Many people use alcohol responsibly. When a person drinks lots of alcohol in a short space of time, or drinks with the intention of becoming drunk, this is called binge drinking. This is not healthy. An addiction is when drinking alcohol, or using drugs, interferes with a person’s life, or when they feel they cannot live without the substance. Continued abuse of drugs or alcohol interferes with the motivation and reward chemistry and circuitry, resulting in drug cravings and dependence.

Often it is family and friends who first recognize that a person they care about has an alcohol or drug problem. They may have noticed them acting differently – being withdrawn, always tired, increasingly hostile or easily upset. 

Signs and Symptoms

• changed eating or sleeping habits 
• caring less about your appearance 
• spending more time with people who drink or use drugs to excess
• missing appointments, classes or work commitments 
• losing interest in activities that you used to love 
• getting in trouble in school, at work or with the law 
• getting into more arguments with family and friends 
• friends or family asking you if you have a substance abuse problem 
• relying on drugs or alcohol to have fun or relax 
• having blackouts 
• drinking or using drugs when you are alone 
• keeping secrets from friends or family 
• finding you need more and more of the substance to get the same feeling. 

Physical Treatment

If you drink alcohol or use drugs heavily for weeks, months, or years, you may have both mental and physical problems when you stop or seriously cut back on how much you drink. This is called withdrawal. 

Alcohol withdrawal

Mild symptoms usually show up as early as 6 hours after you stop drinking. They can include: anxiety, shaky hands, headache, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, and sweating. More serious problems range from hallucinations about 12 to 24 hours after that last drink, to seizures within the first 2 days after you stop.

Drug withdrawal

The symptoms of drug withdrawal, and the length of that withdrawal, vary depending on the drug of abuse and the length of the addiction. 

• Heroin and prescription painkillers: flu-like symptoms lasting an average of 5 days
• Benzodiazepines: anxiety and/or seizures lasting weeks or (in some cases) months
• Cocaine: depression and restlessness lasting 7-10 days

Medical detox

Medical detox means that medical professionals are on hand to ensure the individual’s personal safety by monitoring vital signs and emotional states. For some heavy users, drugs and alcohol will need to be weaned out of the body slowly under the direction of a medical professional. 

Psychological Treatment

Cutting down on alcohol or other drugs is hard to do because repeated alcohol or drug use makes the body more dependent and changes the brain. Brain scans of people who are dependent on alcohol or other drugs often show changes in the areas of the brain that help you learn and remember and make decisions. 

Behavioral Treatments

Behavioral treatments are aimed at changing drinking behavior through counseling. They are led by health professionals and supported by studies showing they can be beneficial.

• Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy. The goal is to change the thought processes that lead to excessive drinking and to develop the skills necessary to cope with everyday situations that might trigger problem drinking or drug taking.
• Motivational Enhancement Therapy. The therapy focuses on identifying the pros and cons of seeking treatment, forming a plan for making changes in one’s drinking, building confidence, and developing the skills needed to stick to the plan.
• Marital and Family Counseling incorporates spouses and other family members in the treatment process and can play an important role in repairing and improving family relationships.
• Brief Interventions are short, one-on-one or small-group counseling sessions that are time limited. The counselor will work with the client to set goals and provide ideas for helping to make a change.

Mutual-Support Groups

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and other 12-step programs provide peer support for people quitting or cutting back on their drinking. Combined with treatment led by health professionals, mutual-support groups can offer a valuable added layer of support.

Overcoming Alcohol Addiction