Many people who enjoy drinking alcohol ask themselves at some point, “Am I an alcoholic?” The truth is that it’s often difficult to know if you have a problem or not because so many people drink. This is true for people who like to drink socially or just unwind after a stressful day at the office. Some people drink every day but don’t have the disease of alcoholism, so it’s important to know what types of symptoms indicate alcoholism.
Common signs that help answer “Am I an Alcoholic?” include:
- You can identify with the mental obsession and physical craving
- Your friends and family have talked to you about how much you drink
- You feel guilty after drinking
Am I an Alcoholic if I Drink Daily?
What confuses many people is that someone can drink every day, but this doesn’t mean that he or she has alcoholism. There are others who may drink less frequently who do have alcoholism due to how they react to alcohol. Understanding the mental obsession and physical craving helps you understand the problem and gets rid of some misconceptions. The biggest misconception is that someone who has a job, money, and family doesn’t have alcoholism, but this isn’t true. Once you acknowledge a problem, you can rely on alcoholism treatment to help you recover
The physical craving shows up when a person can’t stop or moderate his or her drinking once they have one drink. Something happens within the body that makes the person feel as though they need more, and there’s never enough. The mental obsession involves constantly thinking about where the next drink is coming from, and it’s distracting. Those with alcoholism have a difficult time focusing with friends or family or while at work because they are thinking about the next drink.
Am I an Alcoholic if My Loved Ones Make Comments?
Alcoholism makes it difficult for a person to separate the true from the false because the brain feels like it needs alcohol. When loved ones approach a person about perceived alcoholism, he or she often gets extremely defensive or disregards the comments. Some with alcoholism may believe that his or her family is just trying to overstep or ruin his or her good time. The truth of the situation is that your friends and family love you and they’re trying to point out an increasing problem.
Do You Feel Guilty after Drinking?
Even while in denial about alcoholism, there’s still a part of the person that knows his or her drinking has become a problem. The person may begin drinking alone or hiding alcohol, and this can bring up feelings of guilt. Another reason guilt may arise is because whenever you drink, you do something that you regret. Drinking makes you feel guilty, but you continue drinking to cover up the guilt.
If you are ready to end the cycle of alcohol addiction and answer the question, am I an alcoholic, allow Steps Recovery to help. We have the right program for you, including alcohol counseling, and we’re ready to help. Call 267.719.8528.
