stages of alcoholism Archives - Best Rahabs In Arizona

Functioning Alcoholics

Across the country, nearly 18 million adults have an alcohol use disorder. With such a high number, it would be impossible for each of these disorders to look the same. Before we talk about the different types of alcoholism and signs of functioning alcoholism, let’s go over what it means to be a functioning alcoholic.

Unlike the defeated scenes we see on TV, many alcoholics in real life aren’t living at rock bottom. They are getting up and going to work each day, often in high-paying careers. They have meaningful relationships and are generally well-educated.

Functioning alcoholics can appear, on the surface, to have their lives in order. Many maintain a relatively normal life, including a full social circle, home life, and career. You may not ever know that functioning alcoholics were averaging five drinks or more just about every other day.

While people in this category may function better than others, that does not mean that this is a sustainable way to live. Alcoholism is a severe, chronic disease. The disease and its side effects only get worse over time.

Other Types of Alcoholism

We talk a lot about functioning alcoholics, but did you know that this is only one type of five? The other four are young adult, young antisocial, intermediate familial, and chronic severe alcoholics. You may notice that two out of five of these categories mention a specific age group.

That is because young adults account for over half of the total number of alcoholics in the country. In the past, alcoholics were generally imagined to be middle-aged, divorced, and otherwise down on their luck.

But this is not always the case. In fact, it is not even the case half of the time. In the same way that every person is unique, every addiction is, too. It is time for us all to learn more about alcoholism so that we can be better prepared to overcome it, no matter how it looks for you.

Signs of a Functioning Alcoholic

As we mentioned above, functioning alcoholics average five drinks in a day about every other day. They are generally working, older adults with stable social and familial relationships, more education, and higher incomes.

Additionally, they will carry out daily tasks of living with minimal disruptions. Work, hygiene, childcare, bill paying, and social activities can be completed without exhibiting the impairments that are normally associated with an alcohol use disorder.

But the compulsive drinking of a functioning alcoholic can make it harder to tell when you’ve crossed a line. If your drinking tolerance has increased, you have started to hide your drinking from others, or you become defensive when your drinking is questioned, these are all signs of a functioning alcoholic.

Additional Functioning Alcoholic Symptoms

An increased tolerance to alcohol, the compulsion to hide your drinking, and becoming emotional when asked about your drinking habits are three signs of trouble. Other behaviors that you or someone you love has high-functioning alcoholism include:

Regularly experiencing blackouts after drinking.
Going to work in the morning still drunk or hungover.
Sneaking drinks before or after a social event or at an event that doesn’t involve alcohol.
Getting drunk alone at home or hiding alcohol from your loved ones in the house.
Drinking even after you have developed mental or physical health problems.
Denying that you have a problem because you still go to work and or perform other important tasks.
Drinking at work or in settings that could be dangerous, including while or before you are driving.
Drinking excessively to cope with stress.
Getting overwhelming alcohol cravings when you are not drinking.
Lying about the extent of your drinking to yourself or those who care about you.
Comparing yourself to others who have experienced more severe alcohol-related problems.

Are You a High Functioning Alcoholic?

As you can see, there are many signs that you may be a functioning alcoholic. You may experience a few of these events or circumstances or many of them. No two functioning alcoholics will have exactly the same experience.

But chances are good that if you see yourself in this list, it is time to seek help. Our expert medical staff can help evaluate your concerns and look objectively at your drinking habits. They will help you determine which of your behaviors are problematic and how to fix them from there.

You do not have to face high functioning alcoholism alone. And the ability to carry out daily responsibilities does not mean that you will be safe from more serious side effects down the line. Over time, alcoholism impairs your mental and physical health.

Living with alcoholism long-term will not do. The sooner you decide to change your life, the sooner your life can begin to change.

How to Help a Functioning Alcoholic in Denial

If your spouse, parent, child, or sibling is exhibiting concerning drinking behaviors, you would not be the first person to wonder how to live with a high functioning alcoholic. Many people who battle alcoholism will hide their drinking and become defensive or angry when questioned.

