Alcohol Rehabilitation and Treatment

Symptoms
A strong need to drink and the inability to limit one’s drinking are the most visible symptoms of alcoholism. An increasing tolerance to the effects of alcohol is an important symptom. The amount of alcohol they need to drink in order to get elevated increases steadily. A perennial interest in drinking and the habit of drinking alone are also common among alcoholics. When alcohol use is stopped, alcoholics show withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating, instability, and anxiety.

Diagnosis of Alcoholism

As alcoholics often attempt to hide their problem, the screening tests are designed to draw out answers related to problems associated with drinking rather than direct questions like the quantity of liquor consumed or other drinking habits.

The C.A.G.E. test (Cut, Annoyed, Guilty, and Eye-opener) is an internationally used screening tool. The test is made up of four questions used to assess someone’s risk for alcohol abuse. The four questions are:

1. Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?

2. Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
3. Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
4. Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady nerves or get rid of a hangover?

Four positive answers indicate alcoholism. This test proved successful among white men, but not very accurate for older people, white women, and African and Mexican Americans.