There is a common myth about alcohol that choosing to drink beer instead of something harsher won’t lead to alcohol dependence. Some people may look at wine and think that it won’t be harmful to drink it in excess.

However, the only way to maintain sobriety is to avoid alcohol entirely. High-intensity drinking is a newer trend in which alcohol is consumed at two times or more than binge drinking levels. This trend not only increases your chances of becoming addicted to alcohol but can also result in an alcohol-related emergency. The most untrue myth about alcohol is, it isn’t hurting anyone. Many drinkers believe they are only hurting themselves. But, alcohol use disorder causes behavioral changes in drinkers. These changes can make you act differently around your friends and family.

It actually is possible for a person to be able to perform at work or at school and maintain an alcohol addiction. While each individual case is unique to its circumstances, there are many ways that an alcoholic can maintain a career and an addiction to alcohol. This might be the most common as well as one of, if not the biggest alcohol myths. Most people assume that those suffering from alcoholism are doing so by choice. They think that they are just choosing to continue to drink to the point that it becomes a problem and can just stop whenever they feel like it. Nobody ever started drinking with the goal of it ruining their life. Most people who struggle with alcoholism didn’t start drinking because their lives were perfect.

You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Alcohol-attributable deaths are the third-leading preventable cause of death in America. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 88,424 people die from alcohol-related causes each year in the United States.

If you drink while taking pain killers, it can increase your risk of stomach bleeding, liver issues, and various other health complications. Having a drinking problem isn’t about what you drink; it’s about how it affects your life.

Myths About Alcoholism #7: I Can Spot A Drinker By Their Appearance

For everyone struggling with addiction, there is someone who came from the same or highly similar background who is not struggling with addiction. Older age is also tied to more successful outcomes at treatment – a finding which should give hope to those who’ve tried treatment before but have relapsed. Addiction afflicts is equal opportunity, afflicting celebrities making millions and those living below poverty level as well. Speaking of relapse, studies have shown, for example, that literacy and educational level have no effect on whether relapse occurred. That’s why it’s even more important for folks who can’t move to add safeguards into the mix. For example, regular AA and NA meetings and a new phone number, to begin with. Research shows that leaving old lives behind helps keep addicts on the right path.

• The “alcohol” in alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, and spirits is actually ethanol, or ethyl alcohol.
• But dealing with those feelings and tackling the “why” of your alcoholism is the only way to get on a healthy recovery path.
• There are many myths that surround the disease of alcoholism.
• Drinking tends to produce higher blood alcohol concentrations in women because they are generally smaller than men.
• Other people may drink frequently and heavily without becoming alcoholic.

It is a disease that takes a heavy toll on a person’s health, relationships, career, and all other aspects of life. Myths About Alcoholism Like other forms of drug addiction, alcoholism is also damaging for family members and friends of the alcoholic.

Myth 1: Drinking Perks You Up At Parties

Once you enter treatment or start your recovery journey, you may feel overwhelmed. That’s normal, but it’s important to remember that you have the ability to change your life and sobriety is within your reach. Participating in an organized treatment program can be extraordinarily beneficial for someone suffering from alcoholism.

While in treatment alcoholics have the opportunity to develop healthy coping mechanisms and network with others seeking sobriety. But treatment programs aren’t a one-stop-shop to fix alcoholism. Alcoholism is a chronic disease and maintaining sobriety will be a lifelong journey.

Alcoholism: Myths And Facts

Although declared a disease by the AMA, the idea of alcoholism as a disease still has some dispute. Depending on the viewpoint and the time in history, alcoholics have been treated as everything from sick patients to criminals.

There is some truth in the claim that alcoholics need to hit rock bottom before they can recover. The problem is that this is often misunderstood to mean the individual has to lose everything before they can quit. This is certainly a myth, and a very unhelpful one at that. The rock bottom refers to the point where the addict has had enough.

If you have symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, you may be more sensitive to pain. Also, excessive alcohol consumption over a long time can cause a certain type of https://ecosoberhouse.com/ neural pain. Though drinking occasionally may not be a possibility, it is possible to overcome alcohol addiction and live a normal life after developing this disease.

