Alcohol dependence
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Alcohol is one of the most harmful intoxicants there is
National figures show that 6.9% of the adult population exceed the high-risk limit for alcohol in a typical week. 26.7% regularly drink five or more drinks on the same occasion.
Health Authority figures show that 25,000 people with alcohol-related illnesses go to hospitals each year. When you consider that there are 147,000 people with harmful overuse, it must be said that this is a high risk for a hospital stay.
In 2018, around 2,500 citizens died as a result of their alcohol consumption. It is mainly men who die because of drinking. Men accounted for 1,800 or 73% of alcohol-related deaths in 2018.
In 2018, 24% or 587 of related deaths were due to chronic liver disease. Then, the most frequent cause of death is alcoholic psychosis/chronic harmful consumption from which 458 citizens died in 2018.
Our alcohol culture in Denmark can make it difficult to spot when abuse is a problem, because we drink in so many different contexts.
Family and relatives of alcoholics
Addiction is not only a problem for the addict. Abuse or overuse can also be problematic for relatives in the immediate family. And so it’s really important that we pay attention to whether there are children who are not thriving, and pay attention to the fact that it can be in all social strata of society.
Educators, teachers and other adults around children need to be aware of whether a child is growing up in a family with alcohol problems. And so it’s important to seek help. Many wait too long, and families suffer in the meantime.
Read more about alcohol addiction treatment here.
Alcohol dependence: how much do you have to drink to be an alcoholic?
Everyone is likely to develop problems and addictions, but some are more vulnerable than others. When the body and brain get used to drinking alcohol in large quantities, the risk of actual dependence increases.
You start to feel the urge to drink, drink more and spend a lot of time getting more to drink. It will be difficult to recover after drinking. It is therefore important to have a conscious attitude towards one’s own consumption in order to avoid developing dependence.
Being addicted to alcohol causes problems
Alcohol problems span the range of problems that can be caused by overconsumption.
Alcohol dependence is a condition in which you no longer feel in control of your alcohol consumption. And so an alcoholic can drink again – and again.
This means that you have become accustomed to heavy alcohol consumption and that you will have very unpleasant symptoms if you try to stop drinking. That’s why you should get free alcohol help.
Get alcohol counselling now
Are you wondering if you have an addiction, or are you a relative of an addict?
At Alfa-Fredensborg, you can have a free consultation with a professional alcohol counsellor.
Alcoholism can lead to many different diseases, both physical and psychological, and it has serious social consequences.
Excessive consumption will lead to alcohol dependence. It will often require professional help to get well again.
Alcohol test
We have created a simple test that can be used to evaluate the severity of alcohol consumption.
It is very accurate if you answer the test 100% honestly.
How does alcohol affect the brain?
Being dependent on alcohol is, in its ultimate consequence, a neuro-biological disease, caused by changes in the brain’s signalling substances due to consumption, and influenced by hereditary factors that lead to craving for alcohol.
What are the characteristics of an alcoholic?
Alcohol dependence is characterised by:
Control bar
Addicts typically can’t stop drinking again once they’ve had a few drinks. The amount of alcohol needed to lose control (the so-called ‘critical point’) varies from person to person.
People who are not addicted, on the other hand, may decide to consume a certain number of items and limit themselves to that, or stop drinking on their own when they feel they have reached their limit.
Alcohol tolerance
The person gets used to alcohol – i.e. it takes more to produce the same effect or experience of alcohol in the blood, the more and the more frequently you drink. This is also called ‘tolerance development’.
You get withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop drinking. Such symptoms may appear in the morning when you wake up because you have not consumed alcohol during the night. Symptoms include shaking, sweating and general discomfort.
Repair string
Alcohol and withdrawal – Many addicts therefore need to drink in the morning because of withdrawal symptoms.
Alcohol makes the body feel normal again. The fact that the body only works “normally” after drinking is a very serious symptom of excessive consumption.
Constant focus
The addict is very aware of alcohol and having it available. It’s both about preventing withdrawal, but also about creating changes in the brain so that the brain has become extra focused on alcohol
You drink even though you know it’s wrong. The alcoholic drinks even though he knows it is wrong and risky.
Read more about detox here.
Alcohol dependence in Denmark
%
Implementation rate
- Women 35%
- Men 71%
Alcohol addicts in Denmark
We offer professional help
If you need help dealing with an addiction or dependency yourself – or if you need help getting help for a relative, contact us anonymously and we can help you through the process.