How to Know if You Have an Alcoholism Problem

You would be surprised to know that not all people that suffer from alcoholism fit the stereotype of the all-out drunk. That's why it is good to learn more about the topic to be able to recognize the warning signs in you or a loved one. All you really need is to reflect, use your observation skills and be honest with yourself.

Measure the importance of alcohol in your life or the life of a loved one. Is there a specific reason or concern with drinking? If so, when, where and with whom does this happen? Is it hard for you or your loved one to stop drinking once the drinking begins, or is it a struggle to keep the drinking to a limit? Is the thought of living without alcohol stressful to imagine?

Take into account how much alcohol is being consumed. Is having a drink a daily habit? Is there a need to drink more than five drinks at any given event, even if it's a commonplace event? Do you or our loved one constantly have hangovers and blackouts related to drinking?

If you have the compulsion to finish every drink including other people's drinks, you can definitely consider that to be a red flag.

Reflect and be honest with yourself when asking what motivates your drinking urges. One of the most common thing alcoholics do is use alcohol as a way to enhance their mood or a coping mechanism.

Analyze if you ever deal with guilt that is related to your drinking habits. Do you make promises to tone down your drinking or do you find yourself telling lies about the amount of alcohol you have consumed?

Your tolerance for alcohol can also be an indicator. If you are able to drink a lot of liquor with minimal signs of intoxication it doesn't mean that you deserve a medal, it's more of a sign of addiction.

Many people think that being able to hold down a job show that they have everything under control, but an average of half of the 18 million alcoholics in America are high-functioning which makes it even harder for them to detect that there is a problem.

Lastly, if you feel that these signs apply to your life or the life of a loved one and you don't know what to do or where to start, call The National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service toll free at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for help.