
Washburn House offers a variety of substance abuse treatment programs for alcohol abuse and addiction. Our clinical staff will help you create a treatment plan tailored to your unique needs. We also offer an extended care program if you need extra help re-adjusting to life outside substance abuse treatment.

Choosing an Alcohol Rehab Treatment Program
Social drinking is a common occurrence in the U.S. and around the world. From ancient times to the colonial settlers to today, beer, wine, and spirits signify friendship and connecting with others in social settings. Getting together for a few drinks with friends from time to time is a common social outing for many people. Some people may have a drink to unwind or to feel more sociable. No matter what form of alcohol you drink, if you have trouble cutting down or stopping and your drinking has negative consequences in your life, you likely have a problem with alcohol.

How does social drinking become problematic as we age?
Recreational drinking and social drinking are common terms people use to refer to drinking to have fun. If you’re having trouble stopping or controlling your alcohol use despite any negative consequences from drinking, you may have a problem with alcohol. If someone goes to parties nearly every day, they may be consuming a lot more alcohol than is healthy despite meeting the dictionary definition of a social drinker. There is no harm in at least checking out an abstinence-based program such as Alcoholics Anonymous, SMART Recovery®, or Women for Sobriety meetings.
Services and Treatments

Children are especially sensitive and can suffer long-lasting emotional trauma when a parent or caretaker is an alcoholic or heavy drinker. But even if you’re able to succeed at work or hold your marriage together, you can’t escape the effects that alcoholism and alcohol abuse have on your personal relationships. Drinking problems put an enormous strain on the people closest to you.
- Binge drinking can lead to reckless behavior such as violence, having unprotected sex, and driving under the influence.
- Of course, there are many long-term health benefits that you will experience while going without alcohol.
- For example, think about how much time you spend drinking on a weekly or daily basis.
- Alcohol is a drug, and alcoholism is every bit as damaging as drug addiction.
- In severe cases, withdrawal from alcohol can also involve hallucinations, confusion, seizures, fever, and agitation.
- Those problems could include depression, an inability to manage stress, an unresolved trauma from your childhood, or any number of mental health issues.
- Keep in mind that, while helpful in determining whether your current drinking habits could be problematic, these tests should not be considered a medical diagnosis.
- If you find yourself drinking more than intended or needing more alcohol to feel the same effect, this could be a sign of increased tolerance – an early indicator of alcohol dependence.
- There are many inpatient and outpatient options, most of which will include individualized treatment plans designed specifically around your unique recovery needs.
Sometimes alcoholism develops suddenly in response to a stressful change, such as a breakup, retirement, or another Sobriety loss. Other times, it gradually creeps up on you as your tolerance to alcohol increases. If you’re a binge drinker or you drink every day, the risks of developing alcoholism are greater. Many young men think there is no harm in grabbing beers after work, celebrating milestones with friends or having a few drinks at a party.
AUDIT
However, problem social drinkers can experience these issues, especially if they consume alcohol excessively. Typically, alcoholics in detox begin to experience acute withdrawal symptoms after the first six hours of abstinence. During this time, body temperature may increase, along with blood pressure, rate of breathing, and pulse. While these may seem easy enough to manage on your own, some more extreme symptoms of withdrawal can include tremors or seizures, which can be fatal.

You can put yourself in addiction treatment for problem drinking, or you can see a professional for recommendations. If you can control and stop your drinking, and alcohol is not causing any negative consequences, moderate drinking is considered a part of a healthy lifestyle. There are a few telltale signs that you might need to adjust your approach to social drinking to semi or full sobriety. But what is social drinking a family history or current family alcohol or drug abuse problems may influence the start of personal drinking problems.
Alcoholic Hepatitis: Spot The Signs, Reclaim Your Health
The difference between safe, moderate and heavy drinking is a personal matter and different for everyone. Compulsive behaviors are prominent in addiction, and people with alcohol addiction often drink whenever and wherever they desire. Drinkers leave the experimental stage when their alcohol consumption becomes more frequent. Instead of just drinking at parties once in a while, you may find yourself drinking every weekend. Drinking large amounts of alcohol at one time is dangerous, and can even lead to coma or death.