Understanding high-functioning alcoholism requires a deeper dive into its signs, symptoms, and implications for those affected. Many of us overlook that fact because it’s on the shelves of our local supermarket, but its withdrawals are more dangerous than most illicit drugs. If you consume large amounts of alcohol for a prolonged period, you will experience both mental and physical problems upon stopping use. If the high-functional alcoholic you know is ready to stop drinking, they must go about it the right way by seeking professional addiction treatment. Alcoholism can take a devastating toll on a person’s physical health, emotional well-being, personal relationships and professional life.
AUD symptoms
- For example, a usually calm person may become outgoing, aggressive or even impulsive while consuming alcohol.
- They also tend to avoid legal and social repercussions of drinking, at least for a while.
- Early treatment can protect your health, safeguard your relationships, and improve your career.
- So once you complete an inpatient or outpatient program, you’ll need access to ongoing support.
For this reason, these factors are a part of the diagnostic criteria. But if you’ve spotted the signs of alcohol addiction in someone in your life, you shouldn’t be convinced by their denials. You don’t have to wait until their drinking spirals completely out of control to urge them to get help. With the help of a professional, you may be able to hold an intervention. At an intervention, loved ones confront an addict and demand they seek treatment. During the intervention, people explain to an addict how their drinking has affected everyone’s lives.
Consequences of Ongoing Functioning Alcoholism
Who they are when they’re at home, work, or with casual acquaintances is completely different from who they are when they’re in the routine of drinking. Alcoholics have a stereotype, and the people who have a severe addiction to alcohol are the ones who get all the press and set the standard for what society pictures as alcoholism. This stereotype can also make it difficult for loved ones to recognize moderate alcoholism in a friend or family member. Diseases like addiction tend to be highly personal, and every person’s trajectory, triggers, and prognosis will be different. The symptoms and side effects of the disorder will also differ for each person, and researchers categorize alcoholics into five distinct subtypes.
Denial of an Alcohol Use Disorder
Consider speaking to your primary care provider about your concerns or attending a support group as a first step. These therapies are available one-on-one or in small groups in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Some people with AUD may attend an inpatient recovery program, in which they stay at a facility for at least 28 days to receive concentrated treatment in a controlled environment. People with alcohol use disorder are dependent on alcohol, but that does not mean that they drink every day.
But they may put themselves or others in danger by drinking and driving, having risky sexual encounters, or blacking out, Benton says. A high-functioning alcoholic’s behavior may change significantly while drinking. For example, a usually calm person may become outgoing, aggressive or even impulsive while consuming alcohol. There are many misconceptions about alcoholism that make it sound like an alcoholic is an easy person to spot, however, many alcoholics function effectively and lead relatively normal lives. These groups give people affected by someone else’s alcoholism a safe environment to talk about the impact that the person has on their life.
Consequently, many people may not realize their drinking has become a genuine problem. But maybe they drinka few glasses of wine each night to help them fall asleep. Or, they high functioning alcoholic get bombed every weekend but don’t skip a beat at their demanding job. The most well-known support group is Alcoholics Anonymous, but there are many other 12-step programs.
You can help to slowly chip away at his or her denial, but it is also important to come from a place of compassion and not from a position of judgment. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. However, certain food groups also have benefits when it comes to helping with the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms and detoxification. They may also withdraw from social situations and find excuses to miss events or optional commitments where drinking is not available or possible. There may also be new legal issues arising for them, like driving under the influence or making other poor decisions.
Getting Help As a Functional Alcoholic
- Reminding yourself that you can’t “fix” your loved one — but you can be there for them — can help you cool off, says Elhaj.
- Many people with AUDs decide to have further treatment and support, such as attending group therapy, individual counseling, or support groups.
- Below are some signs that you or someone you love may be living with alcohol use disorder.
- The reason people with alcohol use disorders conceal how much they drink is that they feel guilty or bad about it.
- Reach out to a treatment provider for free today for immediate assistance.
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