According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 38 million Americans misuse or abuse alcohol. One out of every six Americans binges regularly. Heavy drinking accounts for more than 80,000 deaths per year and is the number three cause of preventable fatalities. So how can a person know if they are on a downward slope toward alcoholism? There are some warning signs along
the way.
1. You are Drinking Heavily Every Weekend
If you have several drinks in a row every weekend, it could be a warning sign of an alcohol addiction. Binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks for men and four or more drinks for women in a single episode. If this describes your weekly drinking, take inventory.
2. You Drink More Than You Plan to Drink
If you go out with co-workers expecting just to have one or two glasses of wine but wind up drinking more every time, it could signal an addiction. Try keeping tabs on your alcohol consumption. Write down exactly how many drinks you have per night, per week and per month.
3. Your Drinking is Filled with Memory Gaps
If you find that you forget portions of your evening of drinking it’s a red flag. Binge drinking affects memory.
4. Drinking Becomes More Important Than Your Responsibilities
If your drinking affects your job responsibilities, taking care of your family or other responsibilities then your drinking is out of balance. Alcohol addiction doesn’t happen overnight.
5. People Around You Voice Concern
Ask yourself if you would be willing to let someone else assess your drinking levels. If not, why not? Would you be willing to allow a loved one to set your drinking limit? Again, if not, why not? When people around you mention concern or you avoid hearing their concern there is a possibility that casual drinking may be moving toward the direction of alcohol dependence or addiction.
If any of these symptoms sound familiar, you can get help. Contact the professionals at Family Guidance today.
