How do you know when you have an alcohol addiction? It can honestly be hard to tell in this day and age. As a society, we don’t tend to even really regard alcohol as a drug. However, on paper, that’s exactly what it is. It is so normalized in everyday life; we see it in adverts, we see in the movies, and it is readily available on practically every street. But the dangers alcohol can bring are all too real, even if most of the time we are shielded from them.
After all, with the alcohol industry being as lucrative as it is, it’s pretty unlikely that major retailers are going to talk about all the dangers of alcohol. Otherwise, they wouldn’t sell any! But it can be worth being aware of the potential threats of alcohol and how to tell if you have a problem with it. Here are some ways you can recognize if your drinking has gotten out of control, and what you can do to get your life back on track.
You frequently blackout after drinking alcohol
Most people suffer an alcohol-related blackout at least once in their lives. It usually happens during college days before you have learned the true meaning of the word ‘moderation. It normally involves waking up the next day feeling very sick and with little to no memory of the night before. More often than not, people learn from this and reduce their intake so to avoid this happening again. But if you black out every single time you drink alcohol, even if you don’t drink that much, it could be a sign of a dependency.
When you go out drinking with your friends, keep a tally of how many drinks you have had, and how strong they were. Blackouts affect your long-term memories. If you wake up the next day with a hazy memory, be aware that you could be causing lasting damage to your brain.
You think about alcohol all the time
If you self-medicate with alcohol, it can easily become an addiction. Alcohol loosens us up and relaxes us, because it’s actually a depressant on the system. This is why so many people end up turning to it during times of stress. This is a scary path to go down, because as it can lead to a lifelong dependency. Feeling anxious when you don’t have access to alcohol is a bad sign of addiction. Drinking as soon as you wake up in the morning is a sure sign of addiction. If you are suffering either of these symptoms, seek out treatment for substance use disorders. Confide in a trusted friend or family member if you don’t feel confident going alone.
You can never just have one drink
Do you scratch your head in confusion when you hear about people who go out for just one drink? Alcohol does naturally have addictive qualities in it. How they affect us differs from person to person. If you are very susceptible to the effects of alcohol, you will immediately crave more as soon as you’ve finished your first drink. Purposely only take enough money out with you for one drink. Suggest to your friends that you meet up somewhere without alcohol, like a coffee shop. Besides that, you can include healthy food when you’re having lunch and especially try foods that curb alcohol cravings. When the temptation is removed, you will find it much easier to overcome your addictions.
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