5 Signs That You May Have A Drinking Problem

1. Drinking Alone

There is a difference between having a couple drinks at the bar or a party with your friends or family and drinking alone.

2. Binge Drinking

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), binge drinking is defined as “drinking 5 or more alcohol drinks on the same occasion on at least 1 day in the past 30 days.”

If you notice that you frequently engage in binge drinking, then you may need to evaluate your drinking habits. Binge drinking can lead to an addiction to alcohol and many physical ailments, for example:

• Liver cirrhosis (scarring).
• Pancreatitis (inflammation).
• Cancer.
  • Liver.
  • Mouth.
  • Throat.
  • Breast.
• Alcoholic hepatitis.
• Cardiomyopathy (stretching and weakening of heart muscle).
• Irregular heart beat.
• Stroke.

3. Drinking to Cope with Stress

Many people drink alcohol in order to cope with stressful situations in their lives, and although you may temporarily feel better from drinking, it usually ends up exacerbating stress in the long-run instead of relieving it.

Studies show that long-term alcohol consumption negatively changes the brain’s chemistry and how it responds to stressful situations.

4. A Growing Tolerance to Alcohol

Alcohol is metabolized by the liver, which breaks apart the alcohol molecule, making it possible to remove the toxin from the body.

• The liver enzyme responsible for alcohol metabolism is alcohol dehydrogenase and when a person consumes large amounts of alcohol over time, the liver produces more of this enzyme, which allows the body to eliminate the alcohol quicker.
• When the body gets rid of alcohol at a faster pace, blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is lowered and the desired effects are dulled.
• This is the mechanism responsible for metabolic tolerance in the liver and what causes people to consume more and more alcohol to achieve the same “buzz.”

5. Drinking Without Regard to Consequences

Drinking can be safe when done in moderation and in responsible situations, but drinking without regard to the consequences can signify problematic drinking behaviors.

• Drinking alcohol before driving is one major indication that your drinking habits have become dangerous, as you put yourself and others at risk when driving impaired.
• Drinking heavily on a Sunday night or weeknight before you have to work the next day is one common sign that your drinking has become troublesome.
• Additionally, if you have a physical or mental health problem that you know is exacerbated by alcohol use, yet you continue to drink anyway, you may be dependent on alcohol and should seek rehabilitation before experiencing further negative ramifications.
• Finally, if your drinking is interfering with your work, relationships, hobbies, or is clashing with your values, yet you continue to drink, you should begin to evaluate the pros and cons of continuing to engage in this type of behavior.

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Sources

1. Hannah, R. (2012). Health benefits of wine and alcohol from neuroprotection to heart health. Frontiers in Bioscience, 4, 1505-1512. doi:10.2741/476.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prefention (2015, November 16).Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved December 5, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm.
3. Drinking Levels Defined. (n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2015, from http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/moderate-binge-drinking.
4. Alcohol Absorption | Health Promotion and Prevention Services | Colonial Health Center | Division of Student Affairs | The George Washington University. (n.d.). Retrieved December 7, 2015, from http://prevention.gwu.edu/alcohol-absorption.
5. University of Rochester. (2014, April 10). Retrieved December 7, 2015, from https://www.rochester.edu/uhs/healthtopics/Alcohol/tolerance.html.
6. Beyond Hangovers: Understanding alcohol’s impact on your health. (2015, October 1). Retrieved December 8, 2015, from http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/Hangovers/beyondHangovers.pdf.
7. Alcohol Alert. (2012). Retrieved December 8, 2015, from http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/AA85/AA85.htm.
8. Emma Childs, Sean O’Connor, Harriet de Wit. Bidirectional Interactions Between Acute Psychosocial Stress and Acute Intravenous Alcohol in Healthy Men. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 2011; DOI:1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01522.x.