Approximately 9 million Americans suffer from alcohol abuse, which is more commonly referred to as “alcoholism.” Some view it as an actual disease because at its worst, people can develop physiological tolerance for alcohol consumption and actually die from withdrawal symptoms. Others view it as a psychological affliction that people use as a coping mechanism or to mask other problems. Either way, excessive alcohol consumption can be treated before a problem arises, such as strained relationships, lost jobs, deep depression or liver disease.
Can problem drinkers simply cut down on alcohol consumption to combat their abuse of alcohol? The answer to this popular question all depends upon the individual. For the most successful recovery from alcoholism, abstinence is really the only cure. On the other hand, people who have experienced alcohol related problems, but aren’t actually alcohol dependent, may be able to cut back on their own. Before hitting “rock bottom,” it’s recommended that the drinkers stop covering up their alcohol consumption, read information on alcoholism to assess the situation and avoid situations where alcohol will be involved.
Approximately 1/13 of adults are guilty of alcohol abuse. They say “everything is fine in moderation,” but binge drinkers have started to crossover into the realm of irrational love for alcohol consumption. It can be easy to move from having a few drinks with friends to drinking ten or more drinks after a bad day at work or a particularly painful breakup. The recovering alcoholic can find the journey to be extremely difficult if all of his or her friends are still binge drinking each weekend; therefore, a good solution is to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to find strength and support. Independent behavioral modification counseling is another avenue if you’re not into anything religious, although there will be some cost involved that may or may not be covered by your health insurance provider. Naturally, the cheapest solution is just to abstain, but don’t be afraid to seek addiction treatment if your alcohol consumption is impeding your health and happiness.
Perhaps the person with a propensity to engage in alcohol abuse suffered cycles of excess and deprivation as a child, or perhaps trauma and overall unhappiness is causing some people to self-medicate with alcoholic drink. If they’re naturally reckless, impulsive, rebellious, authoritarian or alienated, then perhaps it’s deeply embedded in one’s personality type. Scientists have many theories about what specifically causes one to abuse alcohol. The best treatments are patient-chosen and range from AA meetings, long term alcohol clinics, alcohol drugs, psychotherapy and abstinence.