Symptoms of Alcoholism in Young Adults | At The Crossroads

Alcoholism is a chronic illness characterized by the habitual intake of alcohol. At The Crossroads provides a checklist for the symptoms of alcoholism in young Adults. At the Crossroads is a transitional living program designed to help young adult get back on the right track. If you are a young adult dealing with alcoholism and many other issues that may be linked to it, do not hesitate to contact At the Crossroads at 1-866-439-0354. Too often some individuals unknownly self-medicate with alcohol. Alcohol produces both physical and psychological addiction. It is a central nervous system depressant that reduces anxiety, inhibition, and feelings of guilt. It lowers alertness and impairs perception, judgment, and motor coordination. In high doses, it can cause loss of consciousness and even death. Chronic alcoholism damages the brain, liver, heart, and other organs.

Spotting the signs and symptoms of alcoholism is not always easy. Drinking-related arrests or job loss can be signs of alcoholism, but they tend to happen late in the disease.

THESE SIGNS INCLUDE:

• An increasing tolerance to the effects of alcohol. You may have heard the expression that someone can "hold their liquor." This is not a sign that this person will not have problems with alcohol; in fact, this may be an early sign of alcoholism.
• A growing preoccupation with or interest in drinking, drinking alone or drinking before an activity where there will be drinking. It may seem as though one simply enjoys drinking. We now know that these signs are the first symptoms of alcoholism.
• A person will dispute there is a problem. This symptom, called denial, is almost always present in alcoholism.

Later, difficulties in relationships, on the job, or with the law often occur.

OTHER SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE ARE:

• hiding alcohol or sneaking drinks
• gulping the first few drinks
• wanting to drink more, or longer, than the rest of the crowd
• losing control of drinking, leading to attempts to control it ("going on the wagon")

It is very important to seek help early in the disease. As the disease progresses, severe health problems can occur in almost every body system.

If you want to learn more about the signs of alcoholism, consult your healthcare provider or look in the yellow pages for "alcoholism" or "alcoholism treatment." You may also wish to contact the National Council on Alcoholism at (800) NCA-CALL for more information. Most cities and towns have AA and Al-Anon meetings. These are meetings for people who have a family member with a drinking problem. If you go, you'll learn more about how alcohol affects families and what you can do.

List of Cities that At The Crossroads serves

San Diego County: La Jolla, Poway, La Mesa, Carlsbad, Santee, Escondido, San Marcos, Encinitas, Romona, Coronada, Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar, Oceanside, Lemon Grove

Orange County: Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo,Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton,, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster

Ventura County: Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, Bell Canyon, Casa Conejo, Channel Islands Beach, El Rio, Lake Sherwood, Meiners Oaks, Mira Monte, Oak Park, Oak View, Piru, Santa Rosa Valley, Santa Susana, Saticoy, Bardsdale, Buckhorn, Casitas Springs, Dulah, Faria, La Conchita, Newbury Park, Point Mugu, Sea Cliff, Somis, Upper Ojai

Santa Barbara County: Ballard, Buellton, Carpinteria, Casmalia, Cuyama, Garey, Gaviota, Goleta, Guadalupe, Hollister Ranch, Hope Ranch, Isla Vista, Lompoc, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Mission Canyon, Mission Hills, Montecito, New Cuyama, Orcutt, Painted Cave, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, Sisquoc, Solvang, Summerland, Toro Canyon, Vandenberg Village, Ventucopa

Riverside County: Banning, Beaumont, Calimesa, Canyon Lake, Cathedral City, Corona, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Jurupa Valley, Indian Wells, Indio, Lake Elsinore, La Quinta Menifee, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Norco, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Perris Rancho Mirage, Riverside, San Jacinto, Temecula, Wildomar