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Alcoholism is an Addiction too

It is estimated that 1.1 million people in the UK are dependent drinkers and over 1.3 million children are living with families where alcohol dependency is present. The co-occurrence between domestic violence and alcohol misuse is high.  Alcoholism is an illness that is characterised by one or more of the following symptoms:

    • Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink.
    •  Loss of control: The frequent inability to stop drinking once a person has begun.
    • Physical dependence: The occurrence of withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking. These symptoms are usually relieved by drinking alcohol or by taking another sedative drug.
    • Tolerance: The need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order to get “high.”

Alcoholism has nothing to do with what kind of alcohol one drinks, how long one has been drinking, or even exactly how much alcohol one consumes. But it has a great deal to do with a person's uncontrollable need for alcohol. This description of alcoholism helps us understand why most alcoholics can't just “use a little willpower” to stop drinking. He or she is frequently in the grip of a powerful craving for alcohol, a need that can feel as strong as the need for food or water. While a few people are able to recover without help, the majority of alcoholic individuals need outside assistance to recover from their disease. With support and treatment, many individuals are able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives. Many people wonder: why can some individuals use alcohol without problems, while others are utterly unable to control their drinking? Recent research has demonstrated that for many people a vulnerability to alcoholism is inherited. Yet it is important to recognise that aspects of a person's environment, such as peer pressure and the availability of alcohol, also are significant influences. Both inherited and environmental influences are called “risk factors.” But risk is not destiny. Just because alcoholism tends to run in families doesn't mean that a child of an alcoholic parent will automatically develop alcoholism.

Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol abuse differs from alcoholism in that it does not include an extremely strong craving for alcohol, loss of control, or physical dependence. In addition, alcohol abuse is less likely than alcoholism to include tolerance (the need for increasing amounts of alcohol to get “high”). Alcohol abuse is defined as a pattern of drinking that is accompanied by one or more of the following situations within a 12-month period:

    • failure to fulfill major work, school, or home responsibilities;
    • drinking in situations that are physically dangerous, such as while driving a car or operating machinery;
    • recurring alcohol-related legal problems, such as being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or for physically hurting someone while drunk;
    • continued drinking despite having ongoing relationship problems that are caused or worsened by the effects of alcohol.

While alcohol abuse is basically different from alcoholism, it is important to note that many effects of alcohol abuse are also experienced by alcoholics. Those who abuse alcohol are at very high risk of developing alcoholism.

Treatment

The nature of treatment depends on the severity of an individual's alcoholism or dependency and the resources that are available in his or her community. Treatment may include detoxification (the process of safely getting alcohol out of one's system); taking prescribed medications, such as disulfiram (Antabuse®); and individual and/or group counseling.  We strongly recommend that anyone stopping drinking after a period of excessive alcohol abuse should consult with their doctor to detoxify safely.  At Special & Different we offer  counselling that helps alcoholics to break down the denial that allows them to carry on with destructive behaviours and teaches recovering alcoholics to identify situations and feelings that trigger the urge to drink and to find new ways to cope that do not include alcohol use.

Because the involvement of family members is important to the recovery process, we also offer  family therapy as part of the treatment process.

Alcoholics Anonymous

Attendance of meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a mandatory condition of treatment with Special & Different.  AA describes itself as a “worldwide fellowship of men and women who help each other to stay sober.”  AA is generally recognised as the most effective mutual help program for recovering alcoholics.  Members often find that AA works best in combination with professional treatment.

Can Alcoholism Be Cured?

While alcoholism is a treatable disease, a cure is not available. This means that even if an alcoholic has been sober for a long while and has regained health and sanity, he or she remains susceptible to relapse and must continueto avoid all alcoholic beverages. “Cutting down” on drinking doesn't work; cutting out alcohol is vital for a successful continuous recovery. However, even individuals who are determined to stay sober may suffer one or several “slips,” or relapses, before achieving long-term sobriety. Relapses are very common and do not mean that a person has failed or cannot eventually recover from alcoholism. Keep in mind, too, that every day that a recovering alcoholic has stayed sober prior to a relapse is extremely valuable time,both to the individual and to his or her family. If a relapse occurs, it is very important to stop drinking once again and to get whatever additional support is needed to continue to abstain from drinking.