A person struggling with an alcohol addiction may experience sudden and noticeable weight fluctuations. Not every person with an alcohol addiction will display all or even some of these signs, but it’s important to be aware of the indications within your friends, family and even your own behaviours. The affects can range from dementia and intellectual functioning to debilitating conditions that require long-term care, even if a person has been sober for a period of time. At this stage, drinking becomes everything in your life, even at the expense of your livelihood, your health and your relationships.
Alcohol Addiction Treatment in Cohasset, Massachusetts
One of the most well-known health complications of alcoholism is liver damage. Prolonged alcohol abuse can lead to inflammation and scarring of the liver, ultimately resulting in conditions such as alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. These conditions can have severe consequences, including liver failure and an increased risk of liver cancer. Unexplained bruises, frequent injuries, and diminished physical performance may also be signs of alcoholism.
- In the early stages of alcoholism, signs may be subtle and easily overlooked.
- Physical signs of alcoholism develop over time as alcohol’s depressant effects start to alter fundamental chemical processes throughout the brain and body.
- Redness of the face is common as repeated drinking episodes put pressure on blood vessels causing them to enlarge.
- Listen to relatives, friends or co-workers when they ask you to examine your drinking habits or to seek help.
- Detecting the symptoms early can help lead to intervention and establishing a treatment plan.
Long-Term Excessive Alcohol Use:
- As alcohol consumption increases, your body begins to exhibit noticeable physical changes.
- Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are both categorized as alcohol use disorders—affecting people of all ages and stages of life.
- The liver is extremely affected by alcohol use, and over time fat can build up in this vital organ causing inflammation and potentially liver failure.
- It can be caused by multiple factors including genetic, social, psychological, and environmental risks.
- These physical signs of alcoholism only worsen in severity the longer a person continues to drink.
In the long-term, these vessels can over-dilate, leading to spider veins on the skin. Alcohol can have a damaging effect on many aspects of our lives, even if we only consume it in small amounts. For people who develop an addiction, the effects of alcohol on the body and mind can be physical signs of alcoholism significant.
- In essence, affected brain cells have to work twice as hard as they normally do.
- Their brain is changing—and without help, there can be serious long-term consequences.
- While this may initially increase blood flow, long-term heavy drinking can damage blood vessel linings.
- There are inpatient and outpatient options, but an addiction specialist should determine the best level of care for you based on your individual needs.
Recovery Coaching
A person dealing with AUD may not display all the signs listed, depending on their level of alcoholism. Alcoholics are prone to accidents and injuries due to impaired body systems that regulate movement and coordination. You may notice bumps, bruises or abrasions after drinking episodes or binges. Either way, fluctuations in a person’s appetite, as a result of alcohol consumption, can lead to changes in their weight. This is called ‘alcohol flush reaction’ and it happens when your body is unable to fully digest all the alcohol you’ve consumed. This means that the https://ecosoberhouse.com/ toxins in alcohol, including acetaldehyde, can build up in your body.
Alcohol use disorder
But as you continue to drink, you become drowsy and have less control over your actions. We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. This treatment is ideal for people who want to get better but don’t need to be in a hospital or treatment facility 24/7. Outpatient programs offer many of the same benefits Sobriety as inpatient programs. However, outpatient programs are usually less intensive and restrictive than inpatient treatment.
You might miss work, forget to pick up the kids, become irritable, and notice physical signs of alcohol abuse (facial redness, weight gain or loss, sluggishness, stomach bloating). There are factors that pop up again and again when determining who might have an issue with alcoholism. If you’re in the “at-risk” population, it doesn’t take much to become dependent on alcohol or other drugs. While there’s no specific blood test that can diagnose an alcohol use disorder, certain lab results can point to chronic alcohol abuse and possible alcohol addiction. Because alcoholism rewires the brain and affects a person’s mood, thinking and behaviors, it’s classified as a mental illness. Thus, many of the hallmark signs of alcoholism involve changes in behavior.
Low platelet counts affect the body’s ability to make clots to stop bleeding. Your doctor can see how well your liver is functioning by testing the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Eighty percent of patients with alcoholic liver disease have elevated liver functions and an AST that is double their ALT level. Elevated levels of gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) can also indicate excessive alcohol consumption. Fortunately, there are many treatment programs available to assist with finding the right approaches that could work for you or your loved one. The first step to recovery is recognizing a problem, and the second is reaching out for help.