What IS an alcoholic?
Have you been wondering whether your drinking habits might classify you as an alcoholic? Here are some signs of alcoholism to look for:
- You have difficulty controlling how often or how much you drink.
- You have tried to quit before but were not able to.
- Drinking has caused you to miss work or other important events, either because you were drunk or because you were hung-over.
- You are aware that drinking is causing personal and/or professional problems, but you still cannot stop drinking.
- Your drinking has caused you to put yourself in situations that have endangered you or others (ie: Driving while intoxicated, negligence or unsafe sex).
Signs of alcoholism continued:
- You notice that it takes more alcohol to feel buzzed.
- Even though you experience blackouts or bad hangovers, you still cannot reduce alcohol consumption.
- You realize that alcohol makes your health issues even worse, but you still can’t refrain from drinking.
- You are often tempted to begin drinking early, or you frequently consume alcohol by yourself.
- When you made an effort to stop drinking, you had serious withdrawal problems such as dizziness, increased heart rate, sweating, nausea, severe anxiety, or extreme irritability.
- Your alcohol abuse has resulted in at least one legal problem for you.
Alcohol abuse sneaks up on many people because they don’t realize when they have crossed the line between low-risk levels of drinking and alcohol abuse. They grow accustomed to the symptoms and do not recognize they need to seek help. When alcoholism progresses to this stage, every aspect of a person’s life can be negatively influenced by alcohol consumption.
Want to know how to spot the signs of alcoholism better? Call Searidge today, and we can discuss how best to help a loved one suffering from alcohol addiction, and get them the addiction treatment or rehab program they need.