Alcoholism and Middle Age: A Hidden Health Problem
In your middle age, you might feel as though you have earned the right to behave as you wish and a few glasses of wine at the end of the day or several drinks at a dinner party can’t do any harm surely? There is, however, a growing dependence on alcohol among this demographic and it can easily go under the radar.
Putting Yourself at Risk
It is an age where responsibilities may have shifted, children grown up, partners may have separated or be in new relationships, life priorities have taken a different direction. What tends to be a hidden epidemic in people aged 45 plus binge drinking without necessarily being aware that they are doing so. You are said to be binge drinking if you drink more than 5 drinks over a two-hour period if you are a man, and more than 4 in the same time frame if you are a woman. Studies showed that men binge drink twice as much as women but there is a worrying shift in the trend and it is a hidden health and social problem in otherwise successful older people.
As you get older it is more difficult to avoid the health complications of drinking to excess. Heart problems, stroke, cancer, liver disease, diabetes, cognitive impairment and poorer psychological functioning can all be a consequence of alcohol misuse. Figures show that middle-aged adults are more at risk of dying of acute alcohol poisoning-this is when the concentration of alcohol in the blood is so high that parts of the brain shut down.
Alcohol is highly addictive. It is a psychotropic drug and in the short term it reduces anxiety and stress, so it helps you to relax. However, like many other drugs, if you take it every day it becomes less effective and can, in fact, cause anxiety if you don’t take it. This is how dependence develops, in order to feel ‘normal’ you may need a drink. Alcohol addiction can creep up on you and by middle age, patterns of alcohol consumption will have become well established. You may feel in control but it is taking its toll on your body and your mind.
Consider Alcohol Addiction Treatment in Southern California!
At Casa Recovery in San Juan Capistrano, CA, we understand how alcohol addiction impacts middle-aged adults and we offer alcohol addiction treatment program which will cater to you specifically. You will be assessed and a program of recovery will be designed to meet your unique profile. You will receive care and training to help you on your way through recovery giving you the best chance of a bright future. Life begins now!