end up drinking more than you meant to or for longer periods of time?
Have you tried to cut down or stop your drinking but found that you could not?
Do you spend a lot of time buying alcohol or recovering from hangovers?
Do you feel a strong, irresistible urge to drink when you are sober?
Does your drinking interfere with your ability to do your job or go to school?
Is your drinking causing issues in your family life or with your friends?
Have you given up activities or hobbies you used to enjoy so that you can drink instead?
Have you ever participated in risky activities while drinking, such as driving while under the influence or having unsafe sex?
Do you keep drinking even though it makes you feel depressed or anxious?
Do you know that drinking is causing problems with your health but still cannot stop?
Are you finding that you have to drink more and more in order to feel drunk or relaxed?
Do you experience withdrawal symptoms, like insomnia, shakiness, depression, nausea, or sweating, when you are not drinking?

If you respond “yes” to two or more of these questions, there is a good chance that you are abusing alcohol. Now is the time to consider contacting one of the local alcohol rehab centers in your area.

24-Hour Alcohol Rehab Hotline – Get Help Now

877-651-3366

Treatment Options at Alcohol Rehab Centers near you

When it comes to getting treatment for your alcohol addiction, the first step is finding alcohol rehab centers near you.

If your local alcohol rehab center is Best Rehabs In Arizona, we urge you to contact us as soon as possible. We have many different scientifically-backed treatment options available to help each of our clients find lasting recovery from their alcohol addiction.

We offer both medical and behavioral treatments to treat alcoholism.

Our medical treatment program uses approved medicines that help treat alcoholism. Disulfiram makes you feel nauseous if you drink, which can make it easier for you to avoid alcohol. Naltrexone blocks the effects of alcohol so you can no longer get drunk, and helps to reduce cravings. Acamprostate also helps reduce cravings and is a good option for clients when they first stop drinking.

The other part of your recovery plan will be behavioral treatment. This includes both individual and group therapy sessions. Through therapy, we will be able to help you to identify the thoughts and behaviors that lead to your alcohol abuse.

Then we will give you the tools to help you avoid the things that trigger your drinking.

Free Insurance Verification for Alcohol Rehab – Get Help Now

877-651-3366

Get the Help You Need by Searching for “Alcohol Rehab Centers Near Me”

An addiction to alcohol can cause serious problems in your life.

But, you do not have to keep living with this debilitating disease.

At Best Rehabs In Arizona, we know what it takes to get your life back to normal after addiction.

We do our very best to ensure your recovery success by using only scientifically-researched, cutting-edge, and personalized effective drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs.

We have over 25 years of experience in helping people with addictions and co-occurring disorders to overcome their addictions.

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 when you call our Admissions Department.

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

If you are looking for an alcohol rehab center near you, let us use our years of experience to help you get on the path to a meaningful and lasting recovery.

November 11, 2020November 13, 2020

Alcohol and the Liver – How Alcohol Damages the Liver

What is the Connection Between Alcohol and Liver Health?

Alcohol is America’s most popular addictive substance. But, alcohol and liver issues are quite common among heavy drinkers.

However, if you drink too much, you not only run the risk of developing an addiction, you also expose your liver to potentially catastrophic damage.

This is true because alcohol has a direct impact on how the liver functions.

Liver damage does not happen to heavy drinkers all at once.

Instead, it develops gradually over time.

If you seek help for your alcohol abuse as soon as possible, you can avoid the worst kinds of damage.

You can also limit the other severe consequences of this common form of addiction.

If you are a drinker, it is essential to understand the connection between alcohol and liver health.

Why? Drinking can have a harmful effect on this vital organ, even if you do not meet the definition of alcoholism.

If you drink heavily as a habit, you increase your chances of developing a severe, or even fatal, liver-related disease.

Alcohol and the Liver: How Alcohol Damages the Liver Best Rehabs In Arizona - A young woman has a virtual individual counseling session with a medical professional to discuss alcohol and the liver and how alcohol can damage this important organ overtime, while going over potential treatment options to help the young woman break free from her addiction to alcohol.

Alcohol and the Liver – The Basics

Why does alcohol affect how your liver works? First, alcohol is toxic to your body. If too much of it builds up in your system, you can die from alcohol poisoning. This means that your body must find some way to get rid of the alcoholic toxins. If this elimination process did not occur, you would not be able to drink any amount of an alcoholic substance without running into problems.

How does your body eliminate alcohol from your system? It relies on the liver. When you drink beer, wine, or liquor, your body starts to digest it. The toxic parts of alcohol eventually make it to your liver. There, they undergo a gradual breakdown.

However, your liver’s ability to break down alcohol is limited. If your consumption is higher than this organ can handle, you will overwhelm its capacity. When this happens, the toxins in alcohol will build up in your system — resulting in your liver having to overwork to rid the body of the toxins.

