Alcohol use disorder is a term that doctors use to refer to persons who can’t control their drinking. These people can’t control their emotions when they are sober. In the real sense, alcohol use alters brain operations.
Mike* not his real name has been suffering from AUD without knowing. The biggest challenge has been concentrating at work. He is ever arranging for parties where alcohol is involved. He started drinking beer and now he is taking highly concentrated liquor from South Africa which gives him a ‘kick’. Mike has tried severally to stop drinking, but he has failed miserably. Anytime, he tries, he suffers from withdrawal symptoms. He goes back to the drink. Last week, he was caught drinking at the office toilets. He had hidden the drink in the cistern. His life easily sums up the symptoms of AUD.
11 Ways to Detect AUD
- Alcohol cravings
- Drinking more alcohol than you had intended’ uncontrolled drinking
- Experience symptoms of withdrawal when you are not drunk
- Giving up social activities such as sports, hobbies, family dinners to drink alcohol
- Spending much time participating in activities that involve using or recovering from alcohol
- Failure to fulfil roles at the workplace/home
- Tolerance to alcohol, which means that they must drink more alcohol to get drunk
- Futile attempts of stopping alcohol use
- Using alcohol excessively when depressed or mentally sick
- Using alcohol regardless of the conflicts that affect family and friends
- Drinking alcohol even during a journey leading to driving under influence
Can you use these pointers to detect an alcoholic in life?