Alcohol Addiction Can Start Young

The negative effects of heavy drinking or alcohol addiction are often devastating for adults and their loved ones. Imagine how much more overwhelming the situation is for young adults. Teens yearning to be cool and accepted by their peers often yield to the pressure to start drinking in high school. College life and images of alcohol, bars and parties all go hand in hand. Whether of age or underage, when the parties end and these young people can’t put a stop to the intoxication, it begins affecting their lives and relationships with friends and family at school, work and at home. Alcohol addiction disillusions the young by stealing away their yearning to achieve positive goals, replacing it with feelings of hopelessness and despair.

What is alcohol addiction?

Clinically, there are several terms for how someone consumes alcohol. To be addicted, means that the person finds drinking strongly compulsory and experiences an inability to stop consumption once it has begun. This untamed, prolonged use leads to negative, self-destructive, and often harmful behaviors. Generally, this alcohol dependency is also called alcoholism. Long-term alcoholics may experience withdrawal symptoms if they try to stop. These symptoms include: hallucinations, convulsions, sweating, nausea, and feelings of anxiety.

Recognizing Addiction

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines alcoholism as a disease, which can be recognized by four symptoms: cravings, loss of control, physical dependence and tolerance. These cravings are simply a very strong urge or need to drink. The loss of control refers to an inability to stop consumption once it has started. The physical dependence of alcohol becomes apparent when withdrawal symptoms occur and are physically evident. Tolerance is simply the need to have more and more alcohol to experience greater and greater “highs”. Anyone who experiences these symptoms should seek immediate help.

Treating Addiction in Young Adults

There are numerous local support agencies and national organizations that can help with alcohol dependencies. Unfortunately, many of these groups are not tailored to young adult needs.

The lives of young adults require treatment tailored to their unique position in life. Teenagers have high school to finish, not to mention finding the right college to further their education. Young adults who are college aged have to focus on earning a degree and prepare for their future career. Socialization and friendships are very important during this age of transitions. Yet, school and peers often re-introduce the pressures of drinking.

Many programs last for thirty days or several weeks. This is often too little time to break bad habits and upon returning to their previous environments, young adults often experience relapse. For a successful recovery, it is recommended that young adults seek a treatment program that will lead them to recovery with motivation, education, and discipline as key elements in the therapy. Treatment centers that offer extended care should be able to provide the best long term alcohol rehabilitation solution. Giving young adults a new environment, to socialize and build new skills, and to grow confident in making positive choices gives them the power and experience to live in the world without alcohol.

Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done to permanently cure someone of alcoholism. The chances of relapse occurring will always exist. However, by changing the individual’s behaviors and instilling new confidence, the chance of that happening can be reduced to nearly nothing.