If you exist in an environment where drinking is normal, you may not be able to accept that you have a problem. You may see your drinking as “social drinking.” High functioning alcoholics don’t demonstrate the behaviors that most people associate with addicts and that allows them to continue a pattern of denial that allows them to keep drinking. But, addiction always catches up with you. Just because you don’t believe you are an alcoholic, doesn’t mean that you aren’t one and it doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t benefit from drug rehab. But, how can you move past your denial to confront your drinking problem? The following post should help clarify some things. Types of Alcoholics In an analysis of a national sample of people with alcoholism, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism identified five separate sub types of alcohol use disorders. From most to least severe, these types are: • Severe Chronic Alcoholic • Intermediate Familial Alcoholic • Functional Alcoholic • Young Antisocial Alcoholic • Young Adult Alcoholic Functional alcoholics were determined to make up 19.5 percent of the total population of those with alcohol dependence. That is one-fifth of them or one in five. That’s a lot. You could be one of them. Ask Yourself If you are considering possible alcoholism, ask yourself: • Am I denying my addiction because I don’t fit the stereotype? • Does my success stop me from accepting my alcoholism? • Do I think of alcohol as a reward? • Do I use alcohol to relieve stress? • Do I spend a lot of time thinking about my next opportunity to drink? • Am I incapable of setting limits on my alcohol use? • Does my personality change when I drink? Are these questions revealing some troubling behaviors or attitudes? Excuses Need to Stop You may tell yourself that you can’t be an alcoholic because you still have your job, but Stephen Melamis a physician, points out the last thing to go is the job because you need it to continue drinking. Likewise, you may have maintained relationships and a family because the people around you are accommodating your behavior, rather than because you aren’t an alcoholic. It’s time to stop with the excuses and to start looking into drug rehab before it is too late. |