What Are The Warning Signs Of Alcohol Abuse?

What are the warning signs of alcohol abuse?

 Most of us assume we know the warning signs of alcohol abuse when we see them. While some symptoms are obvious and noticeable, many often go undetected by close friends and family members. Perhaps we could take this opportunity to discuss some of the warning signs and most common symptoms that friends and family often miss. It turns out that there are a lot of misconceptions about this topic. The truth is that many alcoholics are "functioning alcoholics" and you would never believe they had a drinking problem because there are no obvious symptoms. These are individuals who are good at their jobs, sometimes top-notch, yet they are also completely dependent on alcohol to function normally. They cannot relax or sleep until they drink (cit: 1). Yes, some abuse alcohol, have one drink, and cannot stop drinking until they are completely drunk and fall into a drunken stupor. And yes, we all know of people who display very bad behavior after their second or third drink. We have seen rude behavior from husbands, conflicts in bar rooms, and drunk driving accidents. These are the obvious signs of alcohol abuse and the behaviors we generally associate with alcohol abuse (cit. 2). What are the symptoms of a functioning alcoholic? A functioning alcoholic rarely gives any indication of their drinking problem and may not even realize they have a problem. They don't associate "problems" with drinking, but rather with drinking as a viable way to relieve problems and stress. At the end of a long day, they may have two or three hard alcoholic drinks and then go to bed. Since their body is addicted to alcohol, they are fine in the morning, without a hangover because there is still alcohol in their body. If they're out drinking with friends, they'll be the ones roaring in the morning and ready to go, while all their friends are hungover and want to sleep, still feeling lethargic. For a functioning alcoholic, a quick sip of alcohol or a drink with lunch and you're good to go for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, if they don't get their drink by mid-afternoon, they can be a bit grumpy, irritable, and hard to deal with. Once they get that drink, they're perfectly fine again until the evening. Some of the warning signs of a functioning alcoholic are that he has been hiding alcohol on his desk at work or in his car. They always have it on hand. It's readily available at home and is often the first choice for the heavy stuff, even though they might start with wine or beer.