Identifying an Alcoholic

An alcoholic is someone who drinks to the degree that it begins to interfere with work and social activities. Too much alcohol can have a negative affect on physical and mental health. While there is no single sign or symptom that you can use to conclusively identify an alcoholic, there are some general hints and tips that you can use in identifying an alcoholic. Whether these are symptoms that you are identifying in yourself or someone else, knowing the signs can be the first step to getting help.

An increased tolerance to the effects of alcohol is one of the first signs in identifying an alcoholic. Casually, it is considered to be "holding one's liquor". While this is not always a sure way of identifying an alcohol problem, it is a warning sign that the person might be developing into an alcoholic.

Another way of identifying an alcoholic is paying attention to the times they drink. Does the person have an increased interest in drinking? Drinking alone or before an activity is a way of identifying an alcoholic. Perhaps at this point, it could just be that the person likes to drink. This desire for drinking could develop into a more serious problem.

In the later, more developed stages of alcoholism, there are more obvious ways of identifying an alcoholic. The person will begin to hide the alcohol or sneak drinks. They may even gulp, rather than sip, the first few drinks in an attempt to get drunk quicker. The person might want to drink more alcohol for a longer period of time than everyone else. These are all signs to use in identifying an alcoholic.

Denial is perhaps the easiest symptom in identifying an alcoholic. If denial is present with other symptoms and signs of an alcoholic, there is a good chance that alcoholism has fully developed. Knowing the steps in identifying an alcoholic can save your or a loved one's life.