Many people drink. But for some people, drinking is more than just a recreational habit. For some, it becomes an addiction.
The line between recreational drinking and addiction is not always clear. So how can you tell if you or someone you love has a problem? This article will review the symptoms of alcohol use, so you know what to look out for.
How Does Alcohol Affect the Body?
Alcohol is a depressant. It affects nerve endings in the body and slows down the brain, causing feelings of numbness, inhibition, and excitement.
When alcohol is consumed, the body recognizes it as a waste product and tries to excrete it. If you consume more than the body can process, it will flow through the bloodstream, causing feelings of intoxication.
Intoxication may feel pleasant at first, but drinking excessively long-term will produce several unwanted symptoms of alcohol addiction. Here is how it affects different regions and functions in the body:
- Immune System: Alcohol slows down the immune system affecting your body’s ability to protect itself from certain diseases like pneumonia, tuberculous, and several forms of cancer.
- Bone Production: It inhibits bone production, making you more prone to fractures and osteoporosis.
- Reproductive System: It affects the reproductive system putting men at higher risk of erectile dysfunction and increasing infertility in both genders. It also increases the risk of breast cancer.
- Circulatory System: It negatively affects the circulatory system, increasing the risk of heart disease and other heart-related issues.
- Digestive System: It interferes with the intestines’ ability to control bacteria and absorb nutrients, leading to malnutrition and potentially damaging digestive system components.
- Nervous System: It interacts with the central nervous system causing slurred speech, poor coordination, and memory issues. Long-term use can shrink the frontal lobes of the brain leading to permanent cognitive conditions.
- Liver: It puts the liver in overdrive, causing it to break down more waste than it can handle, increasing the risk of liver disease.
- Pancreas: It can cause the pancreas to become unable to produce insulin, so it creates damaging harmful substances.
What are the Symptoms of Alcohol Abuse?
One of the most telltale signs of alcohol use is withdrawal. Your body becomes so used to having alcohol in its system that it becomes unable to function without it. When you are sober, you will experience symptoms such as shaking, nausea, vomiting, hallucination, difficulty sleeping, restlessness, and anxiety. In rare cases, seizures may occur.
Withdrawal symptoms will eventually go away on their own. But many people will want them to stop as quickly as possible. So, they will simply go on drinking, which puts them in a cycle of addiction.
Other symptoms of alcohol abuse include the following:
- Wanting to cut down on alcohol but being unsuccessful in doing so
- Alcohol cravings
- Spending a lot of time trying to get alcohol and drinking
- Lack of self-care
- Irresponsible or dangerous behavior
- Withdrawal from social activities
- Inability to appreciate the things you once loved
- Building a tolerance to alcohol
- Legal issues
- Financial issues
- Troubled relationships
- Blackouts
How to Find an Alcohol Treatment Center in Malibu, CA
There are plenty of treatment centers in and around Malibu, CA. But finding the one that’s right for you can be tricky. You must consider the atmosphere, cost, type of treatment offered, and other factors.
Researching your options can take up a good amount of time. But you can make it easy by contacting Rise in Malibu first.
Rise in Malibu is a Southern California luxury rehab facility offering private en-suite rooms with scenic ocean settings. Our Malibu addiction treatment provides a variety of amenities. These include a large pool and outdoor areas that are ideal for socializing and meditation.
We accompany this with top-notch therapy. We customize a plan that mixes clinical, traditional, holistic, and medical approaches assuring our patients get the treatment they require. We provide a high level of care with triple board-certified doctors, psychiatrists, and round-the-clock nursing.
If you see the signs of alcohol use in yourself or a loved one, do not hesitate to contact Rise in Malibu. We will help you get past your dependency issues. We will assist you in moving forward to a higher quality of life.