They go to work every day, can afford nice things, always look dressed to impress and seem to forever be the life of the party. This person appears to have it all—at least from the outside. Talk to close friends and family, and they might have a different story to tell. While the outside world might see a lively and charismatic individual who enjoys a drink or two, those close to the person might see an alcoholic. This is because this person doesn’t just drink socially—they drink in the mornings, at lunch, after work and straight into the evenings. They have cleverly disguised their disease beneath all the trappings of a fine life, but in reality, they abuse alcohol and need help. A California drug addiction recovery center can offer that help.
Signs of Alcohol Abuse
High functioning alcoholics are usually the hardest to identify. After all, alcoholics are dirty, jobless and friendless, aren’t they? Not always. If the person described above seems familiar to you, and if your relationship with that person has been strained because of their incessant drinking, you might have an alcoholic on your hands. However, there are some ways that you can tell for sure.
Alcoholics tend to binge drink, and frequently. If your loved one says that they’re just going to have one or two drinks but then end up drinking the night away, they likely have a problem. If their behavior drastically changes as a result of their drinking—e.g. a normally amicable person becomes aggressive, or a generally shy person becomes social—they might suffer from alcohol abuse. While those are obvious signs of alcoholism, a reputable California drug addiction recovery centersuggests some not-so-obvious signs to look out for.
Alcoholics, functioning or not, forget things. They forget birthdays and anniversaries, to pay the bills and pick up the children. They even forget what they did the day before.
Alcoholics plan their day around where to get a drink, no matter what the day or occasion is.
Some alcoholics may wake up hung over, but not all do. However, most develop “the shakes,” which is a common symptom of alcohol abuse. They have stomach issues, which they always blame on something they ate the night before.
Finally, high functioning alcoholics are in denial. They promise to stop drinking, are abstinent for a few days but then go back to drinking soon after. They refuse California drug addiction treatments and continue to binge despite the pain it causes their loved ones.
If you recognize these signs of a high functioning alcoholic, it is time to reach out for help. California addiction recovery center, A Better Life Recovery, is there for you when you’re ready.