Am I an Alcoholic?

Are you an alcoholic? So, your drinking may have gotten a little out of hand. You have started to experience some small consequences as a result of your drinking – perhaps your…

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Are you an alcoholic?

So, your drinking may have gotten a little out of hand. You have started to experience some small consequences as a result of your drinking – perhaps your interpersonal relationships have become somewhat strained, or your performance at work or school is being compromised. Maybe you have even begun to wrack up some legal consequences. If you are currently reading this blog, you have likely at least considered the fact that your alcohol consumption is currently doing more harm than good, and that taking a ‘break’ from the booze and the beer may benefit you. Have you attempted to cut back on your use, only to find that you were unable? Have you tried to cease your consumption entirely, only to find that you lasted a week at most before caving under the overwhelming desire to get good and drunk? If you find it difficult to cut back or quit in light of increasingly severe consequences, you may be an alcoholic.

alcoholism

Alcoholics like the effect produced by alcohol; they like the way that drinking makes them feel. Most alcoholics have come to solely rely on the anesthetizing effects of alcohol to help them cope with reality. Without booze, life may seem altogether impossible to face. Thus, it makes perfect sense that admitting powerlessness over alcohol – admitting that life with alcohol has be come exceedingly unmanageable – is no small feat for the true alcoholic. With admission of powerlessness comes the potential for the only known coping mechanism to be torn away, and then facing reality will become nothing short of necessity. How terrifying is that? For those who lack personal experience with alcoholism, it is difficult (near impossible) to understand why someone would apparently opt to continue drinking despite negative consequences – perhaps despite a threat of total personal deterioration. In fact, the matter of choice has likely been removed from the situation entirely.

Alcoholism

There are several questions you can ask yourself that may help you determine whether or not inpatient alcohol recovery has become a necessity.

  1. Have you ever attempted to stop drinking for an extended period of time, finding that you were only able to last a few days?
  2. Have you ever switched from one drink to another in attempts to control your drinking? For example, attempting to limit yourself only to beer or wine and vowing to lay off of the ‘hard stuff’.
  3. Do you wish that your close friends and love d ones would stop mentioning your drinking patterns and mind their own business?
  4. Have you recently suffered any alcohol-related consequences (legal, personal, or work-related)?
  5. Has your drinking ever caused issues at home?
  6. Do you envy those who can drink without suffering any consequences?
  7. Have you ever taken a drink in the morning to save you the pain of an especially bad hangover?
  8. Do you ever drink before parties or bring your own alcohol to parties for fear that there will not be ‘enough’ alcohol there?
  9. Have you missed days of work or school because your drinking got out of hand the night before?
  10. Do you frequently experience blackouts or lapses in memory?
  11. Do you tell yourself (or have you convinced yourself) that you can quit drinking at any time, but you simply do not want to?
  12. Have you ever considered the fact that your life may be better, more manageable, and more fulfilling if you quit drinking altogether?

If you answered ‘yes’ to the majority of the above-listed questions, you may want to consider the fact that drinking has become a serious problem in your life. Please keep in mind the fact that alcoholism is a highly progressive disease – if left untreated, symptoms will always get worse, never better. We at Maui Recovery have extensive experience in helping alcoholics set solid and lasting foundations for long-term sobriety. Of course, the very first step in setting such a foundation is admitting defeat and becoming open to outside help. If you would like to learn more about our Hawaii alcohol recovery retreat center or simply discuss the implications of alcoholism further, give us a call today at 808-359-2761.

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If you’re struggling with an addiction, or know a friend or family member who is, reach out to one of our experts today. We’re here for you.

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