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Wanneer ben je alcoholist?
When are you addicted to alcohol?
An alcohol addiction can be difficult to recognize in someone else, but also in yourself. If you are dependent on alcohol consumption for your emotional state, it may be that you are addicted to alcohol.
Recognizing an alcohol problem
When do you drink too much?
The boundary between drinking too much and alcoholism is often quite vague in practice. You drink too much if you drink more than 1 or 2 glasses of alcohol every day and do not abstain from alcohol for less than 2 days a week. However, this does not necessarily mean that you have an alcohol problem.
Whether or not you develop an alcohol addiction depends more on the reasons why you drink and the space alcohol takes up in your life. For example, if you regularly drink when you feel bad and feel like you need alcohol to feel better, then you may have an alcohol problem. It is important to be aware of your alcohol intake and ask yourself why you drink too much.
Advice for loved ones of alcoholicsSymptoms of Alcoholism
Signs of Alcohol Addiction
When are you an alcoholic? With an alcohol addiction, you may immediately think of someone who visibly no longer functions due to alcohol. However, you can be addicted to alcohol without your environment noticing it. Do you recognize yourself in the characteristics below? Then you may be dealing with alcoholism.
- You cannot stop drinking
- You drink more and more alcohol to achieve the same effect (tolerance)
- You often drink during the day and mostly alone
- You lie about your alcohol use
- You have less and less interest in social contact, work, and hobbies
- You suffer from withdrawal symptoms
- You drink secretly
- You experience tremors in your hands
- You no longer drink together, but alone
What does alcohol addiction do to you?
Withdrawal symptoms & physical symptoms of alcoholism
When suffering from alcohol addiction, you will also experience physical symptoms and withdrawal symptoms. Excessive alcohol consumption can have various short-term and long-term consequences.
What does (too much) alcohol do to you?
Drinking too much alcohol can cause various problems for your body and brain. In the short term, excessive alcohol consumption can cause blackouts, worsen your sleep quality, and decrease your reaction time. In the long term, alcohol can damage your brain, killing brain cells and causing irreversible damage after prolonged excessive use. Other long-term consequences of alcohol addiction include:
- Damage to the liver
- Damage to the brain
- Damage to the stomach, heart and blood vessels, your nervous system, and esophagus
- Leg problems (numbness - especially in the soles of your feet, leg pain)
- Hallucinations or psychoses
- Memory loss and reduced concentration
- Early dementia (Korsakov-Wernicke syndrome)
- Pancreatic inflammation or pancreatitis
Withdrawal symptoms of alcohol
Your body becomes accustomed to a certain amount of alcohol over time. Therefore, when you drink less or stop drinking altogether, you will experience withdrawal symptoms such as:
- Shaking hands
- Restlessness
- Sweating
- Insomnia
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness
- Anxiety and mood swings
- Seizure-like attacks
This page has been professionally reviewed on medical accuracy
At U-center, we understand the importance of providing reliable and accurate information to our visitors. That's why we have experts in the field review our website to ensure that all information presented is medically accurate.
Page Reviewed by:
Hans Zander
Addiction Specialist Doctor
Hans Zander is a dedicated addiction specialist at U-center who has reviewed this page to ensure that all information is accurate and reliable.
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