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An alcohol dependency is a disease that is rarely initially self-diagnosed. In other words, persons who live with an alcohol dependency hardly ever realise that they are contracting the disease until it is well advanced.

In actual fact, the path to alcoholism is generally paved with pronouncements such as, "I only drink when I'm socialising" and "I can stop drinking any time I like". For this reason it is eminent that freinds and family are able to recognise the indicators of alcohol addiction, so as to help the alcoholic person come to terms with the nature of their condition.

Alcoholism is a state in which the body is completely dependent on alcoholic substances to feel normal and good. In an addiction to alcohol, the individual entirely loses control over alcohol intake and continues to consume it despite the severe health problems it is causing.

Typically, an alcoholic shows four signs that are characteristics of an addiction to alcohol: his body yearns for liquor, he loses control over alcohol ingestion, he becomes physically dependent upon alcohol, and he has a reduced tolerance level to alcoholic drinks. These four warning signs are briefly described below:

Desire: The patient suffers from the strong desire to drink all the time.

Loss of control: The patient fails to control his alcohol consumption and, as a result, repeatedly gives in to unnecessary drinking.

Physical dependence: The patient shows withdrawal Signs like nausea, dizziness, profuse sweating, and worry when he has not had a drink for a while.

Tolerance levels: The patient's tolerance to alcohol decreases, as his body slowly loses its ability to process alcoholic drinks. Hence, he gets intoxicated very easily, even with little alcohol consumption.

It should be added to this last point, that while the alcoholic person's tolerance to alcoholic substances may drop, their ability to cover their drunken state may proportionally surge. In other words, it may become more complex for people to tell when the alcoholic person is drunk.

If you or family and friends are showing these Indications, the first rule is not to panic. Remember that a proper finding of the problem is the first step towards healing!

The healing process always begins with detoxification, which means the complete abstinence from liquor. Some folk will have the courage and self-discipline to get through this in isolation but generally it is a good idea to detox in an environment where there are trained staff. This is particularly important in cases of advanced alcohol addiction, where there can be severe symptomatic reactions to alcohol withdrawl, such as 'delirium tremens', which needs to be treated with drugs.

After the physical detoxification is accomplished, the person undergoing treatment needs to address the social and psychological factors that led them to alcoholism, in order to stop themselves repeating the same pattern and back-sliding back into the disease. Specialised counselling is readily available in most Western countries, and groups such as 'Alcoholics Anonymous' are ready to give ongoing support to alcoholic people.

Bear in mind that the foremost step towards healing is recognising the disease. Be aware of the Symptoms, though be careful too how you first confront an alcoholic acquaintance with their problem. Alcoholics almost every time initially deny their condition and can become aggressively defensive. A dutiful friend though will persist in helping an alcoholic family member come to terms with their situation.

For more information on signs of alcoholism, visit http://www.alcoholismaddictiontreatment.org/are-you-an-alcoholic.php