Because drinking is so commonplace in various cultures, it’s often difficult to identify when a person is early on their path to problem-drinking or alcoholism. The developed signs are easy to spot, but early indicators are a bit more elusive. These are several early indications that a person is at risk for developing alcoholism.
Drinking Alone
A common early indicator of alcoholism is drinking alone and outside of social situations. While this person might still engage in social drinking, they still have no problem consuming alcohol without others around. They might often purchase alcohol in relatively large quantities for the home. For example, this person might purchase a large case of beer with the sole intention of drinking it all themselves. Drinking alone might also be indicative of embarrassment related to the drinking problem.
Using Alcohol as Emotional Therapy
Many alcoholics use drinking as a method for self-medication. To an alcoholic, the drink is a “quick fix” that can temporarily wash away all emotional problems, pain, and stressors. This person might be more apt to drink if they’ve had a bad day at work or a catastrophic life event has taken place. According to Rod Gregory, an Edmonton DUI attorney, the risk factor is particularly high if the individual immediately turns to alcohol after something negative has taken place.
Failing to Show Effects of Alcohol Use
Alcoholics typically have higher tolerance levels for the substance than average people. This means that it takes quite a bit of alcohol for the person to feel “buzzed” or drunk. The person could be able to remain composed despite consuming large amounts of alcohol. Likewise, the person might not appear to suffer hangovers, sickness, or any other negative effects associated with drinking heavily.
Lying about Drinking Habits
Many people that are in the beginning stages of alcoholism will regularly lie about how often or much they drink. They might go out for a night of fun with a few friends, but by the next day, they could possibly deny to others that they did anything at all the night before. Lying about the drinking habit is directly related to embarrassment concerning the addiction.
Becoming Defensive When Approached about Drinking
Lastly, a drinking problem could be imminent if the person is perpetually defensive about their drinking habits. When questioned or approached about their drinking, they might either clam up or become annoyed with the concern. In some cases, the irritation from being questioned could be so severe that it causes problems in the relationship between the two people.
*Our content is not intended to provide medical advice or diagnosis of individual problems or circumstances, nor should it be implied that we are a substitute for professional medical advice. Users / readers are always advised to consult their Healthcare Professional prior to starting any new remedy, therapy or treatment. Your Wellness Group accepts no liability in the event you, a user of n-gage and a reader of this article, suffers a loss as a result of reliance upon or inappropriate application of the information.
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