Alcohol. It can be the drink that allows you to relax and let loose. However, it can also be the drink that people can get dependent on and addicted to.
In 2019, there were 14.5 million Americans that were considered to have AUD (Alcohol Use Disorder).
With that many people considered to have a drinking problem, some friends and loved ones may wonder how they can spot signs of alcoholism? These are the signs of an alcoholic.
Declining Activities and Responsibilities
One of the first potential signs of alcoholism is when the person’s lifestyle changes significantly. Normally, these would be things that the person would decline in favor of alcohol.
Let’s say that the person was in a weekly bowling league before they had problems with alcohol. Then, when the person’s problems with it gets worse, they may start to skip a match here and there. Eventually, it could lead to them dropping the league altogether.
Even worse than losing an activity such as bowling is declining your real responsibilities. Smaller examples could be forgetting to get groceries for a day or two. Bigger examples can be not showing up for work or neglecting their children if they have families.
If you suspect that someone has problems with alcohol, pay attention to if they are neglecting their responsibilities or losing interest in other activities that they used to like.
Poor Judgment
Next, you need to look at what decisions these people are making. This is especially important if you think they are under the influence while making these decisions.
One of the biggest examples of this is drunk driving. Drunk people may get overconfident in their ability to drive home and end up not only hurting themselves but potentially others.
Another example of this is suddenly becoming violent when that person would normally never fight sober. Some people take statements or actions the wrong way when drunk and others just have a shorter fuse.
You need to try to be aware of what actions this person is taking and try to set them on the right path. You can learn more about that here.
Financial Investment
Finally, you need to ask yourself how much money is this person putting into alcohol? Is it enough money to decline any other activities? Is it enough money to have to cancel a vacation?
Even worse than that, the person can be putting money into alcohol and neglecting other necessities such as groceries, rent, and other utility bills.
Pay attention to how much this person financially invests in alcohol and take notice of if they are giving up other necessities to keep their habit.
Find Out More Signs of Alcoholism
These are just three of the major signs of alcoholism within somebody. The most obvious actions are investing too much money into alcohol, showing poor judgment, and neglecting responsibilities.
For more relevant information, check out our Wellness section.
