“Why do I need alcohol abuse counseling?” You may hurl these words at loved ones concerned about your welfare. It’s hard for many people to recognize the negative impacts of alcohol abuse on their lives. Getting counseling for alcohol abuse gives you the opportunity to gain support in your efforts to free yourself from the effects of alcohol abuse. Below are five signs that it’s time to look into getting help with your alcohol use disorder.
What Is An Alcohol Use Disorder?
Alcohol use disorder, sometimes referred to as alcoholism), is a term used to define a pattern of behavior where a person has issues controlling the amount of alcohol they consume. It becomes their main preoccupation, regardless of how it impacts their day to day lives. One of the reasons a person may ask themselves “Why do I need alcohol abuse counseling” is because they don’t recognize how much trouble they have functioning without alcohol. Continued abuse of alcohol could seriously impact your physical and mental health.
Risk factors for developing an alcohol use disorder include:
- Starting to drink at a young age
- A family history of alcoholism
- An underlying mental health issue like depression or anxiety
- A history of physical or emotional trauma
- Constantly feeling pressured to drink by peers or people close to you
Alcohol works as a depressant on the central nervous system. Consuming too much of it affects your speech, muscle coordination, and vital brain functions. It’s possible to end up in a coma or even die after a bout of heavy binge drinking.
Signs You May Need Alcohol Abuse Counseling
If you’re still feeling resistant to the idea of treatment and asking questions like, “Why do I need alcohol abuse counseling?”, look at some of the patterns listed below. How many of them fit the state of your current existence?
- All you want to do is drink — People suffering from an alcohol use disorder often let things they used to love fall by the wayside in favor of drinking. It could be participation in a local sports league or making art as a hobby. You find yourself preferring to drink alone and away from the judgement of others.
- Your relationships start suffering — Those closest to us are typically the first ones to recognize that there’s a problem. You may find yourself getting in constant arguments with friends and family around the effects your drinking has on them. People with an alcohol use disorder often skip important social events or stop spending time with their family.
- Your performance starts to deteriorate — You may start getting reprimanded at work or even lose your job because you let alcohol take over your life. Students may find their grades sliding to the point where they’re in danger of failing or even getting kicked out of their institution.
- You suffer from constant mood swings — Alcohol affects our reactions to events around us, so something minor could cause you to get angry and lash out at everyone around you. It could get to the point where people avoid you because they don’t want to deal with your wrath.
- You’re in constant legal or financial trouble — Drinking too much alcohol could lead to an arrest for public intoxication or a DUI for driving after consuming too much alcohol. That could lead to costly court fees and other expenses that impact your finances.
Long-Term Effects of Alcoholism
Before things get too out of hand, be honest with yourself when asking the question, “Why do I need alcohol abuse counseling?” The earlier you get help, the more likely it is that you can avoid some of the following long-term effects of alcohol use disorder.
- Heart problems
- Blood sugar complications, including diabetes
- Eye issues like nystagmus (involuntary rapid eye movement)
- Birth defects or possible miscarriage
- Weak immune system
- Neurological disorders like numbness in the hands and feet
Get Alcohol Abuse Counseling at Atlantic Recovery Center
If you’re at a point where you end up with a list of reasons when answering the question, “Why do I need alcohol abuse counseling?”, then Atlantic Recovery Center is ready and willing to help get your life back on track. We offer a variety of services and programs that provide alcohol abuse counseling.
- Residential Treatment Program
- Partial Hospitalization Program
- Intensive Outpatient Therapy Program
- Aftercare Program
For more information about alcohol abuse counseling and other therapeutic programs, call us at 1-866-824-5193. Our goal is to help clients live a life free of alcohol abuse.