Alcohol Addiction: 7 Signs You Might Have a Drinking Problem
Many adults enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or an occasional cocktail. However, if you’re starting to lose control of your drinking, you could have a problem with alcohol.
Experienced alcohol and drug addiction treatment provider Jean Welsh, MD, at Primary & Alternative Medical Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, knows there can be a fine line between drinking alcohol responsibly and being addicted. If you have any of these seven symptoms, you might have an alcohol addiction and benefit from alcohol counseling.
7 symptoms of a drinking problem
Anyone can have an alcohol addiction, regardless of factors like age, gender, lifestyle, and background. You can also develop a drinking problem at any time, even if you previously drank alcohol without being addicted.
The more of these symptoms you or a close loved one have, the higher the risk that you have a drinking problem.
1. Drinking takes up a large portion of your time
When you have a drinking problem, alcohol use can take up a large amount of your time. Along with time spent drinking, you might spend long periods planning ways to get alcohol or experiencing signs of withdrawal after drinking.
Planning your drinking and withdrawal symptoms can both take up significant portions of time, and it’s challenging to do much else.
2. You can’t control how much you drink
The more you drink, the more impulsive you tend to get. If you find it difficult or impossible to say no to more alcohol and end up regularly drinking more than you planned, it could signal a drinking problem.
3. Your alcohol tolerance has gone up
The more often you drink alcohol, the more your tolerance increases. Greater tolerance means you need several drinks to get the same effects you previously had from just one or two.
4. You drink in dangerous situations
A problem with alcohol is that it can cause you to drink even if doing so might put you in more danger. For example, you might drink even though you know you need to drive somewhere later, or you might drink while you’re alone in an unsafe place.
5. Drinking is getting in the way of other parts of your life
A drinking problem can interfere with work, school, relationships, and hobbies. Spending more time drinking or experiencing withdrawal symptoms can make it challenging to maintain your daily routine, performance at work, and personal relationships.
If you’ve found yourself making missteps at work, school, or in your personal life, or having increased conflict in your relationships, a drinking problem could be the culprit.
6. You crave alcohol or experience withdrawal after drinking
Cravings for alcohol include thinking about alcohol constantly in anticipation of drinking or getting a strong urge to drink. If you become ill, irritated, shaky, sweaty, or restless for a few hours to a few days after drinking, that means you’re experiencing alcohol withdrawal.
Alcohol cravings and withdrawal can both be a sign of addiction.
7. You’ve tried to stop drinking but have been unsuccessful
Finally, if you or your loved ones have been concerned about how much you’re drinking and you’ve tried to quit or reduce your alcohol consumption without success, you could have a drinking problem that needs professional support.
Get help for your drinking problem
If you’re concerned you have a problem with alcohol, our team is here to help. With personalized alcohol counseling services, Dr. Welsh combines individual therapy with treatments and referrals to programs to help you succeed.
The right support helps you conquer your drinking problem and get your life back on track. Contact us to start getting the help you need today.