These are two signs of an alcoholic in denial. It is not always easy to approach someone who is battling addiction. But early interference and treatment can save someone from years of struggles.

It can help prevent further mental or physical health complications and ensure that your loved one can live a happy, healthy, sober life. For a mild alcohol use disorder, treatment is minimally disruptive.

They can attend outpatient treatments, including behavioral therapy sessions, stress management training, and support groups. This type of program is ideal for those who have work and family obligations to attend to at home.

Before considering a professional intervention, consider having an open, honest conversation with them about their drinking habits. Calmly and supportively encourage them to speak to a professional about these habits.

It can be a counselor at our facility or their regular doctor. Getting them talking is a great first step. Talk to them about what you have learned here. And know that denial is normal at first.

Seeking Help for Yourself

If you are seeking help for yourself instead of a loved one, the suggestions listed above also apply. Outpatient care is ideal for those with milder addictions, full-time jobs, or family obligations that make it difficult to commit to a full-time program.

Because you have already demonstrated that you can maintain a relatively normal life and schedule as a high functioning alcoholic, full-time care isn’t typically necessary. But it is available if you need it.

Functioning Alcoholic Treatments

Behavioral therapy and medication are two of the most common treatment methods for functioning alcoholics. The medication will help ease withdrawal symptoms, including alcohol cravings, to help set you up for success.

And behavioral therapy will help you understand and overcome the stressors, situations, and feelings that lead you to drink in the first place.

Choosing Best Rehabs In Arizona

If you or someone you love is battling high functioning alcoholism, help is available. Through various personalized addiction programs and treatments, we provide everything you need to build a better life.

Call our addiction counselors today at 866-576-4892 to get started. Today is a good day for a fresh start.

Am I An Alcoholic?

If you’ve ever felt like alcoholics on TV and in movies all resemble each other, you’re not alone. In reality, alcoholics come in many different forms. Addiction, whether to alcohol or drugs, is a chronic disease.

Researchers and medical professionals are still working hard to determine why some people become addicted while others do not. But one thing we do know is that every addiction is unique. Your experience and side effects won’t look the same as anyone else’s.

Nearly 18 million American adults have an alcohol use disorder. These disorders are never one-size-fits-all. Alcohol disorders can range from mild to severe. Many alcoholics continue to go to work, spend time with family and friends, and manage other daily responsibilities.

In the following sections, we will break down the risk factors and different types of alcoholics to give you a better idea of where you stand.

Risk Factors for Alcohol Use Disorders

The exact cause of alcohol use disorder is unknown. Currently, we have a deeper understanding of the risk factors that can increase your risk of developing it. Some of the most common risk factors for alcohol use disorder include:

Having over 15 drinks per week if you’re male and over 12 drinks per week if you’re female.
Having more than five drinks on the same day at least once per week.
Having one or more parents with an alcohol use disorder.
Having pre-existing mental health concerns, including anxiety disorders, depression, or schizophrenia.
Having a high pressure or stressful work or school life.
Having low self-esteem.
Facing consistent peer pressure or spending time with others who treat alcohol abuse as something normal.

Symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder

The same way that your risk factors and side effects can vary, the symptoms of alcohol use disorder can vary, too. You may notice that you or your loved one has been drinking alone or dodging responsibilities to spend more time drinking.

You may also notice that you need to drink more to get drunk because your tolerance is higher than it used to be. Others battling alcoholism can become angry or violent when questioned about the frequency of their drinking.

Continuing to drink after problems arise, whether in your relationships, work, or finances, is another symptom of alcohol use disorder. And neglecting your hygiene or developing unhealthy eating habits due to uncontrollable alcohol intake are other signs of trouble.

