It’s easy to think that drinking is an innocent pastime. After all, you see it everywhere, whether at a party, a bar, or even in friends’ homes. It is an everyday activity that many people like to enjoy almost weekly. And while drinking may be fun for many people, the truth is it can become a problem with severe physical and psychological consequences. So to help you understand when it has become a problem for you, this article is here with some of the different signs your drinking may be problematic.
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The Dangers Of Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a terminal illness that can lead to destructive lifestyle choices, financial instability, and in some cases, death. Alcohol affects the body in multiple ways, both immediately and long term. It can physically damage the liver, cause dehydration, alter hormone levels and lead to changes in mental health. Additionally, excessive drinking can cause risky behavior resulting in depression, addiction to other drugs, or even drunk driving.
The consequences of this type of self-abuse are devastating and often permanent. Many who suffer from alcoholism also push away or lose relationships with family and friends, which can be difficult or impossible to repent. It is essential for those struggling with alcoholism to seek help sooner than later to maximize their chance at a healthy life free of alcohol’s grasping tentacles.
Your Tolerance Has Increased
Regarding drinking, tolerance can become an unwitting sign that someone’s alcohol consumption is becoming problematic. Increased tolerance is a sign of physical dependency, and a myriad of complications can come with it. Tolerance, in essence, is the body’s way of adapting to frequent drinking habits so that more depressants must be taken for a person to experience the effects typically associated with drinking.
As people increase their evidence-based toxic dosage – the amount of alcohol required for intoxication – they place themselves at increased risk for adverse health impacts and even death from alcohol poisoning or overdose. Therefore, building awareness around one’s tolerance levels and taking proactive steps to manage them can be critical, especially when trying to identify if individual behavior is veering towards unhealthy drinking habits.
It’s Affecting Your Relationship
Substance abuse can impact any area of a person’s life, including relationships. When your drinking affects how you behave around friends, family members, or colleagues, it is always a red flag that things need to change. For example, if you notice increased arguments and distress whenever alcohol is involved in your relationships, there might be an underlying issue with substance dependency.
It is important to pause and reflect on how your drinking habits are altering the dynamics of the people closest to you – that could be a big clue that your consumption needs to be addressed before it has the opportunity to spiral out of control.
Your Experiencing Withdrawals
Experiencing cravings and withdrawal symptoms when you miss a daily alcoholic drink can signal that your drinking habits are not quite healthy. Left unrecognized and unaddressed, these signs can quickly develop into an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Generally speaking, anyone who experiences AUD or withdrawals has become dependent on the substance—their body expects to receive it regularly.
Withdrawal symptoms can range from mild irritability to difficulty sleeping, nausea, rapid heart rate, hallucinations, and seizures. If any of these occur whenever you stop drinking for a certain length of time, it is essential to seek help from medical and mental health professionals immediately to prevent the onset of even more severe problems with alcohol.
It’s Interfering With Your Responsibilities
Few people realize how dangerous excessive drinking can be and don’t recognize that it could interfere with their daily responsibilities. It may seem like missing a meeting or an appointment due to a hangover is nothing compared to the addiction/dangers of drugs, but alcohol abuse is no less hazardous to our health and well-being.
If you find yourself putting daily tasks off because you drank too much the night before, it’s time to reevaluate the role that alcohol plays in your life. Suppose you suspect your drinking habits are beginning to interfere with your responsibilities. In that case, it’s best to seek help from a professional to address the problem before it gets out of hand.
Your Making Excuses To Drink
Making excuses to drink is a key indicator that an individual’s drinking has become a problem. Whether it’s justifying why you need that extra beer to relax on the weekend or masking feelings of stress or boredom with a glass of wine, these little white lies that you tell yourself can indicate your relationship with alcohol has become unhealthy.
It becomes crucial for you to step back and take inventory of your behaviors and make mindful choices regarding your consumption to evaluate whether or not there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed. Taking the care to understand why drinking is required rather than should provides a starting point towards recognizing if something more serious needs attention.
You Hide Your Drinking
Denying you have a problem with yourself or burying purchases of alcohol is often a very telling sign that your drinking has become problematic. Hiding your drinking can indicate that you feel ashamed of your behavior, and this usually stems from a sense of guilt. This can be an unconscious feeling, but it’s present in unhealthy relationships with alcohol.
Becoming aware of how and why you seek to hide your habits is essential for recovery from addiction. Not wanting others to find out the truth or to know what’s going on can lead to individuals resorting to burying bottles and cans or keeping them inaccessible to those around them. This type of subterfuge underlines the emotions of shame and guilt felt within the individual, but warning signs such as this should not be ignored.
Be Aware Of The Signs Your Drinking May Be Problematic
If you are experiencing any of the signs listed above, it may be time to reevaluate your drinking habits and seek professional help. Whether your problem with alcohol stems from stress, boredom, or a sense of shame and guilt, working with mental health professionals can help you regain control and find the support you need to overcome your addiction.
