A problem with alcohol abuse easily leads to alcoholism. Alcohol abuse is when alcohol is misused. This begins with heavy drinking and quickly turns into full-blown alcoholism. The difference between drinking too heavily and alcoholism is not a matter of how much you are drinking but how much the drinking you are doing is affecting your lifestyle.
The key signals of heavy drinking or alcohol abuse that leads to alcohol dependence are as follows. When it takes more and more consumption of alcohol to reach the level that is considered drunk. When there has been alcohol consumption the person feels sick to their stomach, has anxiety and is shaky. The person will drink a lot more than they thought they were going to drink. When the person tries to stop consuming alcohol but ends up drinking even more instead.
These are a couple of the more severe signals. When the person thinks about alcohol most of the time and passes up chances for recreational or social activities in order to drink. Even when this person knows there are physical problems because of their drinking, and they still continue to indulge.

Alcoholism, on the other hand, has these same signs and it is considered alcohol abuse but there are also the following symptoms that make it a case of being alcoholism rather than just alcohol abuse. The person misses work or does not do a good job because of their drinking. They are usually angry or very sad. The person begins displaying abuse both physically and emotionally to their family members or those close to them. Hangovers become a real problem and this person will lose spaces of time where they cannot remember what they were doing while drinking.

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism do not just disappear. The person who has fallen into this category will need the help and understanding of the members of their family and their friends. There are serious illnesses related to prolonged alcohol abuse like liver cancer, damage to the central nervous system and heart, loss of memory, cirrhosis, impotence and the danger of taking too much medicine.

Even though there is the possibility that this person will not want to readily admit they are abusing alcohol and putting themselves in risk of serious health problems, family and friends still need to try to be supportive. The person suffering from alcohol abuse may be just too ashamed to admit they have a need for help. Research shows that most people who are caught in the snare of alcohol abuse are not able to just cut down or stop drinking without help, even when that is their desire. The body builds a craving for the alcohol and makes it extremely difficult to stop. It may not be very easy, but this person needs help and will one day be grateful for any assistance they get during this difficult time.

Filed under: Alcohol Abuse Signs

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