Drinking is an activity that many people enjoy doing. In moderation, it is a fun activity – a way to ease social interactions and help people enjoy themselves more freely. However, it starts to become an issue when moderation and fun go out the window.
In this country, we have a culture of heavy drinking that is seen as a source of pride. Unfortunately, many people’s social drinking habits turn into an alcohol misuse disorder, resulting in a devastating effect on their lives and the people around them.
When you have a drinking problem it can be hard to realise it.
So, the question you need to ask yourself is – do I drink too much? If the answer is yes then you need to know the damage drinking can do. It’s also important to learn about alcohol rehab and other forms of help that is out there to help you recover.
Signs & Symptoms That You are Drinking Too Much
Spotting that you are drinking too much may be harder than you think. Habits build slowly and to you the change can be imperceptible unless you take a look back and examine your behaviour. Below are some indications that may point toward you having a problem with alcohol.
Physical Symptoms
- When you stop drinking you begin to experience withdrawal symptoms
- Struggle with getting regular sleep
- Suddenly gaining or losing a noticeable amount of weight
- Always feeling tired
- Suffering from dehydration, leading to regular headaches
- Increased tolerance to alcohol
Psychological Symptoms
- You crave alcohol
- You begin to experience depression or it has become worse
- Problems with memory
- Mood swings
- Increased anxiety
Behavioural Symptoms
- Give increasing priority to alcohol
- You set drinking limits that you always break
- People comment on your drinking
- Drinking until you pass out
- Neglecting responsibilities and withdrawing from social contact
Everyone experiences their alcoholism differently and not every symptom is listed above. If some seem familiar then it may be the time to question your drinking habits or look at what options are available for rehabilitation.
Try out our drinks calculator and see if you’re drinking more than you think you are and see the effect that has on you and those around you.
Start CalculatorDrinks Calculator
We have a simple calculator you can use to measure your drinking habits. This will give you an idea of if you are drinking over the recommended amount of alcohol per week and also how much you may be spending on your alcohol consumption.
Binge Drinking and Heavy Drinking
Excessive drinking usually comes in two forms – binge drinking and heavy drinking. Both types of drinking come with their dangers and exceed levels of low-risk drinking.
Binge Drinking
Binge drinking is when you drink lots of alcohol in a short space of time or are drinking for the sole purpose of getting drunk. This is something many of us are familiar with and have all done at one time or another.
Even if it may seem normal to many of us, binge drinking does come with many dangers.
Also known as single-session drinking, binge drinking brings with it many short-term problems. Along with an increased risk of falling and injuring yourself, losing self-control and misjudging risky situations you could also suffer alcohol poisoning. Overdosing on alcohol can lead to death as your heart could stop, you could stop breathing or you could choke on your vomit.
If you drink only to get drunk during a session and tend to drink quickly then you may be a binge drinker.
Heavy Drinking
People who engage in heavy drinking drink more regularly and have numerous binge sessions in a single month. As a heavy drinker, you may not yet suffer from alcohol use disorder, but it probably isn’t far away. Heavy drinking creates a pattern that is hard to break out of and as your tolerance for alcohol goes up, the health dangers increase.
Health Risks from Drinking Excessively
If you engage in excessive drinking then there are many physical and mental health risks, both in the short and long term.
Short Term Risks
As stated when talking about binge drinking earlier, there can be more immediate health risks when consuming vast amounts of alcohol. You can experience high blood pressure, dangerously low blood sugar levels and sudden death due to heart failure. Less serious risks such as blurred vision can lead to fatal accidents and you increase the risk of blacking out also. Impaired cognition can lead to bad decisions such as getting into fights or having unprotected sex, which may lead to an STI.
Long Term Risks
The most common long-term health issue associated with alcohol is liver damage. The liver is responsible for filtering alcohol out of your bloodstream. If you drink too much then the liver cannot do this job effectively, causing it to overwork. This will eventually lead to severe damage to the liver. It is hard to straight away but there are some early signs of liver damage that you can look out for such as abdominal pain, decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting and diarrhoea.
Besides damage to your liver, excessive drinking in the long term can also lead to immune system problems, cancer, permanent brain damage and other organ damage.
Drinking may also lead to alcohol induced mental health problems such as depression, which can affect your livelihood and relationships.
Get Help with Your Alcohol Addiction
Sometimes you are unable to stop drinking alone and need professional help. Asana Lodge is a rehab centre, built upon a culture of care and offering industry-leading addiction treatment.
At our facility, you will follow a bespoke treatment programme. Firstly, you will undergo alcohol detox. Detoxification is the process of ending your physical dependence on alcohol so that you can begin to deal with the underlying issues of your alcohol addiction.
Afterwards, you will take part in various therapies – getting the most out of our holistic approach to treatment with a combination of psychological and well-being therapies. Using therapies such as CBT, stress management and meditation you will begin to break down your issues and build up your self-esteem and hone coping techniques for the outside world.
Once you finish rehab you can still receive support by making use of our aftercare programme. Through weekly support meetings, you can continue to work through your issues and stay vigilant in your fight against alcoholism, whilst connecting with other alcoholics.
Find Out More Today
Drinking comes with many risks and ways it can affect your life. Now that you are aware of the dangers of drinking and also the services available to you, it might be time to seek professional help. Asana Lodge is a private drug and alcohol rehab that can help you rid your life of alcohol and start again. Our admissions process is easy and our team are there to answer all your questions.
Start your journey to long-term recovery today by calling Asana Lodge at 01908 489 421.
Get In Touch
Are you suffering from a Drug or Alcohol Addiction and need help? If so, 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. You can either call our confidential helpline or request a call-back by clicking on the below form.