Five Tell-Tale Signs That Your Loved One Is A Functioning Alcoholic

Alcoholism can affect people in many different ways. But the scope of what those different ways might look like isn’t as widely known as you’d expect. Ask people to think of an alcoholic and most probably reply in a stereotypical fashion – perhaps a bit bedraggled, unhygienic and ultimately, for the vast majority of the time, drunk. However, many alcoholics can function perfectly fine and it can be relatively difficult to spot. This article will help you understand the tell-tale signs and enable you to recognise if a friend, colleague or loved one is a functioning alcoholic.

It is important to stress that because someone seems to be functioning perfectly well, they are ok. Naturally, just like anyone who has an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, they are doing themselves serious harm. And sometimes, because they are able to hide their unhealthy drinking habits so effectively, they may be suffering from even more physical, mental and psychological damage than the archetypical ‘drunk.’ That’s why spotting a loved one who may be a functioning alcoholic is so important to giving them the help they need. But what are the key signs that a loved one may be a functioning alcoholic?

 1. The inability to have just one drink

Typically you’ll see that a functioning alcoholic will be unable to limit their drinking. There’s no such thing as “just one” and it’s difficult to get them to stop. You’ll find their drinking habits become heavy at places such as parties or pubs where options are plentiful and you may even find that they down unfinished drinks of their own and others when it comes to leaving the party!.

In summary, “one”, even with their best intentions, will turn into two, three, four and so on.

 2. The excuse for drinking

If someone is regularly making excuses for why they are drinking, then it could be one of those tell-tale signs of their reliance on alcohol. There will always be some form of seemingly rational explanation why they have turned to a beer or glass of wine. As a one-off, that’s fine. Everyone has that stressful day at work and wants to unwind. But when it becomes a regular occurrence where almost every day is a “bad day at the office” or the “kids have been a nightmare” then alarm bells should begin to start ringing and you might need to start asking yourself that challenging question: is your loved one a functioning alcoholic?

Equally, a keenness to organise social trips to pubs and bars on very regular occasions may also be a sign of using an excuse to drink.

 3. Jokes about booze

It isn’t difficult to spot that someone drinks heavily. Especially if you are close to them. While that is probably not a sign of alcoholism in itself, when people tend to joke about their alcohol intake, it’s probably a sign that they are suffering with addiction.

It’s human nature to make light of the dark, and that’s in essence what this is. Saying things like “it’s 5pm somewhere” or hyping up their tolerance to alcohol in a joking fashion is almost a sense of denial and an attempt to convince themselves that it’s ok that they are drinking the volume they are.

 4. Behavioural changes while drinking

Most people do tend to change while drinking alcohol. The substance has an effect on people’s brains. For some, it means becoming a jerk. For others, they can become a lot more outgoing.

If a functioning alcoholic’s behaviour takes a sharp turn following the consumption of alcohol then there are red flags to be waved. Especially if a usually calm and collected person becomes much more care-free, happy and outgoing as ultimately it could suggest that they are at their happiest when they do have a drink in their hand – a sure sign of alcoholism.

 5. Quitting and failing

Most functional alcoholics will be aware that they drink too much, and there will certainly be attempts to give it up. These will often fail, and reverting back to drinking alcohol will happen swiftly.

At this stage, if they are not taking or heeding any professional advice or help offered, it is a good time to step in for your loved one, especially if you are noticing the other signs within this article. Functioning alcoholism is incredibly dangerous and can not only endanger the health of the person in question but others too.

There are so many treatments and experts out there that can help, from communities of people who are suffering the same ordeals, to the doctors and medical professionals that can develop tailored programmes to help each and every individual. So help put your loved one on the right path to recovery and a healthier tomorrow.