How Do I Know if I Have a Problem With Alcohol?
Alcohol has had a long history in the U.S. It would be safe to argue that it has been part of the fabric of America. There is also little doubt that alcohol still permeates the American landscape. For most people, alcohol will never become a problem. However, there are many others (individuals and families) that will have a problem with alcohol. Now, the good news is there are many ways to detect if one has a problem with alcohol, and there are even more ways to handle it if they do.
The Prevalence of Alcohol Use Disorder in the U.S.
Many people don’t realize just how common alcohol use disorder (AUD) currently is in the U.S. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), “29.5 million people ages 12 and older (10.5% in this age group) had AUD in the past year.1,2 This includes 17.4 million males ages 12 and older (12.6% in this age group)” and “12.2 million females ages 12 and older (8.5% in this age group).”
The fact of the matter is that none of these individuals intended to become addicted to alcohol. There are many factors that can lead to AUD. This includes genetics, family dynamics, social circumstances, and biological aspects. Another factor could potentially be the existence of co-occurring mental health issues.
The Prevalence of Co-Occurring Disorders in the U.S.
Co-occurring disorders are also more common than many people are aware of. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “7.7 million adults have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders… Of the 20.3 million adults with substance use disorders, 37.9% also had mental illnesses. Among the 42.1 million adults with mental illness, 18.2% also had substance use disorders.”
The issue with the presence of AUD and co-occurring disorders is that one of the disorders can overshadow the other and create a misdiagnosis. Many people self-medicate with alcohol to cope with their mental health issues, and still others who have addiction issues end up acquiring mental health issues as a result.
Better Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder
Many people with AUD have different personal circumstances, but the emotions are often the same. These are the negative emotions of sadness, loneliness, and hopelessness.
Many people with AUD also struggle with something known as “terminal uniqueness.” This means that they can feel like they are the only one who struggles with the hopeless demoralization that alcohol addiction can bring. Also, this is why it can be so crucial for family and friends to be able to spot the signs and symptoms of AUD.
How Do I Know If I Have a Problem With Alcohol?
One of the major signs that someone may have a problem with alcohol is they are asking themselves the question, “Do I have a problem with alcohol?” Of course, there are also many other signs and symptoms. The following are just a few:
- Isolating away from family and friends
- Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
- Not being able to stop drinking once started
- Having physical issues like gastrointestinal problems
- Experiencing severe and excessive hangovers
- Beginning to experience consequences at school or at work
- Having trouble with sleep cycles, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (insomnia)
- Changes in appetite
- Feeling overly anxious and/or stressed out
- Being depressed, sad, and lonely
- Having feelings of self-harm
- Experiencing suicidal ideations
As one can see, these are not insignificant symptoms, which is why getting help sooner than later is highly recommended. Doing so can mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences.
Healing at the Cellular Level From a Problem With Alcohol
When it comes to healing at the cellular level from a problem with alcohol, recovery is all about focusing on all aspects of the “Self.” This includes the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
Healing at the cellular level from a problem with alcohol is also about getting to the underlying root/core causes of one’s issues. As is often said in many recovery meetings, “It is not about the drinking; it is about the thinking.”
Of course, getting to these root/core causes takes highly action-focused treatment plans. These treatment plans must also utilize as many means, methods, and modalities as possible from as many recovery avenues as possible. This includes psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), psychedelic therapies like ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, experiential therapies like nature immersion therapy and surf therapy, and holistic healing methods like yoga and meditation.
Treating a Problem With Alcohol With the Multi-Angled Approach
The multi-angled approach to recovery is all about individualized, comprehensive treatment. Many recovery centers only offer overarching (one-size-fits-all) recovery plans. Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we find that this rarely works.
Individualized and comprehensive recovery plans also ensure that each client has a personalized intake that considers all aspects of one’s background. It is important to see the client, not just the diagnosis. As the father of Western medicine, Hippocrates, famously said, “It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has.”
Treating a Problem With Alcohol With Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
As previously mentioned, it is critical that the underlying issues of one’s AUD get proper attention as soon as possible. One of the best modalities to ensure that this happens is CBT.
CBT is highly effective at changing the negative way one views oneself and the world around them. These are the negative views that often lead to negative addictive behaviors.
CBT has been utilized to treat a myriad of issues (including AUD) for over 60 years. According to the peer-reviewed journal Cognitive Therapy and Research, “Consistent with the medical model of psychiatry, the overall goal of treatment is symptom reduction, improvement in functioning, and remission of the disorder. In order to achieve this goal, the patient becomes an active participant in a collaborative problem-solving process to test and challenge the validity of maladaptive cognitions and to modify maladaptive behavioral patterns… Although these strategies greatly emphasize cognitive factors, physiological, emotional, and behavioral components are also recognized for the role that they play in the maintenance of the disorder.”
Treating a Problem With Alcohol With Psychedelic Therapy
Another type of therapy that can be highly effective at treating AUD is psychedelic therapy. It has also been gaining a lot of positive attention in recent years.
Of course, no therapy is a guarantee. According to the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychology, “We are currently witnessing a growth in interest in psychedelic substances and their potential use for the promotion of mental health. After an early phase set between the ‘50s and the ‘70s of the previous century when applications were being tested in psychotherapy and, more specifically, for the treatment of neuroses, alcoholism, end-of-life anxiety, and chronic pain, psychedelic research almost got to a standstill. While modern clinical studies are obtaining promising results in some of the most difficult to treat psychiatric populations, a portion of patients do not seem to benefit from psychedelic-assisted therapies (PAT) or end up relapsing.”
