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Do you have a drinking problem? Here's how to tell
Doctors are seeing an increase in people struggling with alcohol problems.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Some doctors say they have been treating more people who have alcohol problems recently.
"Since 2021, I’ve been seeing an increase in the number of people that are coming in with alcohol problems," said Dr. Asha Shajahan, a family medicine physician at Beaumont. "Mostly it's younger women between the ages of 30 and 40 that are coming in saying that they’re drinking every single day."
Study: Alcohol-related deaths spiked in first year of COVID-19 pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, some people have turned to alcohol to help them cope.
"If you feel like you’re turning to alcohol to calm your nerves, that’s a warning sign," Shajahan said. "If they're able to stop drinking completely for a week, and they do well then I’m a little bit less concerned. For those that feel like after a week they get a little edgy, they feel more anxious or they feel like they have to pick up a drink again, then I really consider that they should go to a rehab program."
Research shows that one drink per day for a woman and two drinks per day for a man is considered okay by medical standards.
"You can get liver disease. You can get elevated blood pressure. You can fall into addiction," Shajahan said.
April is National Alcohol Awareness Month. If you have experienced an uptick in your alcohol consumption your doctor can offer ways to treat you.
"I am recommending 12-step programs, outpatient programs, counseling," Shajahan said.
Medical professionals can also help you find ways to handle stress instead of turning to alcohol to cope, such as therapy, counseling, exercise, and meditation.