Those Individuals Who Escape Addiction Can Look Forward To A Boring Life

There may be signs you can observe – bloodshot eyes and a non-caring attitude to personal grooming, change in weight and apparent intoxication – or there may not. It’s a human disease, and, as we have seen with the nationwide opioid epidemic, anyone can be at risk. Worse, turning someone loose straight from detox means they can run right back into the same storm of circumstances that led to the addiction. You must address the underlying issue that started everything in motion.

• I stopped participating in hobbies and activities that I love.
• Addiction can make someone change for the worse, sometimes become irritated, aggressive, or even violent in some cases.
• If you never deal with trauma in a direct and healthy way, its effects will still be waiting after you stop drinking.
• Many alcoholics have relapsed because they think that having just one or two drinks every now and then is harmless.
• Once it enters your system, it triggers immediate physiological changes in the brain, heart, and liver, among other organs.

6% of adults reported heavy drinking in the past month. People with chronic pain will try anything to help with the pain. Frequently, they turn to alcohol because it is considered safe compared to illicit drugs. However, there are several reasons why this is an unhealthy choice. If it were a behavior problem, many very strong-willed alcoholic people I know would have stopped drinking long ago. Yes, not drinking alcohol was the outcome I desired, but today I don’t drink because of a spiritual awakening, NOT because I choose not to drink.

Over time, these changes can lead to long-term health complications if you’re drinking too much. A lot of people mistakenly assume that after they get sober, life will be boring.

Some of the most successfully recovered addicts we see are ones that build a new life in a new place with new people. Falling back into old patterns – whether it be friends, sources or places – is all too easy and common occurrence after rehab, sometimes with fatal results. The longer you are sober or clean, the less likely you are to relapse. However, once addiction takes hold, it is no longer a choice.

RecoveryGo virtual outpatient addiction and mental health treatment directly to you. For whatever reason, there’s this misconception out there that if someone gets too drunk they can just drink some coffee and it will fix them right up. If you are drunk, nothing will sober you up except the time it takes to pass the alcohol through your body. The reality of alcoholism is that it’s a life-long condition. Alcohol treatment is successful when an alcoholic is able to abstain from alcohol for an extended period.

Facts To Debunk Alcohol Myths

Alcohol is one of only two drugs that you can die from while withdrawing . Alcoholism is a rampant issue that is found in our society.

Is a force of healing and hope for individuals, families and communities affected by addiction to alcohol and other drugs. Through charitable support and a commitment to innovation, the Foundation is able to continually enhance care, research, programs and services, and help more people. There are plenty of people who go through a period of heavy drinking in their life but don’t become alcoholics. This most frequently happens with college students who can binge drink at the weekends. Their behavior is dangerous, but it does not necessarily mean that these people have developed an addiction. Once they leave college and take on some responsibilities they settle down to safer drinking levels or may even give up alcohol altogether without any struggle. There are also plenty of heavy drinkers who have not crossed the line into alcoholism.

Do not wait until things get worse for you or your loved ones. Alcohol myths not only prevent people from getting the help they need but also reinforce stereotypes about it. “Nearly 20 percent of alcoholics are highly functional and well-educated with good incomes.” Men are more likely to develop the disease than women. Alcohol is both readily available and legal, and drinking is socially acceptable. There is often peer pressure to drink, to be a part of the crowd.

There are alcoholics who can go without having a drink for days or weeks at a time. Some may binge drink occasionally, some may only drink on the weekends, and some may drink until the point of deep intoxication to cope with stress.

Some of these common myths can even be used by alcoholics as a means to stay in denial about their problem. The individual may have a picture in their head of what a stereotypical alcoholic looks like.

Alcoholism Myth #5: An Alcoholic Must Want To Be Helped In Order For Treatment To Be Effective

Wanting to stop and actually stopping are two different things. Learn more about Tempest’s unique approach to alcohol recovery. When you call the helpline, you will be connected with a caring admissions navigator to discuss your options for treatment. Our representatives work solely for RMR and will discuss treatment options only with our facility here in Southern California.