Alcohol use can lead to many health problems, including alcohol dependence, which can result in an alcohol rehab programme, but if you drink more than the recommended amount on a regular basis, you might want to consider the dangers of excessive drinking and whether your drinking has crossed the line into problem territory. These five signs may be an indication that you have a problem with alcohol, and it’s time to seek help.
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1) Accidents (either at home or work)
If you’ve experienced an accident due to drinking, you might be able to write it off as something that happened once and will never happen again. Don’t make that mistake. Regardless of how many or how few times you have been in accidents, they should be a clear sign that alcohol has affected your judgement.
2) Negative Impact on Important Relationships
If you’re not aware of just how much your drinking is affecting others, it might be time to put it under a microscope. If you find that you are drinking more and more in order to feel normal and socialise with friends, something needs to change. All relationships are important and deserve respect, so if you find that you’re losing friends or family members because of your alcohol use, it’s worth examining whether or not your drinking is becoming problematic.
3) Reckless Behaviour
High-functioning alcoholics are often able to hide their alcohol problem from family, friends and employers. But heavy drinking over time can lead to risky behaviour in public, such as drunk driving or fighting. If you’ve ever found yourself behind bars, or been caught fighting in public, you might have crossed the line into alcoholism.
4) Increased Tolerance
One of the most reliable indicators that your drinking is a problem is if you’re developing increased tolerance. The more you drink, in other words, you need to drink just to feel normal. This isn’t really normal, however; it’s just what happens when you start putting your body through more and more stress and strain by drinking heavily.
5) Social Isolation
A major reason people drink excessively is because they want to lose themselves in social situations. At first, alcohol helps them fit in and feel more comfortable with their surroundings. The problem is that over time it becomes harder and harder to enjoy social events without drinking, which puts people at risk of developing an addiction. When alcohol use begins to cut into our friendships, hobbies, and other important relationships in our lives, it’s often because we’ve lost all perspective on how much we consume.
Get The Right Help You Need
If you drink heavily or have other problems, it’s time to get help and overcome addiction. The sooner you get your drinking under control, the better off you and your loved ones will be. There are lots of ways to make positive changes in your life and many treatment options available in the UK that can help you kick alcohol abuse once and for all. Remember: Change is hard, but it can also be rewarding and healthy.
