Clinically Reviewed on 05/12/2023 12:25 pm by Dr. Olalekan Otulana (Advanced Practitioner) All information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.
For someone who abuses alcohol, physical and psychological changes are expected. Relapsing actions, habitual behaviours and withdrawal symptoms are also anticipated through consistent/long-term abuse.
Reflecting the disease theory, alcohol addiction, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a compulsive brain disease. It is a disease that causes such internal changes that treatment and management are required to promote remission.
Some health concerns can be treated and cured. Yet to this date, an alcoholism cure is yet to be found, due to its unpredictable and impactful makeup.
Recovering from alcohol addiction is possible by managing the condition and its subsequent symptoms/triggers. Yet following the disease model, it is a highly vulnerable and recurrent condition, which must be understood, treated, and considered on a day-to-day basis.
There have been conflicting views on the medical status of alcoholism. Yet with more and more evidence to back its disease diagnosis, it is starting to become an understood condition. Here’s some insight into the model as we answer, ‘is alcohol addiction a disease?’.
An addiction is a disorder that taps into the brain’s reward circuit, found to stimulate habit-like interactions, even whilst consequences lie. An alcohol addiction reflects just that, where alcohol is used and abused due to its positively reinforcing effects.
Being addicted to alcohol means that an internal association has been made surrounding alcohol and its role. Whether its role is to relax the mind, promote escapism, or offer confidence, there are many reasons why alcohol is addictive and a drug of choice.
Once associations are made, breaking the cycle of addiction can be very difficult. The brain, and subsequently the body, have adapted to the effects of alcohol, longing for further exposure. Compulsive outlooks, cravings, and a constant state of fight or flight are characteristics of alcoholism.
Signs of alcohol abuse and alcoholism include:
Signs and symptoms of addiction can be engulfing, unable to control and manage without intervention, treatment, and ongoing rehabilitation efforts. The risk of relapse is high through alcoholism, due to such physical and psychological changes.
Supporting the disease model, alcoholism is recognised as a controlling disease that can impact any given person.
The clinical diagnosis of alcoholism dates back decades. Whilst alcohol has always been an addictive drug, and the risks of adoption have always been high, alcohol addiction rates have risen over the years.
Alcohol is legal to purchase, making it a highly accessible substance. It is also normalised and accepted across communities, developing its own drinking culture. Many people will abuse alcohol without understanding the addictive and toxic makeup of the drug. Risks of addiction are unknowingly high due to low awareness and high acceptance.
Alcoholism is also a co-existing disorder which can be diagnosed in parallel with many mental health issues. Mental health rates, as a whole, have deteriorated over time due to increased pressures, stresses, and high stigmatisation. Alcohol can be viewed as a reliever of mental and emotional pain, possible to latch onto any susceptibilities or vulnerabilities.
Here in England, UK, more than 600,000 people have been diagnosed annually with alcohol addiction. It is one of the most significant contributors to ill-health and injury, making alcohol abuse a concerning disease.
All addictions which impact the brain, cause compulsive and impulsive responses, and produce habit-like behaviours are recognised as a disease. A disease is a health concern that is caused and triggered by psychological, environmental, behavioural, and biological influences. It is an unexplainable, non-biased formation, which can result in life-long symptoms and impacts.
The disease model of addiction highlights a number of factors that support its diagnosis as a brain disease.
Addiction is diagnosed as a disease as it is an uncontrollable condition once it develops, it is dominant and distorts the decision-making and cognitive processes, and it also adapts the body and brain. With that, it can cause lasting vulnerabilities, increase the risk of relapse, and continue to deter health.
Here’s a closer look into the theory as we consider ‘is alcohol addiction a disease?’.
There are many reasons which underpin alcoholism as a brain disease. The first is its cause, possibly anything from biological susceptibilities to toxic environments. Causes are unpredictable and uncontrollable, spanning from everyday lifestyle choices to genes.
Alcohol addiction is also a high-risk recurring disorder, recognised similarly to further diseases, such as diabetes. Without treatment and control, symptoms can resurface, motivating further alcohol abuse.
Diseases cannot be cured due to how they disrupt the body and brain. Addiction cannot be cured due to such physical and psychological changes. Whilst sobriety can be aimed for, and an alcohol-free life can be led, management will be key whilst controlling long-term alcoholism.
Alcohol addiction recovery is a long-term process, supporting its diagnosis as a disease. Efforts must be maintained to support alcohol withdrawal, to be aware of personal triggers, and to select healthy and sustainable lifestyle choices.
