What is alcohol addiction?
Addiction is defined as the obsessive and unmanageable use of alcohol, regardless of its negative impact on a drinker’s health, career, and relationships. Individuals suffering from alcohol addiction will frequently drink to excess, leaving their bodies dependent on the substance. Others binge drink, and experience increasing life imbalance as the pattern escalates. Habitual users of alcohol often experience symptoms of alcohol withdrawal that include: headaches, high blood pressure, difficulty sleeping and trouble focusing.
What are the effects of alcohol addiction?
Alcohol addiction can cause individuals to drink to the point of experiencing complete memory loss of hours or days and can increase the likelihood of high-risk behaviors like drinking and driving. Long-term alcohol addiction can destroy emotions, relationships and lives.
Alcohol abuse is considered the second-leading cause of dementia, connected with 10 percent of diagnosed cases. Extreme alcohol use can cause harm to brain functioning, that if not treated, can be permanent. A variety of mental health problems can also be caused by long-term alcohol use. Most individuals addicted to alcohol suffer from some form of severe psychiatric trauma marked by increased anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, alcohol-induced psychosis, panic disorders and other symptoms.
How PTI can help
When alcohol becomes a large part of one’s life activities, it can cause physical and intellectual trauma that influences quality of life and relationships. The PTI staff is trained to assess for problem or drinking patterns that are standing in the way of living life to the fullest. We specialize in tailoring traditional 12-Step recovery principles and practices to anyone who is questioning their behavior, and often work with clients who are unsure or skeptical of whether a change in their use of alcohol is necessary or possible. PTI offers outpatient assessment and treatment support for alcohol use disorders, and partners with local psychiatric services for patients considering a low-cost medical detox option.
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