Different Types of Alcoholics

Individuals battling alcoholism fall into several different categories:

Young adult alcoholics
Young antisocial alcoholics
Functional alcoholics
Intermediate familial alcoholics
Chronic severe alcoholics

According to the same research that helped identify these different types of alcoholics, young adults account for more than half of alcoholics in the United States.

Young Adult Alcoholics

Young adult alcoholics are the largest group. They account for a total of about 32% of alcoholics in the country. This group is characterized by binge drinking rather than frequent drinking and has an average onset alcoholism age of 20.

Young Antisocial Alcoholics

In the young antisocial alcoholics’ group, the average age is 26. This group also tends to start drinking earlier than alcoholics in other categories, with most starting to drink by 15 and becoming alcoholics by 18.

More than half of the individuals in this category also have an antisocial personality disorder. Most also smoke marijuana or cigarettes. Because of these notable differences and the age gap, individuals in the young adult and young antisocial categories don’t overlap.

Functional Alcoholics

Functional alcoholics are often closer to middle-age. Functional is the keyword here. Most individuals in this category have stable marriages or relationships, are educated, they work, and have higher incomes than those in other groups.

Most functional alcoholics average five or more drinks per day every other day. Despite many media portrayals of alcoholism, it is possible to maintain a relatively normal social life, schedule, and career while battling alcohol use disorder.

Intermediate Familial Alcoholics

The intermediate familial group is about the same size as the functional alcoholics’ group. Each account for nearly 19% of all alcoholics in the country. In the intermediate group, individuals often start drinking around age 17 and become alcoholics early in their 30s.

Chronic Severe Alcoholics

At just 9% of the total, this is the smallest group on the list. Chronic severe alcoholics are typically men. Individuals in this category experience the highest divorce rates and are often also illicit drug users.

Many people are surprised to find that this stereotypical category is so small. When many of us imagine alcoholism, someone who fits into this category may be the first person that comes to mind. This proves that our first judgments are not always the most accurate.

Alcoholism is more common among youths and young adults than most of us previously realized. No matter what it looks like, alcohol use disorder is a severe disease that can have a significant impact on your physical and mental health.

Types of Alcoholics – Slang Names

Most people are more familiar with slang names than the groups listed above. You might recognize the terms binge drinker, weekend warrior, drunk, or wine-o rather than recognize the difference between a functional alcoholic and an intermediate familial alcoholic. And that’s okay.

We offer the knowledge, guidance, and care you need to leave your addiction behind you. No one expects you to have all the answers or to face your addiction on your own. The expert team at Best Rehabs In Arizona has decades of experience in addiction care.

The first step in getting help and building a better life is learning more about the problem itself. No matter what type of alcohol use disorder you have or what category you fall into, alcoholism gets worse over time and will not go away if you ignore it.

Determining What Types of Alcoholics You Are

If you are worried that you or someone you love is an alcoholic, the signs, symptoms, and risk factors listed above could help you make that determination. Not every alcoholic will struggle to get out of bed in the morning or hold down a job.

But not every alcoholic will find it easy to function, either. Every addiction is as unique as the person who is experiencing it. No matter which type of alcoholism you are battling, it is a battle just the same. And help is available to make it easier to overcome.

While the risk factors, signs, symptoms, and side effects may vary, each type of alcoholism can be improved with the right addiction treatments. At Best Rehabs In Arizona, we offer personalized and proven addiction treatments.

From full-time inpatient care to convenient and flexible part-time programs, we will meet you where you are in your recovery journey and help you get where you need to be. With safe, comfortable, and luxurious facilities in Colorado and Arizona, help is closer than you might think.

Seeking Help for Alcoholism

If you have experienced the symptoms above or are worried about someone you care about, don’t wait another day to seek treatment. Alcohol and drug addictions only get worse and harder to combat over time.

Call our addiction counselors any time, day or night, weekday, or weekend at 866-576-4892. They are on call to help confirm your insurance and start to put together a program that meets your unique addiction, goals, and recovery needs.

Tag: stages of alcoholism

What is a Functioning Alcoholic?