First Signs of Alcoholism

Many people drink alcohol on occasion and in various settings. Some alcohol use is okay and some studies have even linked some health benefits with alcohol consumption. So when does one know if they have a drinking problem? Alcohol use is a problem when someone continues to use alcohol in spite of the fact that it is interfering with their life. Alcoholism will interfere with family life, work, relationships, and ultimately health and if a person can’t stop drinking, even though it is negatively impacting their life, then treatment is needed for alcohol addiction.

For someone that is concerned about their drinking, the first signs of alcoholism are usually behavioral symptoms such as:

• Increased tolerance to alcohol
• Engages in risky behavior
• Unreliable
• Preoccupation with drinking

One of the warning signs of alcoholism is tolerance. When a person consumes more and more alcohol, the body requires increasingly greater amounts of alcohol to achieve the same effects. Someone that is starting to show the first signs of alcoholism will drink more without seeming intoxicated. They may start ordering doubles or change their alcohol of choice to drinks with a higher alcohol content.

Someone with an alcohol dependence is more likely to engage in risky behavior. A very good example of this is drinking and driving. It’s such common knowledge that driving when you have been drinking not only puts the person driving at risk, but also any friends or family that may be in the car. As alcohol use goes up, better judgment goes down. This kind of risky behavior is a classic sign of alcoholism.

Another first symptom of becoming an alcoholic is becoming unreliable. An alcoholic will start routinely missing, showing up late for work or using too many sick days as they have trouble trying to recover from a hangover or other health related problems. They will also miss family and other commitments because they are either drunk or drinking and start make up excuses that will usually be a lie.

Someone who is starting to show warning signs of alcoholism will show a preoccupation with drinking and start including it in all aspects of their life. They may always need a drink when they get home from work, or before they are going out to events where alcohol will be served. They will start to plan their leisure time around alcohol consumption and will stop going out to places where there is no alcohol. Once they start drinking, they find it hard to stop when they have had enough, and will have a difficult time stopping at the end of the night.

If you feel that you or a loved one is experiencing early signs of alcoholism, then the first step to take would be to stop drinking. If stopping on your own is difficult, then support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) may be of help. AA meetings offer encouragement and support in staying sober. Depending on the level of dependence, another recommendation would be to see a professional for an alcohol assessment. A professional counselor will determine the level of treatment needed. The first and most important step is recognizing that there is a problem.

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