Location
Our Seattle Location
Northpoint Seattle’s outpatient treatment program is located in beautiful Seattle, Washington, and we work to help the surrounding communities.
- Seattle
2111 N Northgate Way Suite 101,
Seattle, WA 98133, United States
FAQ: Am I an Alcoholic?
Perhaps you can't help but wonder, am I an alcoholic?. Maybe you've had some loved ones point out that you drink too much. Or, you may feel as though you've become much too reliant on alcohol recently.
It's common to be unsure about whether or not you're an alcoholic. However, it is a question that you want to get an answer for. In order to do that, you may have additional questions that need to be answered. We'd like to help you get the information you need.
First, it's important to define what an alcoholic is. An alcoholic is someone who has both a physical compulsion and a mental obsession with alcohol. It has become an important part of their daily life, much like food, or even air.
Alcoholism refers to the addiction. In the addiction treatment field, alcoholism is referred to as a disease, or an illness. It is very difficult to recover from, but it is possible to stop drinking.
For someone to be diagnosed as an alcoholic, drinking needs to be interfering with their life. This might mean that there is evidence of relationship problems, work struggles or other challenges. When alcohol has become a person's first priority, that individual is deemed to be an alcoholic.
Can You Drink Every Day and Not be an Alcoholic?
Yes, you can drink every day, but not be struggling with alcoholism. This is a concept that is confusing for many people. People often think, I must be an alcoholic because I drink every night. Or, they may think, I drink a bottle of wine at night, so I must have alcoholism. Both of these statements are untrue. However, it is possible to be an alcoholic under these circumstances.
An alcohol addiction is not determined by how much, or how often you drink. It is determined by the effects of your drinking.
If drinking is having a profound effect on your day-to-day life, then it is a serious problem for you. If you aren't able to stop drinking when you want to, that also indicates alcoholism.
What do You Call Someone Who Drinks Every Day?
Maybe you have a drink every day after work, or perhaps you enjoy a few glasses of wine at night. If you're drinking excessively, that could indicate alcohol abuse.
According to the CDC, even if you drink excessively, that still doesn't indicate that you are alcohol dependent. However, the longer you participate in excessive consumption, the greater your risk is for a drinking problem.
You may think that you're safe because you drink every day, but you don't get drunk. Many people feel the way you do. Unfortunately, this is a drug, and because of that, its use carries the risk of addiction.
Signs You Are an Alcoholic
It's possible that you are still unsure about whether or not you have a drinking problem. There are quite a few signs of alcoholism that you can look for in your own life. If you're not sure you have any of these signs, you could ask someone you trust to give you their opinion.
Alcoholics tend to have a certain physical appearance. You could also be showing some signs of having an alcoholic personality. The physical and behavioral signs of alcoholism are hard to miss.
There are many outward physical signs of alcohol addiction that you can look for. Recognizing these may help you determine if you have a drinking problem that needs treatment.
Some of the physical signs of alcoholism include:
- Being unable to control how much or how often you drink
- Forming a tolerance to alcohol, so you need more in order to feel the effects
- Going through withdrawal once you stop drinking
- Losing a lot of weight
- Frequent complaints of pain in your stomach
- Redness in the cheeks and nose
There are also several behavioral signs of alcoholism that you should look for. Sometimes certain behaviors are much easier to identify. They may even emerge faster than many of the physical signs.
Some of the more common behavioral signs that you could have a drinking problem include:
- Spending a great deal of time drinking and then recovering
- Giving up favorite activities in favor of drinking more often
- Continuing to drink even though it's having a profound effect on your relationships
- Drinking even though it's having a negative impact on your health
- Feeling guilty after drinking alcohol
- Making excuses for your drinking habits
Should You Take a Signs of Alcoholism Quiz?
It's possible that you're still confused about having alcoholism. If you are, it's OK. However, you do need to know for sure if you're an alcoholic.
It could just be that you need to answer some more specific questions about your alcohol use. If that's the case, taking an alcoholism quiz can be really helpful for you. Be honest as you answer the questions, even if it's hard for you to face the truth. You'll be able to get your results right away, and this will give you the clarity you need.
Alcoholism Quiz
Ten Warning Signs of Alcoholism
The fact that you're asking this question says that you feel you could be an alcoholic. There are ten different warning signs for alcoholism that you can look for in your own life. Have you noticed any of the following?
- Lying to others about your drinking, including how much or how often you drink.
- Buying alcohol at different stores because you're embarrassed about how much you're consuming.
- Feeling the need to drink in order to relax or to help yourself feel better.
- Experiencing frequent "black outs" after you've been drinking excessively.
- Setting limits for yourself regarding how much you'll drink, but not sticking to them.
- Drinking when a situation is dangerous, such as right before you're going to drive.
- Not paying attention to your responsibilities at work, or at home.
- Attempting to quit drinking on your own, but finding that you can't.
- Feeling the need to drink as soon as you wake up in the morning.
- Participating in binge drinking several times a month.
Are any of these familiar to you? If they are, they could be signs that you're headed down a dangerous path. It's important for you to realize that something needs to change so you can recover.
Many alcoholics are very good at covering up their alcoholism. They've mastered the art of drinking excessively and then living their lives as if all is well. This allows them to continue to live in denial for as long as possible.
In order to hide the addiction effectively, addicts may use several tricks, such as:
- Drinking in secret in public settings, such as hiding in the bathroom to drink.
- Consuming large amounts of water to dilute the alcohol.
- Choosing to drink vodka because it produces less of an odor.
- Only drinking when others aren't around.
- Putting it in water bottles to consume publicly.
- Hiding it in various places around the house.
If you're not an alcoholic, the chances are pretty good that you could be abusing alcohol. Alcohol abuse is dangerous as well, and if you're an abuser, it could turn into alcoholism quickly.
There are several signs of alcohol abuse that you should be aware of, such as:
- Having memory loss after a period of drinking
- Suffering from injuries after you drink
- Worrying about having enough on hand
- Staying drunk for long periods of time
- Only attending social activities that allow or involve drinking
Sometimes people assume that they couldn't possibly have an alcohol problem. They work, they have nice homes, and they have good families. These individuals are called functional alcoholics. Perhaps this is something you're dealing with as well.
You could be a functional alcoholic if you:
- Frequently joke about your drinking
- Have legal problems that are related to your use of alcohol
- Use it as a way to feel confident
- Get drunk, even when you don't mean to
- Get angry when someone comments on your alcohol intake
- Have loved ones who are worried about your drinking habits
What Can You do if You're Living With an Alcoholic?
It is both physically and emotionally exhausting to have a spouse or loved one with alcoholism. Quite often, families feel that their hands are tied, and that there's nothing they can do. There is something you can do.
You may want to consider hosting an addiction intervention for your loved one. It might seem like a drastic step, but interventions are often extremely effective.
If you are an alcoholic, please don't ignore the signs. Choose to get the help you need so that you can recover.
Talk to a Rehab Specialist
Our admissions coordinators are here to help you get started with treatment the right way. They'll verify your health insurance, help set up travel arrangements, and make sure your transition into treatment is smooth and hassle-free.
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