How To Tell If You Have A Drinking Problem
Even people without a drinking “problem” know that alcohol comes with its risks. It loosens people up by hindering their reasoning skills, leading them to share some honest opinions, and making them act in more bold ways than they would sober.
An alcohol use disorder (AUD), however, is a medical condition characterized by an inability to stop or control your drinking. The condition can have troubling social, professional, and health-related consequences.
Not sure if your drinking habits fall into the category of an illness? Keep reading to find out how to tell if you have a drinking problem.
What’s the Diagnostic Criteria?
Determining whether or not you have an addiction to alcohol requires you to be honest with yourself. There’s no specific number of drinks per day that qualifies the condition, and no blood work that reveals whether or not you have an addiction.
Instead, there’s a list of 11 criteria to follow. Ask yourself: in the past year, have you ever…
Drank more or longer than you originally intended?
Had trouble cutting back on drinking, even when you planned for it?
Spent a lot of your time drinking and/or dealing with hangover symptoms?
Felt a strong craving to drink?
Struggled to keep up with your home, family, or job responsibilities because of drinking? (Or recovering from drinking?)
Continued drinking even when it created problems with friends or family?
Skipped or completely stopped doing activities that you enjoyed so you could drink instead?
Engaged in risky behaviors while or after drinking? (Examples include operating a vehicle, swimming, visiting a dangerous area, or having unsafe sex.)
Continued drinking even though you felt flare-ups of depression, anxiety, memory loss, or other health problems?
Drank significantly more than you did earlier in life to get the same effect?
Felt withdrawal symptoms while sobering up? (Examples include shakiness, irritability, anxiety, restlessness, nausea, sweating, delusions, and difficulty sleeping.)
If you answered “yes” to two or three of these questions, you could have a mild alcohol addiction. The condition ranges from mild to severe, and the more symptoms you have, the more severe your condition is.
These questions can also be used to determine drug addiction.
The Road to Sobriety
Addiction changes your brain in a way that makes quitting extremely difficult. Plus, there are many things that contribute to someone’s likeliness to develop addiction, including genetic factors, environmental factors, and developmental factors, like the age you began drinking.
The more severe your condition, the more medical assistance you should seek. Trying to quit on your own is not safe and can be fatal depending on the intensity of withdrawal symptoms.
Severe cases can go through a medically supervised detox, followed by a 12-step program paired with counseling and, sometimes, medication. Some centers even offer trial support groups for people who are unsure whether they want to seek help or not.
Mentally Preparing Yourself to Quit
Try not to get bogged down with guilt at your behaviors—remember, you’re sick! Alcoholism is an illness that requires healing, and you will feel much like yourself again when you’re freed from its grip.
Start by talking with a doctor or a therapist. From there, say “yes” to whatever treatment options feel right for you. The more support you have on your side, the better your chances of healing.
Mentally prepare for a detox or rehab experience by opening your mind to change. Think about change positively—what are you excited to bring back into your life once you’re sober? What kind of days do you want to have now that you’re not accommodating them for alcohol?
If you struggle to remember the reasons why you’re quitting, write down a pros and cons list of leaving drugs and alcohol behind. Pay attention to what’s going on in your body as you leave alcohol behind—you may notice a lingering anxiety or depression the alcohol was covering up.
To come up with coping mechanisms that benefit you specifically, consider working with me today. Contact me to learn more about substance use disorder counseling.
