If you turn to alcohol whenever you’re feeling stressed or get through the day, you may have an alcohol addiction. While you can’t diagnose alcoholism with a test, medical doctors and recovery specialists have criteria that help them determine whether a person has a problem that requires further treatment. While the causes of alcohol addiction can be hard to determine, it is possible to get help by seeking out professional treatment. There, you get more education about the causes of addiction and how to manage yours.
What is Alcohol Addiction?
Alcohol addiction, or alcohol use disorder, is a disease where people compulsively consume alcohol. You may have no control over how much you drink at a sitting. Drinking alcohol often leads to feelings of negativity and a lack of control over your emotions. Signs of a problem with alcohol typically include:
- Feeling cravings for alcohol
- Not having the ability to stop drinking
- Drinking even during potentially dangerous situations
- Abandoning obligations because of your desire to drink
- Needing to consume larger quantities of alcohol because you’ve developed a tolerance
- Feeling withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop drinking
Participating in intensive outpatient treatment or a partial hospitalization program can provide insight into the causes of alcoholism and what you can do to curb your drinking. Midwest Recovery Center provides a variety of programs to help clients gain control over their alcohol addiction.
What are the Causes of Alcohol Addiction?
Various risk factors contribute to the development of alcohol addiction. Some common factors that may be part of the causes of addiction include:
- Your family history — If you have family members previously diagnosed with a substance use disorder, that can heighten the risk of developing addiction issues. The risk level increases if it is a close relative, like a parent or sibling, with addiction versus a second or third cousin.
- Having a mental health issue — While people with mental health disorders aren’t necessarily destined to end up with a substance abuse problem, it can be a reason why people turn to alcohol.
- Past trauma or stress — People who go through traumatic experiences might turn to alcohol to drown out the memories or deal with their emotions. Alcohol can be a go-to for people under a lot of stress in their daily life.
- Peer pressure — One significant cause of alcohol addiction is people feeling pressured into drinking while young. They may find themselves unable to stop and end up regularly abusing alcohol.
- Lack of support — People who feel isolated or like they don’t have support from their family may use alcohol to drown their feelings of loneliness.
A mix of these factors can play a role in a person’s alcohol addiction, though they’re not guaranteed that a person will end up with a substance abuse problem.
How Can I Treat My Alcohol Addiction?
No one treatment’s guaranteed to fix a person’s alcohol issues for good. Trying to discover the causes of alcohol addiction in an individual is part of what happens when people admit themselves to treatment.
Midwest Recovery Center offers various programs designed to help people get to the root of their addiction problems and learn to manage triggers in the real world. Our staff helps individuals working through issues with:
- Alcohol Addiction
- Heroin Addiction
- Opioid Addiction
- Prescription Drug Addiction
Services like intensive outpatient treatment and our partial hospitalization program allow you to receive the help you need while going home each night. They’re an alternative for individuals who want the freedom to continue looking after obligations outside of treatment.
Reach Out to Midwest Recovery Center Today
If you’re ready to start working on your alcohol use disorder or other addiction issues, call Midwest Recovery Center at 833.627.0039, or contact us online.
