Alcohol Addiction FAQ
Medically Reviewed by: Patricia Sullivan, MD MPH
Editor: Susana Khai (Spiegel)
Alcohol Addiction For Users
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How much alcohol a day is too much?
Are you a regular alcohol drinker but you’re not sure how much is too much? How many drinks a day is too much for the average person? It can be hard to know if you are drinking too much when you are used to drinking a certain amount of drinks a day. Too many drinks a day can be labeled as binge drinking, heavy drinking, and any alcohol that is consumed by pregnant women or those that are under the legal age to drink. So what is binge drinking? Binge drinking is consuming four or more drinks on one occasion for a woman. For men, it is consuming five or more drinks on one occasion.
There is a different definition of heavy drinking. Heavy drinking is defined as consuming eight or more drinks a week for a woman. However, for a man, it is consuming fifteen or more drinks per week. This type of drinking is seen as excessive and harmful to an individual’s help. It is advised by the Dietary Guidelines of Americans that adults who drink should drink in moderation. What is a moderate amount of alcohol? A moderate amount is up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. Those who regularly binge drink or drink heavily should consider seeking help. Alcohol addiction is a disease and needs to be treated as such. Treatment centers are available for those who want to get better and have an alcohol free future.
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Am I an alcoholic if I binge drink?
How does one know if they are a casual drinker or if they are binge drinking? This can be a tricky line to walk. Some people may not see themselves as binge drinkers, but they binge drink quite often in reality. So what is a binge drinker? Binge drinking is defined by the NIAAA as a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings the blood alcohol concentration in the body to 0.08%. For most adult males, this happens when they have consumed five or more drinks in the span of two. However, for most adult females, this happens when they have consumed four or more drinks in the span of two hours. This is considered a binge drinking pattern if this happens at least once a month.
Frequent binge drinking and heavy alcohol consumption increase one’s risk of becoming an alcoholic. For those that binge drink five or more times a month, SAMHSA considered this as heavy alcohol consumption. It is important to watch your behavior if you struggle with binge drinking or heavy alcohol consumption. The continued pattern of excessive drinking can lead to alcoholism over time. It is important to seek help if you feel your dependency on alcohol is increasing over time. There are treatment programs available to help with alcohol addiction.
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How much does it cost to go to alcohol rehab?
The cost of treatment is an issue that can keep many individuals from seeking out the help they truly need. However, this doesn’t need to be the case. Many may wonder exactly how much it does it cost to go to rehab? The answer? Well, it depends. There is a range of treatment programs, lengths of programs, and various treatment centers to choose from. The best program for an individual depends on their specific needs. When figuring out how much treatment will cost you, it is important to first look into your insurance. You will want to check if your insurance covers rehab. If you are under Medicaid, treatment for mental health services and substance abuse treatment is covered in all states.
At A Better Today Recovery Services, there are financing options available. Treatment should be available to everyone regardless of their financial situation. Many treatment centers offer a range of ways that one can pay for treatment. Whether through financing, payment plans, or on a sliding scale fee, be sure to talk with an advisor about payment options when it comes to treatment. Have more questions or concerns about finances and therapy? Give us a call at 706-480-8733.
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What happens if I get DUI?
Getting a DUI can be a scary thing. So what happens if you get a DUI? Firstly, when arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, you are usually immediately taken into police custody. At the nearest local police station, you go through the process of giving your photograph and fingerprints. What happens to you after depends on the state that you are in. Some states allow someone to come and bail you out while other states require mandatory jail time. There is mandatory jail time for first-time drunk driving offenders in some states. How long is jail time? For first-time offenders, jail time is one or two days. This jail time can be served on a weekend as well as during the week. For those that are repeat offenders, jail is mandatory and usually longer than a couple of days.
When you are arrested you will be given a ticket that tells you the day you will need to appear in court. In court, you may plead guilty or you may deny the charges. However, there is most likely evidence that you have failed the sobriety test. If you are convicted your driving privileges will be taken away for a period of time.
Regardless of the state, your driving privileges will be limited. Along with limited driving privileges, you will also have to pay a fine. The fine amount depends on the state you are in but all states have a minimum and maximum fine for drunk driving. In the majority of states, you will also have to complete an alcohol and drug education and assessment program. A special type of insurance policy known as SR-22 may also be required before you are able to drive again. This can double or triple your normal insurance premium.
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Can you have fun and enjoy life without alcohol?
While you may feel that drinking alcohol is one of the main joys in life, there are many benefits of life without alcohol. Don’t live your life thinking you can have fun and enjoy life without alcohol. You definitely can! There is no reason that you need to be under the influence of alcohol to enjoy things in life! Here are just a few of the wonderful benefits of not drinking. Firstly, those that don’t consume alcohol have better-looking skin. Who doesn’t want their skin to look better? Heavy alcohol consumption is linked to inflammatory skin disease psoriasis. Redness and yellowing in the skin also slowly disappear once someone stops drinking. Secondly, you will experience improved sleep. Alcohol makes it more difficult to fall asleep and to stay asleep throughout the night. Sleep is vital to having the best health possible.
The longer individuals stay sober, the more their sleep improves. Thirdly, going sober can help with weight issues. Have you gained an excessive amount of weight? It may be linked to heavy alcohol consumption. Alcohol is full of empty calories. Consuming less or no alcohol can help with weight loss. Alcohol can also affect your nutrition and heart health. Overall, it is detrimental to the health and well-being of your body.
