Mad World With Alcohol in the Workplace
Alcohol in the workplace is becoming more common than ever, which means it might be difficult to diagnose whether you need alcohol rehab.
Determining if you need alcohol rehab should include a personal assessment, but might also include a medical consultation.
Whether someone you love has brought your alcoholic tendencies to your attention, or you are feeling the strain on your health, being a functioning alcoholic is more common than ever.
There are a few signs you should look out for, to understand your own alcohol use, and diagnose if you have an alcohol use disorder.
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How to Decide if You Need Alcohol Rehab?
Alcohol rehab is an important and necessary step in recovering from addiction.
There are way too many people who do not realize that they need alcohol rehab.
Actually, in 2014 alone there were 21.5 million Americans who suffered from a substance use disorder.
Out of those 21.5 million Americans, only 1% received treatment at a designated facility.
The best chance you will have is by catching your addiction early.
This means that you need to assess if rehab is something you need to pursue.
Follow up your own self-assessment with a medical consultation to be sure.
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Dependence, Addiction, and Tolerance
Some people can use substances without feeling addicted. Unfortunately, not everyone can control their alcohol use. Dependence, addiction, and tolerance are three parts of what occurs in addiction.
To understand if someone is suffering from addiction, you might not see physical behaviors. This is the difference between dependence and addiction. It is more than the frequency of substance use or your response to the substance.
- Dependence: This is the physical adaptation of the body to a substance. It is characterized by withdrawal symptoms once you discontinue use, even simply reduce usage.
- Addiction: Known as a primary, chronic disease. Addiction occurs because of genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors. It is signified by the inability to control drug use, continuing use despite harm, and uncontrollable cravings.
- Tolerance: This is the adaptation to the effects of a substance. Eventually, after using a substance over time, you will require more of the drug to feel the same effects.
11 Criteria For Addiction That Requires Alcohol Rehab
If your life and relationships are being negatively affected by your alcohol use then you have an addiction. Alcohol addiction is diagnosed on a spectrum with 11 criteria. These criteria for addiction will help you to determine how severe your addiction is. The 11 criteria include:
- Lack of control
- Desire to quit but unable
- Spending a lot of time trying to get the substance
- Cravings
- Lack of responsibility
- Problems with relationships
- Loss of interest
- Dangerous use
- Worsening situations
- Tolerance
- Withdrawal
Depending on how many of the criteria you meet, you can determine whether or not you have a mild, moderate, or severe addiction. If two or three of the criteria apply to you, you would have a mild substance use disorder. If you struggling with up to four or five, then you have a moderate use disorder, while anything over six is considered to be a severe addiction.
Signs You Need Alcohol Rehab
Physical Signs of Alcoholism
Physical dependence can lead to addiction, which means that physical signs of addiction are often the first signs to appear. Look for the following physical signs to decide if you need alcohol rehab.
- Increased tolerance: This is when you need more of the substance to feel the same effects as you did previously. This is typically one of the first signs of a possible addiction.
- Symptoms of withdrawal: Although these are different based on the severity of your addiction, there are common symptoms that occur when you reduce your consumption of alcohol. Common symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include cravings, constipation or diarrhea, trembling, seizures, sweating, irritability, mood swings, restlessness, feelings of discomfort, and abnormal behavior that can include violence.
- Changes in appetite.
- Injury that is related to abusing alcohol. Whether this is HIV transmission from unprotected sex, or falling because of intoxication.
- Insomnia is one of the most common signs of withdrawal and addiction.
- Changes to appearance: Whether this means you are not washing your clothes or maintaining proper hygiene. You might also gain or lose weight.
Mental Signs of Alcoholism
Mental or psychological signs of addiction that may let you know you need rehab include:
- Being unable to stop substance use: If you have tried to quit but have not been able to, then this might be a sign that you are addicted and need alcohol rehab.
- Continued use despite health consequences.
- Using substances to handle problems.
- Stressing over your next dose.
Social Signs Of Alcoholism
The social signs of an addiction might affect your personal or professional life. These symptoms include:
- Abandoning hobbies you once loved.
- New relationship issues.
- Legal consequences: Might include DUIs, or crimes such as assault and robbery.
- Denying having a problem: You might think that you can quit whenever you want, and continue to drink irrationally.
- Changing your group of friends: Because your friends may not approve of your alcoholism, you might stop hanging out with them and find new friends.
- Being secretive or lie.
- Avoid responsibilities: Whether you neglect work, family, or school because of addiction, this is a problem.
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Alcohol Rehab and Mental Illness
If you have a dual diagnosis it means that you suffer from both a mental illness and a co-occurring substance use disorder. Dual diagnosis allows you to understand why you act the way you do, and it can also help you get help for your substance use disorder more easily.
If you have a dual diagnosis you may have problems managing daily tasks or controlling their substance abuse. This is because over time you might develop a high tolerance to alcohol. Then you might begin using it under dangerous conditions. You may also begin to neglect your health which means your mental health will be neglected as well.
If you do suffer from a dual diagnosis you will need to be sure to obtain treatment for both your mental health disorder along with your substance use disorder. If you do not, then you run the risk of relapsing.
Alcohol Rehab is Your Best Chance
Addiction is a lifelong disease. If you choose to go through the treatment process, then you will gain skills that help you treat your addiction. This means that your best chance of beating your addiction is to go to alcohol rehab.
Despite this, beating your addiction is more than simply stopping your use of the drug. Beating your addiction also requires you to address your behavioral issues. You will need to change the way you think, feel, and behave. Help from a professional is the best chance you have.
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Alcohol Rehab is Your Responsibility
Determining if you need rehab is difficult.
Whether you see other friends at work drinking and going out for post-work drinks daily, or you drink on your own, it is a serious disease.
Alcohol rehab is a great option for everyone that is struggling with addiction.
Although addiction is not your fault, getting help is your responsibility.
Contact us at Resurgence Behavioral Health to learn about our free insurance verification for treatment.
