Do I Have a Drinking Problem

When trying to determine whether a friend or loved one has a drinking problem, there are certain steps that you may want to take. However, there are also some things that you may look for that others may not. The reason for this is because addictions don’t affect everyone in the same way. Basically, it is about whether the use of alcohol is negatively affecting the person’s life. Are they losing control of their actions? Can they cope with life without drinking? If they are not in control and they can’t cope, they likely have a drinking problem. 

Unfortunately, there isn’t a test like an MRI that will determine if someone has a problem with alcohol abuse. With this being said, there are some criteria that over millions of adults and hundreds of thousands of youth fit into – meaning they have a drinking problem. 

If you or someone you know knows they already have a drinking problem, reach out to us today here at Riverwalk to get the alcohol addiction treatment you need. 

Signs of a Drinking Problem, Alcohol Use Disorder, and Alcohol Addiction

There are professionals such as those here at Riverwalk that can assess your lifestyle and drinking history to determine whether you have a drinking problem, alcohol use disorder, and/or alcohol addiction. Some of the events that our team will look at to determine this include:

• Drinking longer or more than you planned to
• Tried to quit drinking, but weren’t able to or couldn’t stay sober
• Spending a lot of your time consuming alcohol or getting sick due to the affects of alcohol
• Wanted to drink more than to do anything else
• Drinking interferes with your school, work, self-esteem, or relationships
• Kept drinking even when others told you they thought you had a drinking problem
• Stopped participating in activities you liked doing just so you could get drunk or buzzed
• Gotten yourself into legal trouble due to alcohol abuse
• Partaken in high-risk activities while under the influence of alcohol (such as drinking and driving)
• Stole alcohol from family and friends
• Borrowed or stolen money from family and friends, so you could buy alcohol
• Kept abusing alcohol even though it brings about mental health symptoms such as depression or anxiety
• Experience memory blackouts
• Now drink more than you used to in order to get the effects you want
• Have withdrawal symptoms such as shakiness, trouble sleeping, nausea, restlessness, or a racing heart when you slow down or stop drinking

There is something called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM-5 that points out these criteria. Usually, if someone experiences two or more of these criteria for 12 months or longer, they are said to have a drinking problem. 

Do you recognize these alcohol abuse signs in yourself or someone you know? If so, get the alcohol addiction treatment you need from our team here at Riverwalk Recovery today.

Alcohol Use Disorder or Alcohol Addiction Treatments

Alcohol causes many changes in a person’s brain. It can become quite complex. From killing off brain cells to changing thought patterns and controlling behaviors, alcohol is a dangerous substance. 

It is important to know that alcohol addiction and other drinking problem issues can be caused by many factors such as developmental, environmental and genetic factors. Each person’s addiction can affect their life in unique ways. For example, you may have an alcohol addiction that mainly impacts your work performance, while someone else’s drinking problem may primarily affect their relationships. 

With all this being said, we highly encourage and recommend you to get specialized, individualized alcohol addiction treatment. If you stop drinking without help, especially after drinking heavily and for a long time, it could lead to fatal withdrawal symptoms. However, when you get help here at our Riverwalk facility, we can monitor and help you with withdrawal symptoms 24/7. Our doctors, nurses and other professionals on-site will take care of you. Medically-supervised detox is science-backed and it works. Reach out to us today to find out more about it. 

Some of the other treatments that you may benefit from if you have a drinking problem that you need to overcome include:

• 12-step support groups
• 12-step programs
• Individual therapy
• Group therapy
• Family therapy
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Medications 
• Mindfulness
• Therapies such as music, art, nutritional, and fitness

Most of the treatments in recovery are holistic due to the need for creating a positive, healthy and healing lifestyle. This is good, though, because it is what most people who want to get sober need in their life. They need someone to talk to and people who are going to support them in their recovery goals. 

If you want to find out anything more about these treatments here at Riverwalk, our team would like to talk to you about them today. 

We Respect Our Clients and Their Loved Ones

Are you still trying to decide where you should reach out for help for your drinking problem? Are you trying to find a place for your loved one or friend to attend treatment, so they can overcome an alcohol addiction? If so, we have a great reputation here at Riverwalk. 

We respect our clients and their loved ones. From the moment you or your loved one contact us, we will have empathy, be compassionate and keep an open dialogue with you. We will discuss the alcoholic’s history, current obstacles for treatment and anything else you think is important. From there, we can create them a healthy recovery and treatment plan. It may start with medication-assisted detox and then lead into an inpatient treatment or outpatient treatment program. There are other options, too, if you want to find out about those. 

We are willing to help you or your loved one, whether you have mild or severe case of alcohol abuse. Our team wants to ensure your emotional well-being and safety. 

Get Help for a Drinking Problem Today

Are you struggling with the effects of alcohol abuse? Is it negatively impacting your life from your job to school to relationships and more? If so, don’t let it keep destroying everything you have. Here at Riverwalk Recovery Center, we can get you the help you need for an alcohol use disorder or addiction.
Contact us today to get help for a drinking problem.