Daily Health Care Tips

Many people think alcoholics are all bums, homeless people who stagger about in old, smelly clothes begging for spare change and holding fast to a bottle of Mad Dog in a paper sack. Nothing could be further from the truth!

This discrepancy can continue over a long period of time. It’s not until later that lifestyles fall apart publicly as well as privately, conforming to the stereotypical conception of an alcoholic.

If you’re curious about alcoholism and wonder if you might have a problem, you may want to evaluate the situation now while you still have something to lose. You may or may not be an alcoholic, but at least you’ll know where you stand.

As with any addiction, a professional diagnosis is the only way to know for sure if you’re an alcoholic. But there are some very common warning signs that can help you determine whether you might have a problem

Symptoms Of Alcoholism

The most common symptom of alcoholism is not being able to stop drinking after one or two. You feel compelled to keep drinking until either the supply or your money runs out. This can occur every time you drink or just sometimes. There are alcoholics who binge drink, but are not daily drinkers. There are also daily drinkers who are not alcoholics. The bottom line is, can you take it or leave it? If you can leave it, you’re probably not an alcoholic.

Have you received a DUI? A DUI is a common symptom of alcoholism and more than one DUI increases the odds that you have a problem. Have you gotten into other trouble as a result of your drinking? Have you put others at risk with your behavior after or while drinking?

Blackouts, or not being able to remember what you did while under the influence, are another common symptom of alcoholism. Have you gone on benders that lasted anywhere from a night to a week and during which you left friends, family and job responsibilities unattended to?

Do you drink in the morning? Must you drink to get through the day? Do you sneak drinks and stash bottles to avoid running out of alcohol? Do you think that you’re not an alcoholic as long as you drink only wine, only beer, only on weekends, only after work? Must you take drinks before you attend events where alcohol is served, just to get a head start on feeling good?

Is there a history of alcoholism in your family? Have family or friends ever tried to talk to you about your drinking? What was your reaction?

If you think you might have a problem with alcohol, seek professional help for an impartial evaluation. If you’re an alcoholic, the sooner you face and deal with the issue, the more quickly you can be on your way to recovery.