If you keep taxing your liver long enough over a period of time, it will start to lose its normal function. This is true whether or not you have diagnosable alcohol problems. However, the real danger begins when you take part in a long-term pattern of heavy drinking. This kind of ongoing, excessive consumption leaves you vulnerable to the worst possible forms of liver damage.

Immediate Placement in Alcohol Rehab – Get Help Now

877-651-3366

Alcohol-Related Damage is Progressive

Heavy drinking has a progressive impact on the health of your liver. This means that damage to the organ gets worse over time. Doctors and public health experts have a name for this progressive process known as alcoholic liver disease. There are three stages to this disease, including fatty liver or hepatic steatosis, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis. Each of these conditions affects you in different ways.

Fatty Liver of Hepatic Steatosis

Fatty liver gets its name because the condition produces an abnormal buildup of fat inside your liver. This buildup makes your liver grow larger than usual. Some people with fatty liver experience no apparent symptoms. However, others experience things such as:

Unexplained fatigue
Uncomfortable feelings in the upper right abdomen

The majority of heavy drinkers will eventually develop a fatty liver if they do not stop using alcohol. If you are affected by this condition, it may go away if you halt your drinking and lose weight.

Alcoholic Hepatitis

Hepatitis is the name for any significant inflammation within your liver tissue. In people with alcoholic hepatitis, this liver inflammation is widespread. Other symptoms of the condition include:

Fatty liver
Liver cell death, also known as necrosis

In addition, some affected people have symptoms of cirrhosis. Roughly 10% to 35% of all long-term heavy drinkers will develop alcoholic hepatitis.

Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is the most harmful form of alcoholic liver disease. It occurs when continued heavy drinking leads to scarring inside your liver. This scarring permanently reduces the organ’s ability to function. If cirrhosis advances far enough, it can cause your liver to fail altogether. This is a dire health emergency. Additionally, some people with cirrhosis also develop liver cancer. Between one and two out of every 10 heavy drinkers will go on to develop cirrhosis.

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Alcohol and Liver Damage – How Much Do You Have to Drink?

You are probably wondering how much alcohol you need to drink to damage your liver. Your liver can eliminate 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol in a standard drink in about an hour. This is the equivalent of:

One 12-ounce serving of beer
Eight or nine ounces of malt liquor
One five-ounce glass of wine
A 1.5-ounce shot of hard liquor

Problems begin when you make a habit of exceeding this level of consumption by large amounts. Signs of liver disease may start to appear after a decade or more of drinking the following:

Two to eight beers a day
Three to six servings of wine a day
Three to six servings of hard liquor a day

If you consume alcohol in even heavier amounts, you run a higher risk of developing cirrhosis. Cirrhosis risks rise along with your level of consumption and duration of hard-drinking. For example, if you drink for 20 years or more, you have roughly a 50% chance of developing cirrhosis if you drink more than:

Roughly 36 beers a day
About 18 glasses of wine a day
Approximately 18 shots of hard liquor a day

These might seem like incredibly high amounts. But unfortunately, some heavy drinkers consume at least this much alcohol on a regular basis.

24 Hour Alcohol Rehab Hotline – Get Help Now

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Limit the Harm with Alcohol Rehab

Not everyone who drinks heavily is addicted to alcohol. This does not mean that non-addicted people cannot be problem drinkers. In fact, you can receive a diagnosis for alcohol problems even if you are not considered an alcoholic. This happens when your non-addicted alcohol abuse seriously damages your day-to-day life.

If you are caught up in a cycle of alcohol abuse, you have many reasons for getting help. Those reasons include avoidance or preventing the long-term effects of abuse/addiction itself. They also include avoidance of progressive liver damage.

For anyone affected by alcoholism, alcohol rehab typically begins with enrollment in a detox program. Detox helps you stop drinking. It also provides medication and support that allows you to cope with symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

Once your time in detox is done, you are ready for the main phase of rehab, which is active treatment. The assistance you receive during active treatment will reinforce your short-term ability to stop drinking. It will also help you learn how to make lasting changes in your life that support long-term sobriety.

Learn More About Alcohol and Liver Damage

If you have been drinking heavily for a long time, you are at risk of damaging your liver. In its early stages, alcohol-related liver disease can sometimes be reversed. However, over time, you may develop irreversible damage in this vital organ. No one wants to face these kinds of severe, avoidable health complications.

Before alcohol can affect you in such drastic ways, seek help in an alcohol recovery program. An effective program makes it possible for you to abandon heavy drinking and get sober. It also makes it possible for you to make sobriety an ongoing priority of your daily routine.

If you already suffer from liver damage, rehab is still the best way to limit the harm to your body. Along with providing the right kind of medical treatment, your recovery program will help stabilize your health. It will also help and protect you from even greater physical and mental harm.

For more information on alcohol and liver damage, contact Best Rehabs In Arizona today. We are also your source for trusted information on alcohol abuse and addiction. In addition, we provide top-quality services for all kinds of alcohol use problems.