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If you think alcoholics only look like those wasted people who cannot function at all, you are wrong. High-functioning alcoholics exist, and they are harder to determine than just simple alcoholics. These people are habitual drinkers who consume large amounts of alcohol more often than they should, but it is not evident in their appearance or career.
High-functioning alcoholics can maintain their professional or personal success despite their alcohol addiction. They do have an alcohol addiction, but they would either deny it or hide it through their successful outside life.
This "outside life" refers to a well-paying job, a happy family, and healthy friendships. Despite being good at hiding their alcoholism, there are still symptoms you can trace to determine if someone is a high functioning alcoholic. If you think one of your family or friends qualifies as an alcoholic, check AddictionHelper for rehabilitation centers and alcohol addiction assistance.
What are the signs?
High functioning alcoholics appear responsible and productive. That is why many individuals think they are healthy and not addicted. In addition to that, they can also easily deny alcoholism allegations because their life is going well. However, experts say high functioning alcoholics are far from being acceptable. They might be able to handle significant responsibilities for a while, but they will eventually break due to their addiction.
Listed below are some tips in determining if a person is a high-functioning alcoholic.
Avoiding confrontation
A high-functioning alcoholic will do their best to deny or hide their large alcohol intake. If you try to confront them, there is a high possibility that they will just get angry and fight you. They do not like admitting the truth that they are addicted to alcohol. You have to approach them in a friendly way, but sometimes you just can't get through them. High-functioning alcoholics sometimes do not believe they are alcoholics because they function differently than the stereotypical alcohol addict.
Relationship conflicts
Even if they can keep up socially despite their excessive drinking habits, high functioning alcoholics can still lose relationships. This is most probably related to their drinking because someone decided to interfere with their alcoholic practices. If you notice someone losing relationships or having conflicts due to alcohol but still do not quit drinking, they might be a high-functioning alcoholic.
Inability to keep up
The hallmark of a high functioning alcoholic is the ability to keep doing their significant responsibilities. However, they might be unable to do this due to their drinking habits after some time. Once they start breaking down and losing track of their responsibilities, that is when you can be sure they are a high-functioning alcoholic.
There are many more indications to look for to determine whether or not someone is a high-functioning alcoholic. If you know someone who checks out as one, you should immediately tell them to get help. Alcohol addiction can thoroughly ruin a person's life, so they should get rehabilitated before they end up losing their lives to alcohol.