Alcoholism

ALCOHOLISM

The behavioral characteristics of the alcoholic are progressive as is the person’s tolerance to alcohol and as is the course of the disease itself. An inventory of some of these characteristics follows.

They are not necessarily in precise chronological order and some may never be experienced by an individual who is abusing alcohol. But most of them are experienced and, in total are mileposts along the way alcohol abuse recovery.

PRE-ADDICTION: The road to alcohol addiction begins when the drinking is no longer social but becomes a means of psychological escape from tensions, problems and inhibitions. Although the eventual problem drinker is still in reasonable control, their habits begin to fail into a definite pattern:

Gross Drinking Behavior: They begin to drink more heavily and more often than their friends. “Getting wasted” becomes a habit. When drunk, they may develop a “big shot” complex, recklessly spending money, boasting of real and imagined accomplishments.

Alcohol Addiction Blackouts: A “blackout,” temporary loss of memory, is not to be confused with “passing out,” or loss of consciousness. The drinker suffering from a blackout cannot remember things they said, things they did, places they visited while carousing the night before – or for longer periods. Even a social drinker can have a blackout. With prospective alcoholics, the blackouts are more frequent and develop into a pattern.

Gulping and Sneaking Drinks: Anxious to maintain a euphoric level, they begin to pass off drinks at parties and instead slyly gulp down extra ones when they think nobody is looking. They may also “fortify” themselves before going to a party to insure their euphoria. They feel guilty about this behavior and skittishly avoid talking about drinks or drinking. This can be the beginning of alcohol depression and alcohol abuse problems.

Chronic Hangovers: As they grow more and more reliant on alcohol as a shock absorber to daily living, “morning after” hangovers become more frequent and increasingly painful. The need for alcohol abuse treatment increases rapidly.

ALCOHOL ADDICTION: Until now, the problem drinker has been imbibing heavily but not always conspicuously. More important they have been able to stop drinking when they so choose. Beyond this point, they develop the symptoms of alcohol addiction with increased rapidily.

Loss of Control: This is the most common symptom that a drinker’s psychological habit has become a physical addiction. They still may refuse to accept a drink; but once they take a drink they cannot stop. A single drink is likely to trigger a chain reaction that will continue without a break until a state of complete alcohol intoxication is reached.

The Alibi System: Their loss of control induces feelings of guilt and shame. So they concoct an elaborate system of “reasons” or excuses for their drinking – “The pressure on my job is too hard to take,” or “My wife is constantly yelling at me,” or “I’m a little shaky, a drink will calm my nerves.” They hope these excuses or rationalizations will justify their behavior in the eyes of their family or associates. In reality, the alibis are mostly made to reassure or bolster the drinker into thinking that their behavior is acceptable and that alcohol detox is not necessary.

Eye-Openers: They need a drink in the morning “to start the day right.” Their “morning” may start at any hour of the day or night. So an eye-opener is, in fact, a drink to ease their jangled nerves, hangover, or feelings of remorse after any period of going without a drink; as an example: while they were sleeping. They cannot face the upcoming hours without alcohol and see no justification for alcohol rehabilitation.

Changing the Pattern: By now, the drinker is under pressure from their family, friends, and/or employer. They try to break the hold that alcoholism has on them. At first, they may try to change the kind of drink; from beer to whiskey, or from wine to beer. That does no good. Then they may set up their own rules as to when they will drink and what they will drink: only three martinis on weekends and, of course, holidays. They may even “go on the wagon” for a period of time. But one sip of alcohol and the chain reaction starts all over again. The thought of alcohol abuse treatment or going to an alcohol rehab center is far from their minds.

Anti-Social Behavior: They prefer drinking alone or only with other alcoholics, regardless of the other person’s social level. The drinker believes that only these other people can understand them. They brood over imagined wrongs inflicted by others outside this pale, and think that people are staring at them or talking about them. They are highly critical of others and may become violent or destructive. This is the beginning of serious alcohol abuse and the need for inpatient treatment may now out-weigh outpatient treatment services.

Loss of Friends, Family or Job: Their continuing anti-social behavior causes their friends to avoid them. The aversion is now mutual. The members of their family may become so helplessly implicated that their spouse leaves them (”to bring him to his senses”). The same situation develops between their employer and fellow workers. And so, they lose their job, further complicating alcohol rehabilitation efforts

Seeking Medical Aid: Physical and mental erosion caused by uncontrolled drinking leads them to make the rounds of hospitals, doctors, psychiatrists, etc. But because they will not admit the extent of their drinking, they seldom receive any lasting benefit. Even when they do halfway “level” with the doctors, they fail to cooperate in following their doctor’s instructions and the result is the same. Addiction recovery treatment is best suited to those that voluntarily admit that they need help for alcohol dependency.

LAST STAGES: Until they have reached this point, the alcoholic has had a choice: to drink or not to drink — the first drink. Once they took the first drink, they then lost all control. But in the last stages of alcohol abuse, they have no choice: they must drink rather than seek alcohol treatment therapy.

Benders: They get blindly and helplessly drunk for days at a time, hopelessly searching for that feeling of alcohol euphoria they once appreciated. They utterly disregard everything – family, job, and food, even shelter. These periodic flights into oblivion might be called “drinking to escape the problems caused by drinking,” and usually indicate an inner desire for an alcohol recovery program.

Tremors: In the past, their hands may have trembled a bit on “mornings after.” But now they get “the shakes” when they are forced to abstain, a serious nervous condition which racks their whole body. When combined with hallucinations, they are known as the D.T.’s (delirium tremens), and are often fatal if medical help is not close at hand. During and immediately after an attack, they will swear off alcohol forever. They nevertheless come back for more of the same, thus avoiding alcohol addiction rehabilitation efforts.
Protecting the Supply: Having an immediate supply of alcohol available becomes the most important thing in their life – to avoid the shakes, if nothing else. They will spend their last cent and, if necessary, will sell the coat off their back to get it. Then they hide their bottles so there will always be a drink close at hand when they need it – which can be any hour of the day or night.

Unreasonable Resentments: The alcoholic shows hostility toward others. This can be a conscious effort to protect their precious supply of alcohol, be it a half-pint on the hip or a dozen bottles secreted about the home. It can also be the outward evidence of an unconscious desire for self-punishment and distain for alcohol addiction help.

Nameless Fears and Anxieties: They become constantly fearful of things they cannot pin down or describe in words. It is a feeling of impending doom or destruction. This adds to their nervousness and further underscores the compulsion to drink. These fears frequently crop up in the form of hallucinations, both auditory and visual.

Collapse of the Alibi System: They finally realize that they can no longer make excuses nor put the blame on others. They have to admit that the fanciful “reasons” they have been fabricating to justify their drinking are preposterous to others and are now ridiculous even to them. This may have occurred to them several times during the course of their alcoholic career, but this time it is final. They have to admit that they are licked; that their drinking is totally out of control and is beyond their ability to control it. Many times this may be the first opportunity for alcohol treatment help at an alcoholic clinic.

Surrender Process: Now, if ever, the alcoholic must give up the idea of ever drinking again and be willing to seek and accept help. If at this point the alcoholic is unable to surrender, all the sign posts point to custodial care or death. If they have not already suffered extensive and irreversible brain damage, there is a strong likelihood that some form of alcoholic psychosis will develop. The amnesia and confabulation of Karsakoff’s syndrome and the convulsions and comas of Wernicke’s disease are possibilities. Death may come in advanced cases of cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatic cancer, or hemorrhaging varices of the esophagus. Or they may arrange their own suicide. After all, the suicide rate among alcoholics is three times the normal rate of self-extermination.