Each year, alcohol addiction is directly or indirectly responsible for as many as 2.8 million deaths. The causes can be anything from drunk driving to alcohol poisoning. Drinking is very often related to emotions, whether they are celebratory, like at a wedding or birthday party or someone is trying to drown out their feelings of sadness or regret. Alcohol can make people feel better, but often that's just for a short time. Learn more about the emotions that can lead to alcohol abuse and reach out today for help. Continue your alcohol abuse education by calling us today at 866.957.7885.
That’s a question that people have been asking for a long time, and the answer is complicated. Some people drink to be social, while others do it to relax. Then there are the people that drink because it makes them feel better. That emotional tie to picking up a beer or bottle is why alcohol use disorder and mental health issues often tend to go hand in hand. Alcohol can numb those feelings and negative thoughts that make life difficult.
It’s not always easy to tell why someone drinks alcohol. It could be for any number of reasons, including coping with anxiety, depression, or stress. Some people might drink because they’re trying to fit in or feel more comfortable in social situations. Others might use alcohol to self-medicate and numb emotions or physical pain.
For some people, drinking alcohol is a way to cope with difficult life situations. It might make them feel better in the moment, but it’s only a temporary fix. In the long run, drinking can actually make problems worse. It can lead to relationship problems, financial difficulties, health issues, and other problems.
Technically, alcohol is a depressant, meaning it depresses the central nervous system. That forces the body to release chemicals that help to regulate emotions — specifically serotonin and endorphins.
The effect can lead to a chemical dependency on the drug. In other words, your body starts to depend on that cause and effect scenario to feel good. If you are someone that already experiences certain emotions regularly, that drink can help calm them. Emotions sometimes tied to alcohol use disorder include:
Ignoring how you feel can make it easy to self-medicate with alcohol to get relief from the negativity that you live with each day.
Today, experts refer to it as alcohol use disorder. Broadly, it means that you drink alcohol despite any mental or physical consequences. There are two types of alcohol use disorder.
Alcohol abuse means you have unhealthy drinking habits that impact your life. Alcohol dependence indicates the brain is dependent on alcohol, so when you don’t drink, you develop withdrawal symptoms such as shakes, nausea, and headaches. Those in severe alcohol withdrawal may experience life-threatening delirium tremens and seizures.
Both alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence relate to emotions and alcohol addiction. They also both require treatment. San Antonio Recovery Center (SARC) is an independent drug and alcohol treatment center with staff specializing in alcohol use disorder. Our staff consists of some of the most dedicated and understanding men and women in the industry. They are able to see the connection between emotions and alcohol addiction.
The San Antonio Recovery Center focuses on the 12-step philosophy for recovery. We offer an affordable program that includes:
SARC also provides dual diagnosis support for those with mental health issues that might be contributing to their alcohol use disorder. With dual diagnosis treatment, you get help for both alcohol addiction and the psychological issues that might contribute to it at the same time.
Dual diagnosis treatment is important because it helps people with both mental health and substance abuse disorders. It can be difficult to treat both disorders at the same time, but dual diagnosis treatment can help. Treatment for both disorders can help people recover from their illnesses and live fuller, healthier lives.
Without dual diagnosis treatment, the link between your emotions and alcohol addiction will still exist as you work toward recovery. Getting treatment for them at the same time helps reduce the risks of you drinking again to self-medicate.
SARC helps you find the path to recovery and break free from your need for alcohol. In addition, we offer programs that give you an alternative way to deal with strong emotions, such as yoga, exercise, and meditation.
If you or someone you love is caught in the emotions and alcohol addiction trap, we can help. Give SARC a call at 866.957.7885, or contact us online today.
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