It has always been more difficult to recognize the disease of alcoholism than any other addiction. In contrast to other drugs, alcohol is socially acceptable and legal to consume. In 2021 among people aged 12 or older, 29.5 million people reported that they had a past year alcohol use disorder.
Alcoholism, also referred to medically as alcohol use disorder, was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25, followed by adults aged 26 or older, then by adolescents aged 12 to 17. Alcoholism is caused by adverse biological, psychological, environmental, and social influences. Most alcoholics have histories of trauma, abuse, or neglect during their formative years.
Are the Signs of Alcoholism Obvious?
A person who is an alcoholic is suffering. Despite continuing to work and providing stability for their family, many alcoholics still need to drink every day. Health usually deteriorates before other things for functioning alcoholics who remain employed. Low-bottom alcoholics, who stay drunk, lose their jobs, and become homeless, are not necessarily worse, just more identifiable.
The truth is that alcoholism is one of the most neglected diseases because of how socially acceptable it is to be drunk. Still, bottle hiding, minimizing, and lying about how much alcohol a person actually consumes is, unfortunately, the norm.
Alcohol’s Effects on the Body
As a central nervous system depressant, alcohol affects the neurochemistry of the brain. Taking alcohol is meant to relax and make you feel comfortable. There is a decrease in activity related to norepinephrine, a hormone that makes people feel anxious and stressed, which alcohol suppresses. When people drink all the time, they disrupt normal brain functions and feel far more stress and anxiety because their brain and CNS are compromised.
People who drink heavily also develop alcohol withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking. These symptoms reflect the dysfunction of the central nervous system. Hand tremors, sweating, and rapid pulse result from how alcohol interferes with the brain and body.
What Is Medically Supervised NJ Alcohol Detox?
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be extremely dangerous and can cause life-threatening seizures, heart conditions, or suicidal actions in certain situations. A medically supervised alcohol detox will provide benzodiazepines and other necessary medications to reduce alcohol withdrawals.
The core of a New Jersey medical detox is having compassion for the person getting help and allowing them to rest and recover with emotional support. An alcohol detox program will provide counseling and psychiatric interventions. The next essential component is to provide them access to inpatient, outpatient, or intensive outpatient treatment.
What Experts Say About New Jersy Alcohol Detox
It has been reported that alcohol detox symptoms can become dangerous and debilitating by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is not uncommon for alcohol withdrawal symptoms to appear within a few hours of the last drink. The following signs characterize alcohol withdrawal syndrome:
When an alcohol-dependent individual abruptly terminates or substantially reduces their alcohol consumption, a characteristic withdrawal syndrome ensues. In general, alcohol acts to suppress central nervous system (CNS) activity. As with other CNS depressants, withdrawal symptoms associated with cessation of chronic alcohol use are opposite in nature to the effects of intoxication. Typical clinical features of alcohol withdrawal include the following:
- Irritability and agitation
- Anxiety
- Rapid heart rate and respiration
- Elevated blood pressure
- Excessive sweating
- Shaking
- Seizures
- Hallucinations
- Insomnia
Recommended NJ Detox Centers for Alcoholism
Medically managed detoxification is the first step in all of our programs for alcohol detox in NJ and out-of-state. Medical doctors who specialize in alcohol and drug addiction, licensed substance abuse counselors, and therapists constitute our New Jersey medical detox programs.
Once a person is stabilized, they meet with their counselor and attend small group therapy before entering a long or short-term alcohol rehab program. The rehab provides evidence-based treatment, including behavioral therapies, motivational interviewing, holistic therapy, and in-depth counseling.