Dry January: Doctor talks signs, solutions for alcohol abuse

JACKSON, Tenn. — The holidays — a time for celebration and spending time with loved ones. But for some, it could mean hitting the bottle a little too hard.

Dr. George Koob with the National Institutes of Health says there are a few warning signs that might indicate a drinking issue.

“Overindulging at a party, drinking too much at sporting events, a decrease in your ability to work or interact appropriately with family members can be very early signs of a problem with alcohol,” Dr. Koob said.

And Koob says you might be able to notice an issue yourself.

“Some of the signs and symptoms of what we call a hangover that keeps being repeated,” said Koob. “Those are some early signs in yourself that you can pay attention to.”

Abstaining from drinking alcohol in the month of January, or “Dry January,” is used by several people. But is it enough to step into the right direction?

“Absolutely,” Koob said. “See how you feel. If you feel better when you are not drinking then your body is trying to tell you something, and it is probably a good idea to listen to your body.”

And if you see a friend or family member that might need extra attention when it comes to alcohol, he says there are a few ways to do it effectively.

“Maybe have a word and point out that maybe alcohol is causing some of the issues that they are having,” said Koob. “If it is developing into a problem, then you might want to contact their primary care doctor and weave alcohol questions into their annual physical.”

According to a national survey, 14.5 million people in the U.S ages 12 and older have alcohol use disorder. But there are resources to help diagnose and get your health back.

“There is a lot of great information there about what is an alcohol use disorder and what are the spectrum of treatments that go with the spectrum of disorders,” Dr. Koob said.

Click here for more information and resources.

For more local news, click here.