Signs of Alcohol Abuse

Not everyone who has a drinking problem is aware of their situation. Most people associate alcohol abuse or dependence with chronic (daily) drinking and/or always drinking to intoxication. But even someone who doesn’t drink very much or every day can be abusing alcohol.

According to Psychology Today, alcohol abuse is defined as “a pattern of drinking that results in one or more of the following situations within a 12-month period:

- Failure to fulfill major work, school or home responsibilities

- Drinking in situations that are physically dangerous, such as while driving a car or operating machinery

- Having recurring alcohol-related legal problems such as being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or for physically hurting someone while

- Continued drinking despite having ongoing relationship problems that are caused or worsened by the drinking.”

Social or casual drinking also becomes alcohol abuse when drinking becomes a person’s focus. If, upon arriving home at the end of the work day, a husband is more concerned with fixing a drink than connecting with his wife and kids, alcohol abuse is a problem. The same is true if someone will only attend social gatherings that include alcohol.

Some people also use alcohol to deal with stress, anxiety, or sorrow. Most people do this once in a while, but if alcohol becomes a person’s regular coping mechanism, she is abusing alcohol.

Binge drinking is another form of alcohol abuse. It’s defined as consuming a large amount of alcohol in a short amount of time. For example, someone who only drinks on the weekends may not think he has a problem. But if every weekend he drinks until he gets drunk, he’s abusing alcohol.

Alcohol abuse, and dependence on alcohol to help manage emotions, can lead to a physical dependence on alcohol. At that point, if the person stops drinking, she will experience withdrawal symptoms and will need treatment that addresses both the psychological and physical dependencies.