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It rages around the world -

The population of people that alcoholism affects in the US is astronomical. It is also a massive killer throughout the rest of the world.

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It's not about frequency or volume -

An important distinction is that there is no frequency or volume included in the definition of alcoholism.

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It's more about it being used to cope -

It’s more so about certain features of alcohol becoming a problem in your life, like not being able to cope without a drink.

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Drink sickness affecting work -

One of the standout features of this type of problem is when it begins negatively impacting important factors of your life.

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Putting yourself in dangerous situations -

Heavy drinking causes people to lose their inhibitions in more ways than one, meaning that they put themselves in dangerous situations, like drinking and driving.

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Drinking more or for longer than intended -

This is common for people who like to drink. The danger is that other areas of their lives suffer, as well as their physical and mental health.

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Tried to quit, but couldn't -

This is the most common feature of someone who is struggling with alcohol addiction or alcohol misuse. However, most people suffering from the disease won't admit it.

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The after-affects -

One symptom of alcohol misuse is that a person's life is inhibited during the period of getting over the alcohol.

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Giving up important and enjoyable areas of life to drink -

This is a huge one for budding alcoholics. People who are becoming addicted to alcohol tend to slowly wean out the other areas of their lives that are healthy and that they enjoy.

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Depression and anxiety -

Drinking alcohol in large amounts poisons the brain, and it's not a huge surprise that heavy drinkers will begin to experience mental health issues.

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Blackouts -

Passing out from drinking or blacking out (not remembering what happened) is a huge warning sign. Not only is this behavior extremely dangerous, but it's also an indicator that alcohol has a tremendous hold over the person.

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Tunnel vision -

Another symptom is alcohol completely taking over the person's thoughts, much like nicotine to a tobacco smoker.

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Relationships and home life -

Heavy drinking damages people's home lives and relationships hugely because it stops them from being able to carry out their responsibilities.

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Interrupted sleep -

People who experience physical and psychological withdrawals from alcohol will commonly have problems with sleeping.

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Shaking -

Another common symptom of someone who has been misusing alcohol is that their hands will shake.

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Withdrawals -

Other common symptoms someone who has been misusing alcohol experiences is discomfort, anxiety, sweating, shortness of breath, and cravings.

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Coordination -

Someone who has been drinking in excess for a long period of time can experience long-term problems with coordination.

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Slurred speech  -

Slurred speech doesn't only happen when long-term misusers of alcohol are drunk or drinking–it can carry on into their normal life too.

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Memory -

People who misuse alcohol are slowly damaging their brain, and so their short-term memory becomes impaired in the long run.

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Becoming secretive -

People who misuse alcohol tend to become secretive to hide their addiction.

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Self-loathing -

This is commonplace with people who are stuck in a cycle of misusing alcohol. Alcohol use makes them behave in ways that they don't intend to, and the self-loathing comes from not being able to stop.

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Mood swings -

People who misuse alcohol are normally the people who get a tremendous high from it, which comes with lows. The constant state of either being under the influence of alcohol or in withdrawal appears as mood swings.

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Isolation -

Misusing alcohol may begin as a very social activity, like binging on alcohol at a nightclub, but it becomes isolating. People's behavior while drinking too much drives family and friends away.

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Chronic alcohol misuse -

Everyone knows the symptoms of chronic alcohol misuse. These include physical symptoms like liver failure and social ones like homelessness.

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Why people misuse alcohol: escaping reality -

Adult life, and indeed life at all ages, is tough. We experience and carry trauma with us. Many people slide into misusing alcohol to escape reality.

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Why people misuse alcohol: experimenting -

Experimenting with alcohol is one of the easiest ways to get into the habit of misusing it or relying on it socially.

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Why people misuse alcohol: social pressure -

A lot of the ways in which we socialize in the Western world are built around alcohol, so there is a lot of pressure to get involved and to even binge drink in some cases.

Sources: (American Addiction Centers)(Michigan Health)

See also: Reasons why people refuse to go to therapy

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