Most of us enjoy a drink once in a while.
After all, sipping a cocktail (or two) is a great way to relax and just celebrate being alive.
However, alcohol is an example that there can indeed be too much of a good thing.
According to the Mayo Clinic, alcoholism, or alcohol use disorder (AUD) is "a pattern of alcohol use that involves problems controlling your drinking, being preoccupied with alcohol, continuing to use alcohol even when it causes problems, having to drink more to get the same effect, or having withdrawal symptoms when you rapidly decrease or stop drinking."
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that 15.1 million Americans over the age of 18 currently fall into this AUD category.
It can be tricky to distinguish between someone who just likes to drink and someone who has a serious problem. The last thing you want to do is offend someone close to you by wrongly suggesting they have an issue.
However, if you care about someone and are genuinely concerned about their well being, it's good to be aware of some of the signs that suggest they may have a problem.
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1. They Start Drinking In The Morning
Some people swear by the "hair of the dog" solution to cure a hangover.
According to the theory, having a drink in the morning helps take the edge off and subdue hangover symptoms.
However, this technique could be a sign that someone is becoming alcohol dependent.
Addiction Blog explains, "If your body needs more alcohol to function normally, you may not be going through a routine hangover."
Often this method leads to further drinking, and just prolongs an inevitable hangover.
2. They Have Increased Relationship Issues
As we know, drinking has a way of altering or enhancing our personalities. Sometimes it's all fun and games, but being intoxicated can also make people militant.
Rehab International lists both relationship issues and agitation as warning signs of alcoholism.
If someone's drinking is getting in the way of their friendships or relationships and they keep on drinking anyway, it's an indication of a bigger problem.
3. They Make Questionable Justifications For Drinking
Have you ever heard the person you're worrying about making excuses about their drinking?
It's totally acceptable to celebrate a special occasion by having a few drinks, but we all know not every day is one of them.
Additionally, if someone feels the need to make excuses to justify their behavior, it's a sign that they know it's wrong on some level.
4. They Choose Alcohol Over Hobbies
Did your friend use to enjoy certain activities or hobbies that they've given up since their drinking started?
According to the NIH, this is a sign that their drinking has entered AUD territory.
Drinking, especially excessively, is time consuming, meaning other activities may fall by the wayside.
5. They Are Isolating Themselves
Is your friend hard to get in touch with or make plans with lately? Chances are, if you're worried about them, you're trying to reach out.
The Mayo Clinic explains that isolation and lack of social interaction is a common side effect of alcoholism.
Your friend could be trying to cover up their habit, or just truly have become too involved with alcohol to care about the things they used to.
6. They Complain Of Withdrawal Symptoms
When someone develops an addiction, their body begins to depend on the substance to function.
If they stop feeding the addiction, they will begin to exhibit symptoms of withdrawal.
According to the Mayo Clinic, withdrawal symptoms to look out for are nausea, sweating, and shaking.
Someone may experience these when they stop drinking, or also drink to avoid them.
7. Their Tolerance Has Noticeably Increased
Building a high tolerance to alcohol takes practice for many people.
The more someone drinks, the more they tend to need to achieve the results or feeling they are drinking to achieve.
The Mayo Clinic points out that developing a higher tolerance is a sign of alcohol dependence.
If your friend is drinking at a much faster rate than you, or than they used to, it may be cause for alarm.
8. They Have Stopped Paying Attention To Their Appearance
It's easy to lose track of our appearances when we drink. While most of us have experienced this after or during a big night out, someone who has a problem may feel like that all the time.
If you've noticed a change in your friend's appearance that communicates that they aren't taking care of themselves, alcohol could be to blame.
9. They Are Drinking More To Cope With A Big Life Change
Plenty of people drink as a way to relax and unwind. There's nothing wrong with that.
That being said, a lot of people also turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism for a problem that's bigger than themselves.
Is your friend going through something like trouble at work or home? Did they just lose a family member? These are all common reasons to turn to drink.
10. They Have Frequent Memory Loss And Blackouts
The term "blackout" is pretty self explanatory, but that doesn't make it any less scary.
Not being able to remember what happened the night before as a result of excessive drinking is never a good sign.
If your friend can't remember what he or she did while they were drinking, it's definitely a sign of alcohol abuse.
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