5 Signs Your Loved One is Suffering from an Alcohol Use Disorder

The decision to bring a friend or family member to Encore for alcohol rehab in VA is a critical one. Our PHP and IOP have helped many individuals free themselves from the destructive effects of alcohol addiction.

The discovery that a friend or a loved one’s erratic or altered behavior is part of a greater behavioral issue known as alcoholism—or an alcohol use disorder (AUD) can be troubling. The tendency for addicts to express denial at their own habits is common, but that denial works both ways and many friends or family members have a hard time coming to grips with the fact that their loved one is an alcoholic. It can be helpful to have a list of a few of the most common signs that someone you know is silently suffering from alcoholism.

1 – They Can’t Stop Drinking

This sign is the most apparent one. An alcohol use disorder cannot be diagnosed off a single night or even many nights of binge drinking. Sometimes, people display abuse behaviors or dependency behaviors towards alcohol, but are not otherwise alcoholics.

However, the line is blurry. If there is a repeated pattern of nights where binge drinking occurs or consecutive days where the person in question is having more than the recommended limit of 2 standard drinks a day for men and 1 standard drink a day for women, then that person is straying into the territory of dependence.

This is the most difficult stage to help someone realize they may have a problem because they may not even know it themselves. At Encore Recovery, we assist our patients with all forms of alcohol rehab in VA—both mild, moderate, and severe.

2 – Alcohol Is Their Only Coping Strategy

We’ve discussed the effects of maladaptive mechanisms before. Many people drink because alcohol provides pleasure and releases inhibitions. Individuals who are suffering from mental stress may find the numbing qualities of alcohol incredibly useful for tamping down on unwanted thoughts and daily stresses.

And so several people see the idea of sitting down for a beer or glass of wine and enjoying a movie or other activity to unwind as a healthy way to relieve stress. You’ve probably heard the phrase, “stress, the silent killer” before. Chronic stress is a key factor for increased morbidity, prevalence of disease, etc. Though drinking alcohol as a health benefit is never advised by medical professionals due to its inherent abuse potential and notable downsides, there are clear dose dependent benefits to drinking which many people enjoy.

However, when does it go from having a drink to unwind to needing a drink to unwind? It’s important for individuals to have other outlets to channel stress and find relief. A healthy social life, hobbies, interests—these are all things which help people cope with stress.

Does your loved one have any of these? Or is their default mode of stress reduction to go straight for the bottle or can?

3 – There are Numerous Issues Stemming from Alcohol Consumption

Have they ever gotten a DUI? Lost a job because of their drinking habits affecting their performance? How about social dilemmas caused by alcohol consumption such as infidelity or arguments with friends?

All of these scenarios and many more can be easily traced back to a person’s alcohol consumption. As an alcohol rehab in VA, it is our understanding that alcoholism doesn’t always look like what people think it does. Friends and family have known the person affected for so long that their development of an alcohol use disorder seems unreal. This brings us to our next point.

4 – They Have Justifications for Everything

Addiction is a kind of disease, one which the person afflicted understands on some level that they have a monster inside of them. That monster desires to be fed at all costs. A person who is suffering from this condition will then become quite good at finding creative rationalizations for their destructive habits. It is for this exact reason that interventions exist and are a common course of action to help a person drop the façade of normalcy.

5 – Their Tolerance is Sky High

Not everyone suffering from an AUD is outwardly getting intoxicated through constant partying or day drinking. It is common for an alcoholic to hide their true alcohol intake out of shame or fear of being discovered. However, what they can’t hide is their tolerance level.

This is a subtle sign many people choose to ignore because they think that some individuals naturally possess a “high tolerance” for alcohol. However high a person’s natural tolerance—their ability to efficiently process alcohol is, it incredibly rare for someone to be able to put away several drinks and feel next to nothing.

If your loved one or friend can seemingly drink to no effect, despite them saying they do not consume alcohol all that often, it is a sign that something is amiss.

Alcohol Rehab in VA

Encore Recovery helps individuals suffering from an alcohol use disorder through our alcohol rehab in VA. Our program offerings make full use of our understanding that addiction is often a complex case. Through our admissions process, we can help understand what you or your loved one’s needs are and how we can help.

Our staff of compassionate medical professionals, therapists, and addiction specialists are here to extend their expertise and support to help you or a loved one regain stability and peace in their life. Contact us at (703)-594-7398 to take the first step towards recovery today.