subject: Recoverynowtv:What Is Alcoholism? [print this page] Recoverynowtv:What Is Alcoholism? Recoverynowtv:What Is Alcoholism?
Alcoholism can be difficult to define as there are many different types of alcoholics. Most people think of alcoholics as being down and out drunks who are begging people for money on the street so that they can drink. This is not the way that most people with this problem behave. To the contrary, most of them lead productive lives and hide their secret very well. They usually do not seek out alcoholism rehab until something occurs that makes them see the fact that they have a problem with booze.
The thing that occurs that will usually get someone to seek treatment for alcohol is often a drunk driving arrest. This can be very common and most of the time, the person who has been caught drunk driving will be ordered to enter some sort of rehab program so that they can address their problem. Those in the court system realize that if someone is caught drinking and driving, chances are that they have done it many times in the past and not gotten caught. Most people know that this is not acceptable behavior and can result in an arrest as well as costly fines, but do it anyway if they are alcoholics because they simply cannot get through the day without having a drink.
One thing that defines an alcoholic is a dependence on alcohol. This can be physical as well as mental. There is a component of each when it comes to alcohol. They use alcohol as a self medicating tool, often to quell depression or problems that occur through every day life. Those who are alcoholics have a difficult time in coping when it comes to life and thus self treat themselves with alcohol. Ironically, depression and anxiety are the number one reasons why people give that they drink and alcohol causes both of these to occur. The substance itself is a depressant, so those who drink are actually not helping their depression but making it worse. It also raises blood pressure, which can add to anxiety.
Once people realize that they have a problem when it comes to drinking, they can get the help that they need. Often, family members will plead with those who have a problem with drinking and try to get them to go to rehab, but to no avail. The person with the problem has to recognize the fact that they have a problem and be wiling to seek help for it in order for it to work. Those who are looking for a way to help someone else in the family can find out all they can about the condition as well as what they can do to try to steer them in the right direction, but they cannot get them the help that they need unless they are willing to accept it. This is one of the most maddening things about alcoholics is that they are often the last person to admit that they have a problem when it comes to drinking. Family members can help all they can by continuing to talk to them about the problem and practicing tough love tactics.
