Alcoholism: Signs & Symptoms

[Retired]

Source Mayo Clinic
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Alcoholism
Signs and symptoms
Before treatment or recovery, most people with alcoholism deny that they have a drinking problem. Other indications of alcoholism and alcohol abuse include:

• Drinking alone or in secret
• Being unable to limit the amount of alcohol you drink
• Not remembering conversations or commitments, sometimes referred to as "blacking out"
• Making a ritual of having drinks before, with or after dinner and becoming annoyed when this ritual is disturbed or questioned
• Losing interest in activities and hobbies that used to bring pleasure
• Feeling a need or compulsion to drink
• Irritability when your usual drinking time nears, especially if alcohol isn't available
• Keeping alcohol in unlikely places at home, at work or in the car
• Gulping drinks, ordering doubles, becoming intoxicated intentionally to feel good or drinking to feel "normal"
• Having legal problems or problems with relationships, employment or finances
• Building a tolerance to alcohol so that you need an increasing number of drinks to feel alcohol's effects
• Experiencing physical withdrawal symptoms ? such as nausea, sweating and shaking ? if you don't drink

People who abuse alcohol may experience many of the same signs and symptoms as people who are dependent on alcohol. However, alcohol abusers don't feel the same compulsion to drink and usually don't experience physical withdrawal symptoms when they don't drink. A dependence on alcohol also creates a tolerance to alcohol and the inability to control your drinking.

If you've ever wondered if your own alcohol consumption crosses the line of abuse or dependence, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you need a drink as soon as you get up?
• Do you feel guilty about your drinking?
• Do you think you need to cut back on your alcohol consumption?
• Are you annoyed when other people comment on or criticize your drinking habits?

If you answered yes to two or more questions, it's likely that you have a problem with alcohol. Even one yes answer may indicate a problem.

 

[ladylore]

Other signs that I have come to know about through recovery are:
*Not being able to keep commitments
*Living in the past, "the good ole days"

 

[Retired]

*Living in the past, "the good ole days"

I have a couple of friends who persist in this kind of thinking, which I have found to be annoying.

Would you say that this kind of thinking in and of itself could be a sign of some type of dependency, or would it have to be combined with other behaviours?

 

[ladylore]

Combine it with the other behaviours but most people with addictions self medicate because its too difficult to stay present and deal with the here and now.

 

[lallieth]

I drank to cover up real issues and not have to deal with them.When I realized the road I was on,I quit. I come from a long background of alcoholism and I was determined not to take that same path.I wouldn't have considered myself an alcoholic at the time I was drinking,but I knew the fine line existed..

I have been sober 8 years now

 

[Retired]

I have been sober 8 years now

Good for you! Eight years is a long time and is a tribute to your commitment.

I wouldn't have considered myself an alcoholic at the time I was drinking

Only if you feel comfortable sharing at this time, what was the thought process that denied you may have been drinking to excess. These insights may help others struggling to deal with their situation.

 

[ladylore]

I drank to cover up real issues and not have to deal with them.When I realized the road I was on,I quit. I come from a long background of alcoholism and I was determined not to take that same path.I wouldn't have considered myself an alcoholic at the time I was drinking,but I knew the fine line existed..

I have been sober 8 years now

That is very cool Mysts

 

[lallieth]

Good for you! Eight years is a long time and is a tribute to your commitment.



Only if you feel comfortable sharing at this time, what was the thought process that denied you may have been drinking to excess. These insights may help others struggling to deal with their situation.

It wasn't so much a thought process but knowledge and education about alcoholism and it's effects'

I grew up in a alcoholic home and then married into one,and so during that time,I lived,breathed,slept alcoholism.I was educated early on about it all,from my mom,programs and when my father became sober

I drank only on the weekends,to excess yes,but I knew the signs of alcoholism and realized that while I hadn't myself become an alcoholic,I knew that at any point I could cross that fine line.The patterns of addiction were there,and at that point in time,I was sick and tired of "praying to the porcelain gods",being so sick and hungover that I couldn't function the next day.



I made the decision to give it up and have never looked back.

 

[HotthenCold]

I think I have a problem with it. Mainly it's that when I binge drink I say or do things that are offensive and stupid. I want to quit binge drinking ever, and only have a few drinks when alchohol is present in social situations. However, I know this is a slippery slope, since one or two drinks can easily open the door to more. I just need to quit messing up my life with booze, but I know it would be way to easy to allow my self to slip and do something stupid.
I want to be in control but I don't know how, I'm aware of AA and things like that, which might be my only hope to get control and stop being hungover embarassed, mad, and any other number of completely unecessary problems.
basically I'm a mild drinker who binges about once a month on average and want to change but I don't feel like it's something I could commit to.
anybody else in a similar situation or have any light to shed on this?

 

[ladylore]

It has been my experience that if I was asking myself if I had a problem with alcohol and drug use then the answer was yes.

I am now 18 months clean and sober - the first time in my life asking for help with this. I always traded in from one substance for another addiction. All attempts for getting clean and sober on my own failed miserably.

The questions I have for you is do you think that you have a problem with drugs and alcohol. If the answer is no, don't worry about it. If the answer is yes - then, do you want to do something about it?

 

[HotthenCold]

the answer is yes, and I would like to do something about it. I'm just not sure what.