Drinking Problem

Have you ever asked yourself, Do I have a drinking problem? Drinking is a socially accepted practice, but alcohol is a potentially dangerous indulgence.

Hard Times from Drinking Alcohol

Any amount of alcohol is too much if it

• Affects your health
• Gets you into legal trouble
• Damages your relationships with family or friends
• Interferes with your responsibilities or
• Causes you to behave in a way you're not proud of.

Even if it's not causing you any problems yet, most doctors will say you're drinking too much if:

• You're a man under 65, and you have more than 14 drinks per week or more than four drinks at a time.
• You're a woman under 65, and you have more than 7 drinks per week or more than three drinks at a time.
• You're a man or woman over 65, and you have more than 7 drinks per week or more than three drinks at a time.

One drink may be less than you think. One serving of alcohol, which is what's meant by "one drink," is:

• One 12 ounce bottle of beer containing 4.5% alcohol.
• One 5 ounce glass of wine containing 12.9% alcohol.
• One 1.5 ounce shot of 80-proof distilled spirits.

Mixed drinks often contain more than one serving of alcohol. A martini or other cocktail can have two or three shots of liquor. If you're used to pouring for yourself, try measuring the actual amount. You might be surprised.

These questions were developed to help doctors find out quickly and accurately if a patient has a drinking problem. Even one "yes" answer suggests you're headed for trouble. More than one means it's very likely that you have a problem with alcohol.

• Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
• Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
• Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
• Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning (as an “eye opener”) to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover?

Here are some other signs your drinking might be a problem:

• You have frequent arguments with family members about how much you drink.
• You find yourself hiding the liquor or slipping out to have a couple of drinks without telling anyone.
• You lie about drinking.
• You've driven drunk or gotten into legal trouble because of drinking.
• You drink to get relief from your personal life or professional pressures.
• You have trouble stopping, so that you drink when you didn't plan to or get drunk when you were just going to 'have a few drinks.'
• You drink when you're alone.
• Your friends or family are concerned about your drinking.
• You need more and more alcohol to get the same effect as when you first started drinking.
• You experience ‘blackouts’ and are not able to recall events that happened when you were drinking.
• You have trouble at work or with other areas of your life due to your drinking habits.
• You're drinking more and more often, or in increasing amounts.
• You become violent when drinking or behave in other ways you normally wouldn't.

Drinking can be a problem for anyone, of any age, social situation or profession. And different people can have different kinds of drinking problems. One person might lose his or her job and end up homeless; another might continue in a high-level profession while his or her personal life falls apart. And a third person might hold on to job and family, but be slowly dying from alcohol-related liver failure—and be unable to stop drinking.

Just admitting that you're having trouble is an enormously important step. Here are some people and groups who can help:

• Your doctor. Alcoholism is considered a type of illness, and most doctors will be glad to help you get better. Together, you can make a plan for you to cut down or quit. And your doctor can help you find a counselor, support group, and other sources of assistance.
• Alcoholics Anonymous. AA doesn't work for everyone, but it's helped many thousands of people. Learn how find a local meeting at the AA web site here].
• A therapist or counselor. There are mental health professionals who specialize in alcohol problems. A therapist or counselor can help you uncover and overcome any underlying issues that influence your drinking. He or she can also help ease your transition as you learn to live without alcohol.
• Your family and friends. If you think you have a drinking problem, they've probably noticed, too. Let the people close to you know that you're trying to stop. Ask them for their help and support.

To learn more about alcoholism, visit the informative slideshow Alcoholism Stages.

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• Alcoholism Physical Symptoms