Excessive consumption of alcohol causes severe long-term side-effects. The consumer develops tolerance to the effects of the substance and will need to take more so that he or she gets the desired effects. Most people take alcohol to reduce stress or self-soothe. Large consumption of alcohol leads to stomach ulcers, anxiety, mood swings, depression, hallucinations, incoherent speech, menstrual irregularities, loss of appetite, erectile dysfunction, cirrhosis, and jaundice, to mention a few.
Continual consumption of alcohol increases the chance of addiction. This eventually makes the consumer experience its psychological and physical impacts. Abrupt stopping of consumption leads to severe withdrawal symptoms. The first step to get help for addiction is for the addict to make a conscious decision to quit.
The addict can get help from health practitioners or counselors. The health provider will guide the addict through the process of stopping. The counselor will also equip the addict with skills of dealing with trigger situations for alcohol abuse. Cognitive behavioral therapy that aims at identifying any trigger mechanisms for the abuse and coming up with ways to avoid them is applied during counseling sessions. The addict can also enroll at treatment facilities to get help. The programs offered at such facilities assist the addict to detoxify without experiencing withdrawal symptoms. There are various treatment facilities available that an addict can select that best suits him or her.
Alcohol abusers can stop their addiction using home-based care. The addict should be willing to share his or her addiction problem with family members. Some withdrawal signs of alcohol can be effectively dealt with using home-based techniques that any family member can help with. The addicts can also get help by talking to family members and friends that will offer advice and encouragement.
The addicts should moderate the amount of alcohol they take. This will greatly help in solving family and financial problems. The addict should have positive reinforcement around him or her all the time. Positive reinforcement comprises of family members and friends who do not take alcohol. The addict can easily continue abusing alcohol if they are exposed to situations that trigger the use of the substance. This can only be avoided by not hanging out with friends who abuse alcohol.
The addict can also take medication to help him or her break addiction. Such medications should be taken according to doctor’s prescription for the treatment to be effective. The medications include Baclofen, Acamprosate, Antabuse, and Sodium oxybate. The medications are effective in eliminating alcohol addiction side effects.
The addicts can use opioid antagonists, such as Naltrexone, to reduce the craving for the substance. They can enroll in addiction support groups like. Such groups work on 12-step programs that aim at identifying cause of addictions and ways to stop. Eating hypoglycemic is effective in dealing with problems caused by heavy alcohol consumption. For the treatment program to be effective, the addict should be willing to abstain from alcohol.