There is a higher chance of having an alcohol use disorder when social drinking turns into everyday or binge drinking. Given that our bodies process and metabolize alcohol differently than men’s, this may be especially harmful for women. Sometimes we may not even be aware that we have a substance use disorder. Let’s examine the stages of alcoholism, warning signs of alcoholism, withdrawal symptoms one can encounter if she attempts to stop drinking on her own, and how gender-specific treatment can be a helpful first step for women seeking recovery in this blog.
Alcoholism develops throughout time in phases. People who drink sometimes but use alcohol to deal with stress or worry may be headed toward alcoholism. When a woman reaches the middle stage of alcoholism, she can no longer conceal her drinking. When a lady has given up most of her possessions for drinking, she has reached the ultimate stage of late alcoholism. It is advised that patients with dual diagnoses receive treatment, and female patients can gain from gender-specific programs that are tailored to their needs.
Alcohol Use Disorder Warning Signs
There are several indicators that a lady you know has an alcohol use disorder. They might result from modifications in her conduct. The concerns on the following list can be recurring ones.
Alcohol Use Disorder: Eight Warning Signs
Unintentionally, she consumes more alcohol.
She continues to drink despite the fact that drinking has damaged her relationships, her finances, or her health.
To conceal her alcohol consumption, she usually isolates herself or lies about it.
In the mornings or any other time she is sober, she seems to crave booze.
She takes a long time to recuperate from her drinking.
Because of her increased tolerance, it takes more drinks for her to get the same buzz.
She drives after drinking or engages in other risky behavior while intoxicated.
She appears unable to keep her word on commitments made at home, job, or school.
Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal
She might suffer a range of symptoms that evolve over time if she tries to stop smoking on her own. She may become agitated or worried within 12 hours of her last drink, suffer from headaches, nausea, vomiting, and begin to shake. 12 to 24 hours after her last drink, depending on how much she drank, she can have confusion, hand tremors, and seizures. 48 hours after the last drink, seizures may continue along with the onset of sleeplessness and hallucinations. She could also have a fever and elevated blood pressure. Delirium tremens, or DTs, can also happen.
All of the aforementioned signs and symptoms of acute alcohol withdrawal are present. Additionally, persistent symptoms are possible. Weeks or even a year later, these post-acute symptoms may still be present.
Women’s Alcoholism Stages
Alcoholism is a problem that worsens over time and has a higher risk of being dangerous. Casual drinking can be the beginning, especially if it occurs before the legal drinking age. This disorder can manifest later in life in even those who have never experienced a substance use disorder.
Pre-Alcoholic Stage
She may drink at this point in order to feel better about herself or to lessen her emotional suffering. She might use alcohol as a way to cope with stress or anxiety. Despite the fact that she drinks frequently, alcohol hasn’t started to routinely cause her problems.
Stage 2: Adolescent Alcoholic
She drinks now since it’s become a habit for her and it has a bad effect. She might pass out as a result of binge drinking, for instance. She might ponder her next drinking date when sober. If close friends or family members express concern about her drinking, she may lie to them or refuse to let them see her when she is frequently drunk. If she misses activities because of drinking, she can try to find rationalizations for her actions or her absence.
Middle-stage alcoholic: Stage 3
She can no longer disguise her drinking at this point. People in her social circle start to notice it more and more. There are certain habits that constitute warning signals of an alcohol issue.
Late-stage alcoholic
By the fourth stage, she has probably given up most of her responsibilities for drinking without making any effort to cover it up. Her condition has gotten worse. She has lost friends and the love of her family. She might not be capable of holding down a job at this point. If she does try to stop, she can go through withdrawal and have tremors or hallucinations.
Gender-Separate Treatment: 5 Advantages
Gender-specific treatment can address the unique psychological, emotional, and physical effects that substance use has on women.
By concentrating on how their traumatic past experiences influenced their alcohol use disorder, gender-specific treatment identifies a correlation among women affected by alcohol use.
Support, acceptance, safety, and understanding are prioritized in gender-specific treatment among patients who have shared experiences in the past.
Only female team members who are familiar with the connection between the women’s addiction recovery process and the female perspective work in gender-separate treatment.
Conclusion
A reputable supplier of care with a wide selection of programs for recovery from substance abuse, mental health problems, and more. Our main goal is to show people the way to a life of recovery and restoration. We provide recognized therapeutic care for addiction and have the understanding and knowledge to help you achieve long-term recovery.
Gender-specific treatment tackles typical causes of substance use, such as problems with body image, inequity in income, burnout, trauma, and mental health difficulties.