Alcohol Addiction For Loved Ones
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How much alcohol is too much for someone to drink?
Watching a loved one drink excessively can be concerning. You may be wondering how much is too much for someone to drink? The answer? It depends on the individual. According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, moderate drinking is one drink per day for women and two drinks per day. It is considered heavy drinking, defined as more than four drinks per day for men and more than three drinks per day for women. Binge drinking and heavy alcohol use can have very harmful consequences. The more someone regularly engages in binge drinking or heavy alcohol use, the more at risk they are for alcohol use disorder. That’s why it is so important to seek treatment early on. Don’t wait for your loved one to go through months or years struggling with alcohol addiction. Get them the help they need today.Â
If you know a loved one struggling with alcohol addiction, they must get the help they need. Alcoholism is a disease, and it only gets worse as time goes on. If a loved one is resistant to getting the treatment, you may want to consider an intervention. An intervention specialist can help you get your loved ones the help they need. Treatment can get them clean and help them stay that way.Â
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Can an alcoholic quit on their own?
Substance abuse addiction has a powerful hold over the mind and body. As a loved one, you may be wondering, can’t an alcoholic quit on their own? Why is it so hard for them to stop? Don’t they care how their addiction affects others? The truth is that quitting is a lot harder than it may seem from the outside. It is very difficult for someone to get sober on their own and remain that way. After repeated substance abuse, the brain is changed. The parts of the brain that give people self-control are altered. This is why quitting an addiction is difficult even when the addict is ready to quit and remain sober. Often, free will alone isn’t enough. This is why treatment centers exist.
A treatment center can keep those struggling with addiction clean long enough for their brain to begin to repair itself. During treatment, individuals learn tools for them to remain sober long after treatment. Patients also have the care and support of medical professionals who understand their addiction issues. If you have a loved one struggling with addiction, they must receive the help they need. Have questions or concerns about your loved one’s alcohol addiction? Want to know more about treatment options? Give us a call at 706-480-8733.
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How do I find the right treatment for someone who is an alcoholic?
Is someone you care about suffering from alcohol addiction? Have you been looking into treatment options? How do you find the right treatment for someone who is an alcoholic? The truth is there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to alcohol addiction treatment. What works for one individual may not work for another individual and vice versa. It is important to know the different treatment options that are available for patients. Here are some of the different treatment options available. Firstly, there are medications that one can take to deal with addiction issues. These medications work by offsetting changes in the brain that are caused by alcoholism. These medications are not addiction. Medication can be combined with other types of treatment to get even better results. Secondly, there are behavioral treatments for alcohol addiction. This type of treatment is where patients work with a health professional to identify and help change the behaviors that lead to heavy drinking.
During behavioral treatment, patients develop the skills to stay sober, build a strong support system, set reachable goals, and learn to cope with triggers that may cause a relapse. There are a few different forms of behavioral treatments. This includes cognitive-behavioral therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, and marital and family counseling. A patient must get as much information about a treatment program before deciding to undergo treatment. As a loved one, you can help them make this important decision. Want more information? Give us a call at 706-480-8733.
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How do I distance myself from a person who is an alcoholic?
Dealing with a loved one who has an addiction issue can be challenging. There can be many ups and downs throughout the process. However, although it can be difficult before you decide to distance yourself, try everything you can to get them help first. If a loved one is resistant to the treatment, you may want to consider an intervention. This involves an organized attempt to confront a loved one about their addiction. Family and friends can confront their loved ones and give them an ultimatum if they refuse to seek treatment. An ultimatum can include consequences such as:
- Children being kept from them.
- Their vehicle being taken away
- Kicking them out of the house
These consequences must be followed through if the individual refuses to seek help. A professional intervention specialist can help you with an intervention. They will lead the entire intervention and make sure everything goes according to plan. It isn’t healthy to stay in a loved one’s life if you are mentally or physically abused due to their addiction. Do not put yourself in a harmful position because you care about someone. The best solution is to seek professional help. Give us a call today at 706-480-8733 to see what your options for your loved one are.
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Can a person die from alcohol detox?Â
Detoxing from alcohol can range from being mild to being severe. In some cases, it can even be life-threatening. For those drinking heavily over a long period, going through detox can be extremely severe. There is a range of symptoms that individuals may experience based on how severe their addiction is. Those with more mild alcohol addiction issues may experience symptoms such as:
- tremorsÂ
- trouble sleeping (insomnia)Â
- nausea or vomitingÂ
- feeling on edge or restlessÂ
- anxietyÂ
- headacheÂ
- SweatingÂ
However, if an individual has a more severe addiction issue, they may experience problems such as:
- HallucinationsÂ
- Withdrawal seizuresÂ
- Status epilepticusÂ
There are risks when it comes to alcohol detox. However, if one is at a detox center, they are in the hands of medical care, and their risk of death is extremely minimal. Medical emergencies from detox come from seizures and delirium tremens. Delirium tremens are a serious symptom of alcohol withdrawal that can lead to death. Symptoms may include:
- feeling disoriented or confusedÂ
- having hallucinationsÂ
- rapid heart rateÂ
- increased breathing rateÂ
- high blood pressure (hypertension)Â
- low-grade feverÂ
- profuse sweatingÂ
- feeling agitatedÂ
- stuporÂ
- loss of consciousnessÂ
It is best to go through the symptoms of withdrawal in the care of medical professionals. That way, if any extreme symptoms do occur, medical professionals are nearby to handle the situation.Â
FAQ
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