What is Considered to Be An Alcoholic? 

What is Alcoholism?

Alcohol use disorder, also defined as alcoholism, is a condition where a person has a compulsion that is out of their control to drink alcohol. Although alcohol abuse is something that can start off with just a few drinks, over time, an alcohol use disorder can turn into a condition where your entire life is thrown into disarray. Medical professionals classify alcohol abuse as a cunning and baffling disease. There are many theories behind why a person develops an alcohol use disorder. One school of thought is that there is a genetic component. For instance, if you have loved ones that have struggled with addiction, you are more susceptible to this serious condition. However, if a person experiences some form of trauma, it’s possible that drinking alcohol could turn into a serious and chronic problem. Although the symptoms of alcohol abuse can vary depending on the person, the ultimate result of this serious addiction can be death unless you make the decision to work through a treatment program at an alcohol rehab with a team that will guide you through the ins and outs of the road to recovery. 

What Is Considered An Alcoholic?

It’s important to understand that alcohol addiction comes in many different shapes and forms. At its core, alcoholism is a mental and physical disease that can impact a person’s life in seemingly every way. This is why treatments for alcohol addiction will never be the same for every person. A person is considered to have an alcohol addiction when they have developed a dependence on this substance. For instance, if a person goes a certain number of hours without drinking and starts to develop alcohol withdrawal symptoms, then there is a foregone conclusion that they are struggling with alcohol addiction. If you find yourself finding and getting alcohol because you need it to function because you haven’t had it for a certain number of hours, then it may be time for you to reach out for the treatment of alcohol addiction. 

Signs Someone Is An Alcoholic

There are several signs that someone may be struggling with alcohol addiction. Many times, it’s the friends and loved ones of a person with this type of severe alcohol addiction that notice the changes in behavior more than anything else. It’s also important to know that there are several stages of alcoholism. In most cases, alcohol addiction is something that may begin with just a few drinks with friends and families. However, over time, you may find that you’re drinking alcohol more and more on your own or you may be drinking more than everyone around you. 

Over and above drinking that may be out of control, there are also other signs that you or someone that you love may be suffering from alcoholism. For example, if your job has been put in jeopardy as a result of your drinking or you have lost your job because of it, then it’s time for you to take a step back and truly look at the direction that your life is going in and assess whether or not you need a higher level of help. 

Casual Drinking vs Alcohol Abuse

A person that is suffering from alcohol addiction often cannot understand how a person simply has a drink or two and be able to quit drinking. There is a very clear line between casual drinking and alcohol addiction. As you work through alcohol counseling, you will learn that people that are not suffering from alcohol use disorder can have a drink, and having that drink does not control their life. However, once a person has crossed that line and needs alcohol addiction treatment, there is no way for that person the be able to moderate their alcohol consumption. Once they are recovering from alcohol addiction, they must make a commitment to themselves never to go back to heavy drinking and to quit drinking once and for all.  

Alcohol Withdrawal Signs and Symptoms

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms generally set in within just a few hours from the time that you take your last drink. Examples of signs and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can include: 

There is no way to tell exactly which withdrawal symptoms you will experience which is part of what makes them extremely dangerous. The best thing that you can do is to commit to a treatment facility that offers a detox treatment plan. 

Overcoming Alcoholism at Resurgence

When you’re ready to seek treatment for alcohol addiction, the Resurgence team is here to help you. We have helped clients from all walks of life overcome their binge drinking and severe alcohol addiction. When you are ready to seek treatment, it’s imperative that you understand the different types of treatment that are available to you. Depending on whether or not you have a severe alcohol addiction, it’s possible that you may need to begin your recovery in an alcohol detoxification program. Stopping drinking is key in your overall treatment plan, however, this does not mean that you will never experience alcohol cravings or alcohol withdrawal symptoms. During the first initial days of your sobriety, it’s imperative that you have unlimited assess to a treatment team that will provide you with the around-the-clock care that you need during alcohol detoxification. If you don’t take this step, the alcohol detox process could prove to become potentially fatal. 

Once you complete alcohol detox, you will be in a better place both physically and psychologically to truly focus on the steps that you need to take in order to overcome your alcohol abuse. If you feel as though you need to completely change the people, places, and things around you for a period of time, the best option may be for you to begin with inpatient treatment. An inpatient treatment plan gives you the opportunity to live on the campus of your treatment center of choice. You will have unlimited access to your recovery team and will put yourself on a road to recovery that can help you to maintain your sobriety for the rest of your life. 

Of course, there are some people who are alcohol dependent who cannot commit to an inpatient treatment program for a number of reasons. This is why any top-rated treatment center will provide different types of treatment to suit the needs of a variety of people. At Resurgence, we also provide our clients with access to outpatient treatment programs that provide more flexibility. Often, abuse and addiction are something that can be masked. You may be able to somewhat maintain your responsibilities at work or school without anyone knowing you have a severe alcohol addiction. Outpatient alcohol rehab gives you the chance to address your alcohol addiction without worrying about whether your job or your school life will be put in jeopardy. This is something that can come as a great relief for a person going through the substance abuse treatment process. 

Regardless of whether you decide to commit to an inpatient or an outpatient program, addiction therapy will be a necessity. In order for you to overcome your addiction, you will need to develop an understanding of the root cause of your addiction. The root cause of addiction is different for every person, therefore, it’s critical that you openly and honestly commit to your time in therapy so that you can address whatever it is in your life that may have impacted your sobriety. 

In most cases, the root cause of addiction is trauma. Regardless of whether this is trauma that you experienced, if you did not receive the proper psychological care for it, there is a strong possibility that you would turn to other ways in order to be able to cope with what you’re thinking and feeling. Addiction therapy can help you to face these challenges and teach you that there is a healthier approach to these challenges. Counseling such as group therapy, behavioral therapy, individual therapy, and even family therapy can help you to develop a deeper understanding of the disease of addiction. Also, you will begin to learn that your life does not need to be ruled by addiction. You will learn coping methods that you can put into action as you begin to transition through your treatment program. These are methods that will remain with you for the rest of your life and things that you can lean on during the time that you’re struggling. 

Are you ready to learn more about the disease of alcoholism? Is this disease potentially impacting you or a loved one? The treatment team at Resurgence Behavioral Health is here to help. Our intake team is available around the clock to provide you with the unique level of care that you need to tackle your addiction. For more information about what you can expect when you commit to an alcohol addiction treatment plan, please reach out to us today at (855) 458-0050. 

What is considered to be an alcoholic? Learn more by clicking the link below! #resurgence #whatisanalcoholic #alcoholic #alcoholaddictionhttps://t.co/c2PADNO36A

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David Rofofsky
After growing up in New York, David chose to get help with substance abuse in California because of the state's reputation for top-tier treatment. There, he found the treatment he needed to achieve more than nine years of recovery. He's been in the drug and alcohol addiction rehab industry for eight years and now serves as the Director of Admissions for Resurgence Behavioral Health. David remains passionate about the field because he understands how hard it is to pick up the phone and ask for help. However, once the call is made, someone's life can be saved.

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