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Many people become dependent on alcohol when they use it as a coping mechanism. Americans often turn to alcohol at the end of the day to relax, when socializing with friends, or when they want to drown their sorrows. When they use it to escape everyday life, however, it can become a problem.
Anything a person turns to when they are struggling is a coping mechanism. They receive some benefit from this coping mechanism. However, some mechanisms come with consequences, such as alcohol. Any positive benefits the person sees when using alcohol are outweighed by the negative effects they will see over the long term.
When Does Alcohol Use Become Abuse?
Alcohol serves as a depressant. It slows the central nervous system, leaving the user feeling relaxed. A person’s judgment, memory, and inhibition decrease, allowing them to distance themselves from their problems. They don’t need to worry about these problems or handle them when drinking. However, with regular use, the individual might find themselves in need of an alcohol rehab center in arkansas.
Who Is At Risk of Using Alcohol as a Coping Mechanism?
Any person may use alcohol as a coping mechanism. However, men and women with family members who are alcoholics are at the highest risk of using alcohol in this way. They watched their relatives do so and imitate this behavior.
Increased Tolerance
Every person will find the more they drink, the more alcohol they need to achieve the desired effects. A person who is severely dependent on alcohol might find they experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking. In fact, withdrawal can lead to death in certain cases.
No Alternatives
When a person turns to alcohol as a coping mechanism, they fail to develop other coping skills. They don’t know how to manage their problems without drinking. They use alcohol as a crutch rather than finding alternatives simply because they don’t know any other way.
Effective and Healthy Coping Skills
For a person to overcome their alcohol addiction, they need to develop more effective coping skills, ones that are healthy. They may quit drinking, but they will probably go back to it if they don’t have new coping skills in place. They will need something to help them through difficult times and no longer want it to be drinking. What can they replace the alcohol with?
Many people turn to family and friends when they want to have a drink. This is one reason 12-step programs are successful for many people. They get necessary support during trying times. Other people exercise or meditate until the cravings pass. Yoga, swimming, and walking are three activities a person might want to try. Not only will these activities serve as a coping skill, but they may also help to reverse certain damage that has been done to the body.
Some people drink in social settings because they become anxious when around new people or crowds. Practicing social skills that can be used in these situations is helpful, and a person might want to learn breathing techniques they can use when they feel anxious. A person might find something to distract them or speak to a therapist for help in developing healthy coping skills. It’s all a matter of finding what works for the individual.
Every person must find the solution that works for them. To do so, they will need to understand what their triggers are. What makes them turn to alcohol? Having this information will make it easier for them to know when to use the new coping skills, so they can avoid taking a drink and going down that path once again.
