What Is Alcohol Use Disorder? Your Guide To Alcohol Addiction In West Caldwell
September 24, 2024
What Is Alcohol Use Disorder? Your Guide To Alcohol Addiction In West Caldwell
An abundance of people partake in alcoholic beverages from time to time. But alcohol can become addictive. If you start using alcohol to deal with life or find you’re not able to limit your drinking, you might have an alcohol use disorder (AUD). This disorder can swifty take over your life and adversely impact all the activities you previously enjoyed.
But don’t lose hope. If you suspect you or someone you love have alcohol use disorder near West Caldwell, care and enduring recovery are within reach. Discover more about AUD and the steps to take if you require support immediately.
What Is Alcohol Use Disorder?
Alcohol use disorder is a health condition where you feel the urge to drink alcohol in spite of the adverse ramifications of overconsumption. Your brain craves alcohol’s mind-altering qualities and fails to perform properly without them. AUD may be mild, moderate, or severe. At its most intense, you are at risk of overdosing on alcohol with lethal ramifications.
As a consequence of AUD, you might become addicted to alcohol and have uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms if you attempt to stop drinking. Without expert help, you can’t keep yourself from drinking alcohol to mitigate the unease your body endures when you try to detox from alcohol. If you can stop “cold turkey,” you still have to combat the practice of regular drinking. AUD requires professional treatment to fully recover.
Why Do Individuals Develop Alcohol Use Disorder?
Numerous residents of West Caldwell drink, but not all of them develop an alcohol use disorder. Various factors help determine your probability of developing AUD:
- Drinking early on in life
- Core mental health disorders
- Past trauma
- Inadequate coping mechanisms
- Genetics
- Family history of alcohol use disorder
Countless individuals begin overusing alcohol as a response to major stressors. With a lack of positive coping mechanisms, it’s simple to counteract the difficult feelings that emerge from mental illness and trauma with the brain-altering effects of alcohol. When those unwanted feelings return, you reach for alcohol to subdue them again. You experience a brief reprieve under the influence of alcohol.
But, alcohol is never the solution. When you use it regularly, you can become reliant on those chemicals to function. When you go without them, you feel more unpleasant than you did peviously and are compelled to drink even more. Soon, drinking alcohol dominates your life and negatively impacts your employment, relationships, wellness, leisure activities, and finances. When you get ensnared in this devastating spiral, you cannot quit drinking without specialized guidance.
What Are Common Alcohol Addiction Symptoms?
Continual drinking doesn’t automatically mean you have a disorder. Alcohol use becomes a disorder when it begins interfering with your life. Numerous negative behaviors associated with drinking can signal an alcohol use disorder.
You could have AUD if you:
- Frequently drink longer or more than you planned
- Are unable to cease drinking even if you want to
- Spend a lot of time acquiring alcohol and drinking, even though it makes you feel bad or impedes other parts of life
- Crave alcohol so much you are unable to direct attention on other tasks
- Have participated in unsafe behaviors while drinking alcohol
- Have to drink more than you did previously in order to get the desired result
- Have abandoned activities you used to enjoy to make time for drinking
- Persistent drinking despite its effect on family and friends
- Suffer withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking alcohol
The intensity of your AUD typically correlates to the number of symptoms you have. But any person who’s demonstrating signs of alcohol addiction symptoms near West Caldwell has a right to expert treatment and support. You don’t need to take on alcohol use disorder alone.
What You Need To Know About Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
If you have an addiction to alcohol, your system must have it to perform. If you stop drinking, you get sick. This is referred to as withdrawal.
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms vary from person to person and depend on how extreme your alcohol use is. If you go into withdrawal, you might endure any combination of these symptoms:
- Insomnia
- Shaky hands
- Headache
- Vomiting or nausea
- Sweating
- Anxiety
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Delirium tremens
- Delusions
- Confusion
- Rapid heart rate
- Fever
- High blood pressure
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are a sure-fire sign that you or a person you care about has AUD and needs help. Withdrawal may be distressing and, in extreme cases, even deadly if not controlled by medical providers. If a person you care about| wants to stop using alcohol but faces withdrawal whenever they try, contact a West Caldwell substance use treatment facility for help.
Can Alcohol Addiction Be “Cured”?
Alcohol use disorder and addiction are considered chronic diseases. Technically speaking, there isn’t a cure. Even so, there is a chance for enduring recovery. With a customized combination of medical and mental health care, you can learn to control the impulse to drink and attain a sober life. It’s a difficult process, but numerous individuals eventually move past alcohol use disorder in West Caldwell and take back control of their lives.
Getting Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment In West Caldwell
No one can accomplish sobriety on their own–and you shouldn’t have to! Getting alcohol use disorder treatment near West Caldwell may feel intimidating, but you are entitled to skilled support to help you get your life back on track.
Alcohol use recovery may feel more achievable when you look at it as several steps. You won’t find single journey to a sober lifestyle. Numerous individuals endure relapses and go through parts of the process more than once. But it’s important to note, you can get support from loved ones and accredited professionals over the course of your journey to recovery.
Alcohol detox: Your first step is alcohol detox. While your body eliminates the toxins, you need medical observation to maintain your comfort and safety. Whenever you’re set to stop your alcohol use, enter a residential detox center near West Caldwell. You will get round-the-clock care for a week or two as you go through withdrawal.
Alcohol rehab: After you detox, your mind and body will still want alcohol. You will need to transfer to residential alcohol rehab where medical providers can assist you in managing post-acute withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol rehab focuses on mending your brain from the influence of alcohol addiction. You’ll participate in several hours of therapy every day to look at the mental side of AUD. You’ll remain in rehab as long as you need.
Outpatient addiction support: Rehab will get you balanced enough to go back home, but you’ll still want ongoing support to remain sober. Don’t depart rehab without entering an outpatient addiction program that supplies therapy and medical-assisted treatment. You are able to stay at home or at a sober living accommodation, but you still need to visit counselors and a doctor during the week.
Sober living: Eventually, your need for addiction services will abate. However, recovery is a life-long process. Rely on the network of addiction specialists, family members, and new confidants you have developed to maintain a healthy life. Abstain from situations that compel you to use. Find assistance when you need it. Enduring recovery is possible!
Find Help Today For Alcohol Use Disorder Near West Caldwell
You don’t need to battle alcohol addiction alone. Turn to The Counseling Center at West Caldwell to learn more about understanding, professional alcohol use disorder treatment near West Caldwell. You may contact us at 973-453-0808 or by completing the form on this page. One of our representatives will respond right away, no matter the hour or day. All calls are free and confidential. We’ll get you the support you require now.