Have you ever asked yourself the question, "Does drinking alcohol every night make me an alcoholic?" If the answer is yes, this might suggest you have started to form an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.
With this in mind, Martin Preston, Founder and Chief Executive at Private Rehab Clinic Delamere , has shared the signs that your casual drinking habits have developed into a dependency and how you can recognise if you have an addiction to alcohol.
How much alcohol a person should have each day, can be completely subjective depending on who is drinking. For example, for men who choose to drink, it is recommended that alcohol intake should be limited to 2 drinks or fewer per day, while for women it should be 1 or fewer a day.
However, even if you stick to the recommended daily intake of alcohol, it does not mean that you are not an alcoholic. Infact, alcoholism is not defined by how much you drink, what you drink, or when you drink it. but rather your relationship to it.
If drinking alcohol starts to affect your work and personal life, such as becoming dependent on having a drink each evening to get through your working day or struggling to cut back despite the negative consequences it may be having, it could be a sign of alcoholism even if you don’t drink every day or in large amounts.
If you’re worried about your own or your loved ones' drinking habits there are a few early warning signs to be alert for, that could indicate problem drinking.
A compulsive need to drink
Alcohol addiction is often characterised by a compulsion to drink. This means that even when a person wants to stop drinking, they are unable to do so.
While a person who drinks a glass of wine every evening might not necessarily have a problem, when the desire to drink becomes all they think about to the point they can’t stop it, it could be a sign they are struggling with alcoholism.
Spending less time at work or doing other activities
A person who is struggling with alcoholism may also become withdrawn from work or choose to engage less with activities that they used to enjoy and spend more time drinking instead. Whether that be only at the weekends or every day of the week.
Craving and loss of control
For some people, having a drink at the end of the day can be a way to unwind and help you relax, but for those that struggle with problem drinking, just one drink can be a slippery slope to a binge session when cravings override a person's senses.
Craving is often a phenomenon that is associated with addiction and can manifest either physically or psychologically. For example, a person may not be physically addicted to alcohol, but may still experience psychological cravings for it instead.
Denial and Secrecy
Another sign that could indicate that someone is addicted to alcohol is denial or secrecy. A person who has just one drink every day may use this as an excuse and claim that they ‘can’t’ be an alcoholic because they stick to the recommended daily intake.
However, denial and secrecy are often the brain's way of protecting addiction from being challenged and can more often than not be subconscious.
Progressively Drinking More Alcohol
While having a drink at the end of the day can be perfectly fine for some, those who have become dependent on having that glass of wine may begin to progressively drink more or switch to stronger types of alcohol.
This is because the more a person drinks, a tolerance begins to form meaning they have to opt for more or stronger types of alcohol to feel the same effects.
Experiencing Withdrawal Symptoms
If a person drinks every single day and starts to become dependent, over time they may begin to experience withdrawal symptoms on the days they do not have access to alcohol.
Symptoms can sometimes be life-threatening and can range from shaky hands, insomnia and anxiety to more severe problems including alcoholic seizures and hallucinations.
Continuing to Drink Despite the Negative Consequences
Those who have developed alcohol dependence, be it a result from drinking every night, or regular binge drinking episodes, may find it difficult to stop drinking despite the negative consequences it may be having on them or their loved ones.
The sufferer may even experience a close brush with death, or lose close relationships as a result of their drinking, but will be compelled to continue despite what has already happened or what could happen in the future.
Becoming Anxious or Depressed
Those who are suffering from alcoholism may also begin to experience psychological issues such as anxiety or depression as well as physical problems also.
When alcohol addiction begins to progress, damage is caused to the individual's dopamine system in the brain meaning that they are likely to become progressively more depressed and anxious.
