Am I an alcoholic?
You may be asking this question as you’re unsure whether you’re a heavy casual drinker or an alcoholic. If you’ve started to feel you only find a situation comfortable or enjoyable with a drink, it’s possible you’ve become dependent on alcohol.
‘In England, there are an estimated 589,101 dependent drinkers. Less than 20% are receiving the treatment.’
Being
Important note – Seek medical advice before you stop drinking. It can be dangerous to stop or withdraw from heavy drinking too quickly, physical symptoms can include shaking, nausea and increased heart rate. Contact us for advice.
Are you alcohol dependent?
You might be surprised to read, you don’t have to consume very high levels of alcohol to become dependent. If a person drinks regularly they will have a level of alcohol dependency.
There’s a scale of dependency, from mildly dependent where for instance a person can’t face a Saturday night out without enough alcohol to get tipsy. On the far end of the scale is where a person prioritises alcohol over everything in their lives, including families, friends and jobs.
Signs & symptoms of an alcoholic
If you’re concerned a family member or friend is a high-functioning alcoholic or is addicted to alcohol, here are some signs to look out for:
- Often drinks alone
- Drinks large volumes of alcohol
- Drinks very regularly
- Drives whilst under the influence of alcohol
- Has lost memories whilst or after drinking
- Uses alcohol to increase their confidence
- Jokes about having an issue with alcohol
- Becomes frustrated or angry when asked if they have a problem with alcohol
- They have a higher tolerance to alcohol
- Has recently lost close friends
- Blacks out during a drinking session
- More argumentative
These are a few symptoms to be aware of, there are many more. If you are concerned about their drinking, contact our team to discuss how you can help them on their journey to recovery.
Thoughts you may have if you’re an alcoholic:
- Continuously concerned about where your next alcoholic drink is coming from
- Planning all social, family and work events around access to alcohol
- The inability to stop drinking once you’ve started and a constant desire to drink
- Suffering symptoms like the shakes, memory loss and increased heart rate.
- Increased anxiety
- Having to drink as soon as you wake up
These are a few symptoms to be aware of, there are many more. If you are concerned about their drinking, contact our team to discuss how you can help them on their journey to recovery.
What to do next
Confronting a person you believe to have an alcohol problem can be difficult, you are unaware of how they will react. Talk to our team for advice on helping them get the treatment they need to get back on track.