It’s Just Fun, Right? 5 Signs of a High-Functioning Alcoholic
Everyone has a friend or family member that drinks too much. In fact, over 15 million Americans over the age of 18 have a drinking problem. This accounts for over 6 percent of the adult population.
Even more alarming is the number of Americans that engage in binge drinking. Nearly 27 percent of the adult population has participated in binge drinking in the past month.
It is not always easy to identify a friend or family member struggling with alcohol use. There are high functioning alcoholics that look like they are just having a good time. Read on to learn about the signs of alcoholism and how to spot a high functioning alcoholic.
Definition of a High Functioning Alcoholic
Before calling out the warning signs, it is important to define the term. A functional alcoholic maintains a career and a residence. Their alcoholic tendencies do not necessarily prevent them from having success.
They have fun and are social with others. Functional alcoholics are often good parents and spouses.
Under this highly functional surface, however, they are battling dependency on alcohol. These individuals need alcohol rehab in order to overcome this dependency.
Always Have a Drink in Hand
One of the most obvious signs is always having a drink in hand. It does not matter what the occasion is.
Your friend or family member has a drink even when it is not called for. You may notice them drinking during a child’s sporting event or a school function.
Drinks to Handle Stress
Do you hear this person frequently remarking about a bad day at work? Is their typical response to grab a beer or alcoholic beverage?
Using alcohol as a coping mechanism should raise red flags. Having a drink after a tough day is not abnormal. However, when picking yourself up requires a drink every time, alcohol dependency is an issue.
Drinking Alone
You may have heard the term social drinker. This is someone who has a drink when surrounded by friends or family.
They grab a drink when others are drinking around them. Also, these individuals are usually celebrating a particular occasion. Social drinking is not necessarily unhealthy.
However, functional alcoholics tend to drink alone as well. This is an obvious red flag as there are very few perceived benefits of drinking alone. This signals they are using alcohol to cope or have a dependency.
Consuming Large Amounts without Ill Effects
The average person gets drunk after a handful of drinks. They start to slur words or stumble.
A functional alcoholic is able to handle their liquor. They consume large amounts of alcohol in a short amount of time. Most concerning is that they show no ill effects of binge drinking.
Wrapping It Up
Alcohol dependency is a serious health condition and requires immediate treatment. In some cases, alcoholism is easy to spot. Other times, functional alcoholics are able to mask their dependency.
Red flags of alcoholism include drinking alone or using alcohol to cope. If you enjoyed this article about high functioning alcoholics, keep browsing our blog for other great content.