AZ-ARC

Addicted to alcohol

Alcohol is one substance that can be bought anywhere in the world at almost anytime, night or day yet alcohol is responsible for more deaths than all the other drugs put together. Alcohol is a hypnotic drug that depresses the body’s central nervous system, most adults will admit to drinking on a social basis and enjoying doing so but statistics have shown that about 1 in 5 men and 1 in seven women drink more than is safe and recommended to maintain good health.

What are the effects of alcohol?

The effects alcohol has on a person will depend greatly on the person constitution, how much they drink and how fast they drink but the overall effects that alcohol produces are:

• Slurred speech
• Loss of coordination and balance
• Unsteady on the feet when trying to walk or even when standing
• Impaired judgment and lack of attention
• Drowsiness or sleep

Drinking alcohol is relatively small doses every now and again is generally fine and can relax a person and help them have an enjoyable evening with friends, while drinking in large amounts leads to un-coordination bad decision making and drowsiness.

The symptoms of alcoholism

When someone has gone past just enjoying a quiet drink every now and again with friends and has become addicted to alcohol they will have symptoms such as:

• Developing a strong compulsion to have alcohol
• Have a drink first thing in the morning to ease the pains of an hangover
• Not being able to control how much they drink or how often they have to have a drink
• They will organise their lifestyle around drinking
• They begin to drink more and more often in the home
• They begin to lie to their partners, relatives and friends
• They will beg, borrow or steal to get money for a drink
• Make excuses for their drinking such as having a hard day at work

If you do any of the following on a regular basis then this could indicate that you do have a problem with alcohol and could be becoming addicted to it and it may be in your best interest to consult your Doctor about your drinking habits.

• Have a drink 4 or more times a week
• Have 5 or more alcoholic drinks on the days you do drink
• If you ever feel you are not able to stop drinking once you have started
• If you need a alcoholic drink first thing in the morning after a particularly heavy drinking session
• If you regularly forget what happened the night before after drinking
• If a friend or relative has ever voiced their concern about how much you drink and asked you to cut down.