One out of five people between the ages of 20 and 49 die due to alcoholism. Alcohol can be as dangerous as illegal drugs like meth and cocaine. Many people have alcohol problems without realizing it.
Hiding alcohol is a sign that a person has a serious alcohol problem. But what should you do if you find a loved one hiding alcohol from you? What can you do to keep the problem from getting any worse?
Keep reading and learn more about it below.
What Are the Signs of an Alcohol Addiction?
Hiding alcohol is one of the many common signs of alcoholism. A person may hide alcohol for a variety of reasons. They may know that they’re drinking too much and don’t want anyone else to know about it.
You may see them drink small amounts of alcohol throughout the day. But they may hide alcohol to drink more when no one is around. They may prefer to drink large amounts when they are alone and don’t want anyone to judge them.
A person may hide alcohol in various places. They will likely hide it somewhere in their room so they can have easy access to it. They may hide it under their bed, behind a piece of furniture, in a closet, and so on.
You may also notice that alcohol around the house has gone missing. You may have bought a pack of beer but found that many of the bottles are not where you left them. Bottles of wine and hard liquor may be emptier than when you last touched them.
The alcoholic may be trying to deny their addiction. They may keep their alcohol hidden so that they don’t have to look at it or acknowledge it. They may be ashamed of their addiction but don’t want to bring it to light.
Other Signs
There are other signs of an alcohol use disorder you should look out for. You may find that your loved one is unable to function without drinking alcohol throughout the day. They may drink more than the average person.
They may also get irritated or depressed when they are not able to drink. They may try secretly buying alcohol too. This would keep other people from realizing how much they’re drinking.
You may find that your loved one is always drunk. They may be drunk in the morning and at other times of the day when drinking is not appropriate. They may also need to drink larger quantities of alcohol to get drunk.
This shows that they have become used to the substance and need more to get the same effect. They may change their eating habits based on their alcohol addiction too. They may insist on eating very little or not at all so they can instead focus more on drinking and getting drunk.
These are all warning signs that your loved one’s alcohol addiction is getting much worse. But what should you do if your loved one is suffering from this type of addiction?
What to Do about a Loved One With an Alcohol Addiction
It can be hard to help a person who is addicted to alcohol. Many alcoholics refuse that they have a problem. They may insist that they have everything under control and that what they’re doing is normal.
They may be very defensive whenever anyone asks about their drinking habits. They may lie about their drinking habits to make them seem less severe than they are. They may get angry or get into an argument if you try to press the point further.
This is because they are afraid of anyone trying to take their alcohol away from them. But excessive alcohol consumption can be very dangerous. It affects the body and brain in different ways.
It is very harmful to the liver. The liver is the organ that breaks down alcohol and ensures that it doesn’t reach toxic levels in the bloodstream. But the liver can only handle so much.
It will become diseased and scarred if one’s alcohol problem becomes chronic. This can lead to liver failure, kidney failure, and other problems. Excessive alcohol consumption can damage the brain as well.
Getting help for your loved one can be difficult. This is because many alcoholics don’t want to be helped. But there are still ways you can get around this problem.
Make sure that your loved one knows that you are there for them. You should be there to support them in their time of need. But this does not mean that you should enable them.
What You Need to Know
Enabling them is letting them continue their addiction without consequences. You may give your loved one money when they ask for it. But they will likely use that money to buy more alcohol.
You may allow your loved one to live with you without paying any rent or other expenses. They may not have a job and instead spend their time drinking. Doing nothing about this behavior is enablement.
Enabling this problem will make it worse. The first step you should take is to set boundaries. Creating boundaries will make your loved one understand that you are serious about their addiction.
This can be difficult and emotional. You may want to make excuses for the person you love, but you can’t make excuses for an addiction. An addiction will actively harm the person you love.
It may cut their life short. Creating boundaries will get your loved one to understand that you are serious about them getting treatment. They may refuse treatment at first.
But persuading them may help. Getting them to one treatment session is better than nothing. Showing them that they have a problem can help them change their perspective.
One of the best ways to treat alcohol addiction is to go to a rehab center. Rehab centers have all the right equipment to treat this addiction and others. They also offer a safe environment for people to get over their addictions.
What Do Rehab Centers Do?
Rehab centers have trained medical professionals and therapists on hand. They will make sure that your loved one’s treatment is safe and effective. They also offer the support that alcoholics need to recover.
Many alcoholics will start drinking again once the withdrawal symptoms kick in. This is because withdrawal symptoms are very unpleasant and include cravings for alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms can also be very dangerous and can sometimes include seizures or heart attacks.
Having medical professionals nearby ensures that your loved one goes through withdrawals safely. It will also ensure that your loved one can’t obtain any alcohol during their stay. Withdrawals take about a week.
More severe addictions may take longer. Therapy is also important for treating alcoholism. People usually abuse alcohol to escape certain emotions or problems in their lives.
They may not know any other way to cope except for drinking alcohol. Therapy can show your loved one that there are other, healthier ways to cope with life issues. Therapy aims to help people look at the world differently.
What to Know
Many alcoholics have a negative view of the world. This can lead to depression and anxiety. This makes it more likely for the person to abuse alcohol.
But thinking positively can prevent this. This shift of thinking is difficult and can take time. But that’s what therapy is for.
Several sessions of therapy teach a person how to think differently and more positively. Therapy also teaches a person different coping mechanisms and self-control. This makes it easier for a person to cope with whatever problems they may come across in their lives.
Better self-control also makes it easier for a person to avoid alcohol. They may feel the need to drink alcohol, but self-control skills will keep them from doing so. A rehab center will also offer other resources concerning addiction.
Learning about addiction can help a person understand why they do what they do. Getting to the root of the problem can make an alcoholic feel much freer. This allows the person to get back on their feet and get their life back.
Hiding Alcohol and Alcohol Addiction Treatment
Hiding alcohol is a common sign that a person has an alcohol problem. It is important to treat an alcohol addiction before it gets too serious. Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to organ failure and death if it isn’t treated early.
Rehab centers have all the necessary staff and equipment to help. To learn more about how it works, check out our services.
