Alcohol abuse sneaks up on a lot of people and can start out as social drinking every once in awhile. Before you realize that you have a problem, however, you’re in deep. If you notice that you have a problem with drinking, you might be waiting for the signs of alcoholism to show you that you need help. These are the signs of alcoholism that you can’t ignore.
Blacking Out
Also called memory loss, blackouts are one of the main signs of alcoholism. This doesn’t mean that you just forget what happened while you were drinking. It means that it’s impossible for you to remember because your brain doesn’t record the events. The alcohol impairs the ability of your brain to function as it’s supposed to.
You could do and say things that are out of the ordinary for your personality when you black out. This hurts relationships and yourself. Some alcoholics wake up not knowing where they are or how they got there. You could even end up in jail.
Drinking More Than You Realize
When you stop to think about how much you drink, you might be surprised at the amount. Drinking becomes a problem when you make it a regular part of your life. This includes binge drinking on weekends or having drinks every day or every other day. If you make alcohol a priority and plan your schedule around it, it’s a problem.
Also, drinking to make yourself feel better or to relieve stress is one of the more common signs of alcoholism. Some people have programmed their bodies to reach for alcohol every time something in their lives goes wrong or they feel stressed. This can be hard to reverse, but it’s possible with the right treatment.
Failing to Stop is One of the Signs of Alcoholism
You might see that you drink a lot and have tried but failed to stop. This is likely because you feel so uncomfortable when you try. You may even intend to drink just one or two beers or glasses of spirits but lose control when you start drinking. Not being able to stop indicates that you have a serious drinking problem.
Hurting Loved Ones
You don’t necessarily have to black out to hurt your relationships. As one of the signs of alcoholism, hurting loved ones could happen when a conversation turns into an argument or misunderstanding while you’re drinking. The cause is generally the alcohol clouding your thoughts. Drinking might also make you miss or disrupt family events.
Loved ones who notice this might avoid you or not return your phone calls. Some of them could complain, which is a sure indication that you have a problem. Eventually, they may insist that you get help.
Getting Treatment for Alcoholism
If you recognize these signs of alcoholism, get help from Healing Springs Ranch in Tioga, Texas. Our alcohol addiction treatment and counseling can help you regain control over your life. What makes us unique are our clinicians, many of whom were trained at the Trauma Institute.
We offer 30-day minimum programs, but your treatment could last longer based on your specific needs. You can choose from several programs, including long-term or short-term residential treatment.
If you’ve noticed the signs of alcoholism, we want to help you recover in a caring and pleasant facility with many treatment modalities including dual diagnosis treatment for co-occurring disorders. Call Healing Springs Ranch at 866-656-8384 and speak with one of our addiction specialists.