Do You Have a Drinking Problem? Here Are the Telltale Signs to Watch Out For
As many as 15 million individuals in the US struggle with alcohol addiction or abuse. What’s more is that a drinking problem isn’t just restricted to older adults; it’s also prevalent among college students. When someone starts drinking excessively to the point that not consuming alcohol is almost unmanageable, it’s a clear indication that the situation has escalated.
How can you tell if you have a drinking problem? Here are a few signs.
You’ve Been Drinking More Often
Have you noticed a change in your drinking pattern over the past couple of weeks or months? Perhaps you used to only drink on the weekends a while ago, but have now started going out for a drink quite frequently after work. Or maybe you have a glass of wine every night at dinner instead of having it occasionally.
Sometimes noticing these differences can be quite tricky because they slip into our lifestyle very subtly. To keep track of your drinking habits, keep drawing comparisons of how often and how much you’ve been drinking lately as opposed to a while ago. This will help you see if there has been a major difference in your drinking pattern over the course of time, and will help you identify whether or not you have a drinking problem.
Your Alcohol Tolerance Is Increasing
It may seem like you don’t have a drinking problem because you don’t feel drunk after taking multiple shots of vodka or don’t feel buzzed until you’ve had several drinks. However, this is likely to be because your alcohol tolerance has increased and your body now “needs” a greater amount of alcohol for you to be intoxicated.
As a result, you may find yourself drinking more than you used to without realizing it’s a sign of dependence. As your body adjusts to the frequent presence of and changes in alcohol levels, you continue drinking more. If you notice your alcohol consumption has increased lately, even though you can’t quite feel the changes, it may be a sign of alcohol addiction.
You’ve Been Having a Hard Time Fulfilling Obligations
Another telltale sign of your alcohol consumption becoming a problem is if you’ve been struggling to meet obligations that weren’t a big deal before. For instance, you may find that you’re unable to study in the evening like you used to, are regularly showing up late to work despite being punctual before, or have been neglecting your morning jog because you just can’t get out of bed.
These may not seem like things that are directly associated with alcohol addiction at first glance. However, increased alcohol intake affects various aspects of your life, including your physical state, motivation, reasoning, and emotions. It slowly influences your lifestyle in every way, making it difficult for you to continue doing the things you previously could.
At Comprehensive Counseling Services, LLC, we offer a range of alcohol and drug treatment programs. In addition to providing alcohol and drug evaluation, we also offer mental health counseling services.