Many people don’t realize just how prevalent relapse is in the U.S. According to the peer-reviewed journal, “It has long been known that addictive disorders are chronic and relapsing in nature. Recent estimates from clinical treatment studies suggest that more than two-thirds of individuals relapse within weeks to months of initiating treatment.” Also, “For 1-year outcomes across alcohol, nicotine, weight, and illicit drug abuse, studies show that more than 85% of individuals relapse and return to drug use within 1 year of treatment.” One way to avoid these relapses is with ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP).
According to the peer-reviewed journal Cureus, “Ketamine is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist that was first approved by the FDA in 1970 as an anesthetic agent. Since then, ketamine has long established its role in the operating room, and researchers have continued to investigate its potential benefits in patients with depression, pain syndromes, status epilepticus, and substance use disorders. Following the success of these studies on TRD [treatment-resistant depression] with low-dose ketamine infusions, investigators were intrigued by the results and began to evaluate their impact on patients with alcohol use disorder.”
Treating a Problem With Alcohol With Nutritional Therapy
Nutrition and vitamin and nutrient replenishment are also critical for individuals struggling with AUD. This is especially true for individuals who enter a safe and secure detox.
According to the peer-reviewed journal Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research, “Chronic alcoholic patients are frequently deficient in one or more vitamins. The deficiencies commonly involve folate, vitamin B6, thiamine, and vitamin A… Alcoholism can affect the absorption, storage, metabolism, and activation of many of these vitamins.”
These vitamins also come with a healthy and well-balanced diet. This diet can be attained via positive nutritional therapy.
Nutritional therapy is as much about what stays out of a diet as much as what goes in. According to the Journal of Nurse Practitioners (JPN), “Nutritional Therapy uses food to prevent and reverse diseases that plague most western societies: diabetes, obesity, heart disease, arthritis, and depression. In order for food to be therapeutic, it must be nutrient-dense, measured in part by the nutrients and anti-nutrients, contained in consumed foods. Nutrients are plant and animal sources providing macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat), micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, probiotics), and fiber,” and “Anti-Nutrients are food products that have no biological necessity.”
Treating a Problem With Alcohol With Nature Immersion Therapy
Another effective type of therapy for treating AUD is nature immersion therapy. Many people don’t realize just how helpful nature is for one’s health and well-being. According to the National Park Service, “5 minutes walking in nature improves mood, self-esteem, and relaxation. Frequent exposure to nature reduces anxiety and depression while promoting a sense of wellbeing and fulfillment.” Also, “Physical activity in a green space can reduce stress and lower cortisol levels by 15%.”
Nature immersion therapy offers a myriad of benefits. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Besides improvements to physical and psychological well-being, exposure to natural environments has been shown to bring about positive impacts on cognitive functioning… While cognitive restoration and physiological well-being are the prominent and renowned benefits of nature exposure, there is one important construct that is often overlooked in environmental psychology research studies – that is, the human-nature relationship; also known as connectedness to nature (CN).” Another therapy that focuses on this CN is surf therapy.
Treating a Problem With Alcohol With Surf Therapy
Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we have one of the best surf breaks on the Big Island a mere 15-minute journey from our 30-acre luxury property. This is ideal for surf therapy.
The benefits of surf therapy are vast and varied. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Carefully planned water activities tailored to the needs of the individual can contribute to correct psychosocial and cognitive development. The International Surf Therapy Organization summarizes the benefits of adequately indicated surf therapy as follows: improved physical health and mobility; improved mental health, including reduction of specific symptoms, such as posttraumatic stress and depression; improved well-being (strengthening of trust and confidence, encouragement of independence, resilience and protective coping strategies) and improved social skills.”
Treating a Problem With Alcohol With Yoga Therapy and Meditation
Yoga and meditation have been practiced for over three thousand years. Originally, they were strictly used as religious and/or spiritual practices. Now, they are heavily utilized in the realm of recovery.
Yoga therapy can be highly beneficial for those struggling with AUD. According to the International Journal of Yoga (IJOY), “Therapeutic yoga is defined as the application of yoga postures and practice to the treatment of health conditions. Yoga therapy involves instruction in yogic practices and teachings to prevent reduce or alleviate structural, physiological, emotional, and spiritual pain, suffering, or limitations. Yogic practices enhance muscular strength and body flexibility, promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, promote recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life.”
Meditation and reflection can also be crucial parts of AUD recovery. This is why many recovery communities and meetings highly promote its use.
Meditation can help heal the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual issues of AUD. According to the International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda (AYU), “During the process of meditation, accumulated stresses are removed, energy is increased, and health is positively affected overall. Research has confirmed a myriad of health benefits associated with the practice of meditation. These include stress reduction, decreased anxiety, decreased depression, reduction in pain (both physical and psychological), improved memory, and increased efficiency.”
With a multi-angled approach that utilizes all of the previously mentioned means, methods, and modalities, the chances for AUD recovery go up exponentially. This is what getting to the underlying root/core causes of one’s issues is all about. It is what healing at the cellular level truly looks like.
Healing at the Cellular Level With Exclusive Hawaii Rehab
The iconic author and philosopher Joseph Campbell famously said, “I don’t believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive.” This is the type of experience that is being offered here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab.
Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” This is why we only focus on individualized, comprehensive treatment plans that have a focus on the future.
AUD can make an individual feel like there is no way out. At Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we know this is not the case. With us, recovery is not only possible, but it is probable. There is hope. We can help.
Many people wonder if they have a problem with alcohol. The reality is that if one is asking the question, “Do I have a problem with alcohol?” chances are they do. But, of course, not always. There are many signs and symptoms of alcohol misuse and alcohol addiction, and it is important to know what to do if they are present. If you feel like you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, mental illness, or both, we can help get you on the positive path toward long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to do this alone. For more information about recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD), please reach out to Exclusive Hawaii Rehab today at (808) 775-0200.