AUD is the clinical diagnosis that reflects alcohol-related problems. Problems can vary from mild to chronic yet are likely to be recurring. Symptoms of AUD or alcohol addiction are displayed through behavioural, physical, and psychological changes. Those changes are caused by the interaction that alcohol has with the brain.
Alcohol problems that tap into the mind and disrupt cognitive operations must be treated. Once misuse turns into a habit-like routine, the disease characteristics of addiction will begin to ingrain. Without treatment, life-long problems with alcohol are expected, even if consumption is ever paused.
Unfortunately, alcoholism is a commonly diagnosed disease, impacting people from all walks of life. Whilst following the disease model, some people will be at greater risk due to biological or mental influences, AUD is a serious and wide-spanning condition.
Any form of change should be taken seriously, which is linked to previous or current alcohol abuse. With action, alcoholism can be treated, managed, and controlled for the long term.
Treatment for alcoholism will involve medical intervention, therapy, and long-term planning. Alcohol detox will firstly be promoted to remove all traces of alcohol from the body. This can take a number of days to a number of weeks to complete, commonly influencing withdrawal symptoms. Through alcohol rehab, a medically safe setting can be found, suitable for detoxification.
Once alcohol has been removed as an internal influence, behavioural and holistic therapies must be worked through via alcohol rehab. Talking therapy sessions, wellbeing management, restorative sessions and support groups will be arranged. Breaking the association of alcohol exposure is essential. Learning to cope and rebalance without alcohol exposure will also be aimed for.
Long-term planning will focus on relapse prevention, lifestyle management and understanding alcoholism. Self-help will be key, along with aftercare and ongoing treatment.
To reduce the risks of relapse, alcohol exposure must be managed, alongside a sobriety motivating lifestyle/routine.
Get In Touch
Asana Lodge is a leading UK based expert in Private Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Treatment. Find out how we can help by getting in touch with our friendly team today.
At Asana Lodge, we can help you access the most effective treatments for alcoholism via our specialist alcohol rehab clinic. Reach out to begin our admissions process, helping you benefit from professional support and intervention.
Recovering from addiction is possible. Yet treating it as a brain disease is also essential, in order to understand and control its makeup. Contact our team for more information on ‘is alcohol addiction a disease?’, and on how we can help you heal through alcoholism.
Alcohol is a depressant that disrupts and slows down physical and psychological systems. It interacts with the brain by targeting different regions, including the frontal lobe and amygdala. The process of regulating emotions can be disturbed whilst alcohol is present, along with impacting outlooks, responses, and behaviours.
Excessive alcohol consumption is found to slowly deter mental health, known to cause diagnoses of depression, anxiety, and further mental health issues. For some people, a dual diagnosis will develop, requiring dual forms of treatment.
Alcoholism is a mentally and emotionally testing condition to live with, also found to influence negative and low feelings. Together, internal, and external effects can significantly induce poor mental health.
Treating alcohol addiction will begin with a detoxification process, to promote alcohol withdrawal. Treatments will then focus on regulating emotions, increasing awareness, and promoting healthy coping. Therapy, support groups, educational sessions and relapse prevention planning are all effective whilst treating alcoholism.
At Asana Lodge, we also include holistic therapies whilst treating alcohol addiction. Holistic therapies help to improve mental health, boost recovery and offer an all-round rehabilitation experience.
On admission into alcohol rehab, effective and safe treatment services will be combined.
Detoxing from home can be a dangerous and disheartening process. Alcohol withdrawal is unpredictable, for some threatening physical and psychological wellbeing. Withdrawal symptoms are expected, which can be difficult to manage and also damaging to health.
The process can also be mentally challenging, difficult to complete. Many people tend to revert back to alcohol as a relief, resulting in a disappointing and disheartening attempt.
To avoid all risks, a medically assisted detoxification process will be recommended via alcohol rehab.
Dr. Olalekan Otulana (Advanced Practitioner) - Clinical Reviewer - Last Reviewed: 05/12/2023 12:25 pm
Dr. Otulana is a highly skilled General Practitioner and Addiction Specialist. He possesses extensive expertise in the field of Substance Misuse Management and boasts a diverse background in evaluating, overseeing (including detox procedures), and overseeing the residential recovery of individuals grappling with various drug and substance addiction issues. His primary goal is to conduct thorough assessments of patients dealing with addiction issues and determine their medical detoxification and psychological treatment requirements. Dr. Otulana is well-versed in caring for patients who need dual drug and alcohol detoxification therapies.
In addition to his medical qualifications, Dr. Otulana is a proficient healthcare professional who holds a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree from the prestigious Cambridge University Judge Business School.
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