Believe it or not, alcohol abuse is a widespread malady affecting millions of Americans today. In fact, excessive drinking is responsible for one in 10 deaths among adults. Dinar Sajan, MD, and her team at Health & Psychiatry offices across Florida, can provide the medical and therapeutic intervention you need to overcome your problem. If you or someone you know needs help breaking the cycle of alcohol abuse and addiction, call the office nearest you or request an appointment online.
Alcohol use is considered abuse when you use the substance excessively or inappropriately. It is possible to abuse alcohol and drugs and not be addicted. If you abuse them, however, you’re at a significantly higher risk of becoming addicted.
An addiction develops when you can’t stop using the substance, can’t control your cravings, and don’t realize the impact of your addiction on your relationships.
Addiction is a brain disease, as ongoing use of alcohol or drugs causes physical changes in the brain’s neurons. These changes affect your brain’s reward system in ways that make you compulsively crave the substance while ignoring harmful consequences.
Addiction is progressive; you’ll build up a tolerance and will need to keep increasing the amount you use to feel the same effects.
In addition to hiding your substance use from family and friends, being unable to quit, and binging on alcohol, the symptoms of alcohol abuse include:
If you or someone you love is exhibiting signs of alcohol abuse, the team at Health & Psychiatry is here to help.
Substance use disorders and mental illness go hand in hand. About half of all patients who experience a mental illness will develop a substance use disorder and vice versa. Additionally, people with a mental illness and substance use disorder have a higher risk of abusing or becoming addicted to opioids.
Treatment for an addiction combines medically managed detoxification with therapy, often behavioral therapy. If you struggle with substance abuse, you may also need detoxification to start treatment, depending on the severity of your problem.
During detoxification, your body clears itself of drugs. This phase is managed with medication to prevent withdrawal symptoms and potentially dangerous or fatal side effects.
Medication-assisted treatment is effective because the medication normalizes your brain chemistry and relieves cravings, while therapy focuses on the psychological, social, and behavioral problems associated with abuse and addiction.
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