Not many people would want to admit that they are addicted to one substance or another. And this can be credited to the fact that addiction is stigmatized. Yet, the reality is that having an addiction is living with a disease. Moreover, these addictions stem from underlying mental or emotional problems that have not been addressed and you end up self-medicating with a substance, most commonly alcohol.

What you should know about living with an alcohol dependency is the same as developing a physical disease that would warrant treatment from a professional. But how can you tell if you are abusing alcohol or not? Keep reading for a few of the symptoms indicating that you may need to check yourself into an addiction treatment center for alcohol dependency.

You are constantly lying about how much alcohol you ingest

Alcohol is not considered a federally controlled substance and, as such, drinking is an accepted habit across the country. However, there is a difference between enjoying a few drinks with friends or on your own and lying about the amount of alcohol that you consume. These lies are usually told to individuals that are close to you such as your partner, your friends, your family, and so on.

Take note, lies are not merely telling someone an untruth. You could also be lying about your alcohol intake by mixing your choice drink with non-alcoholic beverages so that you can keep drinking in plain sight without being asked any questions. If any of these scenarios sound familiar, you should consider enrolling in an addiction recovery program.

Your temperament is experiencing an extreme transformation

While you may be aware of the fact that alcohol consumption does change your brain's chemical balance while you are drunk, you may not know that you could gradually experience permanent changes to how your brain produces these chemicals. These chemicals are not merely vital for brain function but also have an impact on your emotional and mental health.

As a consequence, you start to notice that you are going through prolonged periods of sadness and being unmotivated if you are not drinking. Moreover, you may be told that your personality is vastly different from what your close circle of friends is familiar with. For example, if you are usually passive, you may suddenly become aggressive and quick to anger. These outlandish deviations of your character should urge you to check in to an addiction treatment center.

Reach out to a facility like John Volken Academy Ranch that have treatment programs to learn more.