Those who live with a family member who regularly drinks alcoholic beverages might wonder if that person is suffering from alcoholism. In many cases, it’s quite obvious when a person is an alcoholic, and in other situations, the disease isn’t as apparent. There are a number of signs to look for when seeking answers regarding alcoholism, and finding those answers is the first step toward encouraging a family member to seek a solution for their drinking problem.
Functional Alcoholics
You might wonder how someone could be considered an alcoholic if they’re able to go to work on a daily basis and function as a normal individual. When many people think of an alcoholic, they think of the stereotypical drunk lounging around with a bottle of hard liquor. It’s impossible to tell if someone is an alcoholic simply by looking at him or her. Many alcoholics look like regular people, and they come from all walks of life. Some are college-educated professionals, and others are manual laborers who work forty hours or more each and every week. Their lives that appear normal revolve around the need for alcohol, and they know how to keep it a secret from co-workers, friends, and even relatives.
Consumption Patterns
Just as each individual is different, so are the methods of satisfying cravings for alcohol. Some alcoholics are able to make it through the workweek without taking a drink, while others drink on their off-hours all week long. Depending on individual work schedules, some begin drinking on Friday after work and they continue to sporadically drink until Sunday arrives. They may spend an entire day recovering from a weekend of binging, and in many cases, they may be unmotivated to do anything because they really don’t feel very well. Many who are on set schedules plan drinking binges around their work, and sad for all concerned, life revolves around drinking. These are a few examples of drinking routines, and an alcoholic in your home may follow one of these patterns, or their routine may be entirely different.
Consumption Amounts
An average person enjoying an alcoholic beverage is able to stop after one or two casual drinks, but an alcoholic may not stop until consuming four, six, eight, or surprisingly more. They may drink an entire case of beer or more in just a day or two, and they might consume a set number of drinks each evening before retiring for the night. It’s impossible to pinpoint an exact number of drinks consumed on a regular basis before considering someone an alcoholic, but if they must drink to enjoy themselves, and if life centers on alcohol, they have a serious problem.
Family Life
Life for family members of alcoholics isn’t easy. The day or evening with an alcoholic may start out happy and trouble-free since the alcoholic is just getting started and may be friendlier than usual and still very articulate, but the scene soon changes as the day or evening progresses. After a number of drinks, the alcoholic may become incoherent, incapable of carrying on a meaningful conversation, and he or she may even become belligerent. Life with an alcoholic is an emotional roller coaster, and life with an alcoholic won’t get any better until the alcoholic admits there is a problem and chooses to stop drinking either on his or her own, with help of a doctor, and with emotional support from helpful groups such as Alcoholic’s Anonymous.
