Signs of Alcohol Abuse

Warning Signs of Alcohol Abuse:
- Hide your drinking habits
- Need a drink to “relax”
- Feel guilt or shame when you drink
- Family or friends complain about how much or how often you drink
- Drink until you lose consciousness
- Forget what you did while you were drinking
- Drink on a daily basis
- Alcohol tolerance is elevated
Alcohol abuse can lead to full-blown addiction. The key is to curb the abuse before it reaches the addictive stage. When a person can pinpoint the reason for the alcohol abuse, whether it is due to stress of a job, relationship or physical pain, the problem can be dealt with through different avenues than the alcohol. Good counselors can help the abuser work through the problem and get him or her back on track to a healthier and happier lifestyle.
Alcoholism is a disease. There are many factors that may contribute to alcoholism such as genetic susceptibility, environment, family life when growing up, and mental health problems such as bi-polar disease or depression. Alcohol is sometimes used to “self-medicate” when problems arise, leading to addiction.
It is important to be aware of some of the signs of alcohol abuse to stop it before it leads to serious complications.
Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction:
- Tolerance to alcohol is on the rise
- Drinking more than others to get a “buzz”
- Drinking daily to relax
- Withdrawing from alcohol leads to anxiety, shaking, sweating, nausea, sleeplessness, depression, loss of appetite, headache
Family members and friends are usually the ones to bring the drinking problem to the attention of the abuser, even though the alcoholic does not see alcohol as a problem. They may feel that the control to quit is still in their power. They may blame their drinking on others or situations beyond their control. They may feel the problem that everyone is concerned about is intensely exaggerated.
Denial is one measure in determining an alcoholic and one of the signs of alcohol abuse. Getting through the denial phase is a big step. Through treatment, the alcoholic can work through this milestone and head toward gaining control of his life once again. Are there more or other drug abuse symptoms you may be concerned about?