Most people don’t intend to become an alcoholic. Maybe your loved one’s drinking started as a way to relieve stress, but soon they found more excuses to drink. Company golf outing? It would be rude not to drink with their colleagues while out on the golf course. Just won a huge pitch they’d been working on for weeks? That calls for a celebration!
As your loved one’s drinking increases, there are little slips that start to add up. They’ve started to doze off in meetings and are taking more sick days than normal. They’re lying to you and spending more and more money on alcohol instead of family needs. Even though they’re still getting by, that doesn’t mean they’re okay.
After all, a high functioning alcoholic is still an alcoholic.
If this describes your loved one, know that help is out there. In this post, we’ll shed more light on what a high functioning alcoholic looks like. Knowledge like this is the first step towards getting the help needed to fight alcohol addiction.
Understanding the Highly Functional Alcoholic
Not everyone who struggles from an alcohol addiction hits rock bottom. So, what is a high functioning alcoholic? It’s someone who has an alcohol substance abuse disorder but is still able to keep up with their personal and professional life.
It’s common for a high functioning alcoholic to drink throughout the day to manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms. But even though they don’t outwardly show the signs of alcoholism, they still have an addiction.
But understanding the highly functional alcoholic means realizing that they can’t be functional forever. At some point, your loved one will have to address this addiction and get treatment.
High Functioning Alcoholic Signs
High functioning alcoholics can be very difficult to recognize. They often work to keep their addiction a secret and can be less likely to accept help. But alcohol addiction never occurs without any problems or consequences. Even if your loved one is functioning at work and at home, the negative effects will appear somewhere.
If you think your loved one may have a drinking problem, here are the most common signs of a high functioning alcoholic to lookout for:
- Cracking jokes about having a problem with alcohol
- Unexplained reasons or excuses for mistakes
- Unable to limit their alcohol intake to one drink
- Replacing meals with drinking
- Trying to hide or lie about the amount of alcohol they consume
- Isolating themselves from personal relationships
- Aggression or combativeness when asked about their drinking
Do High Functioning Alcoholics Need Treatment?
Just because a high functioning alcoholic isn’t seeing their life fall apart doesn’t mean they don’t need help. Without a positive change, it’s only a matter of time before the addiction causes chaos in their life.
If your loved one is a high functioning alcohol, don’t wait to get them help. With the right alcohol treatment, they have the opportunity to break away from their self-destructive behavior.
There is nothing shameful about struggling with alcohol addiction or seeking treatment. After all, one of the biggest steps for high functioning alcoholics is recognizing that they have a problem and accepting treatment.
Alcohol Addiction Treatment for High Functioning Alcoholics at Fountain Hills Recovery
Understanding of the high functioning alcoholic is built into our alcohol addiction treatment program. At Fountain Hills Recovery, we offer your loved one the opportunity to break away from their old life. The alcohol, deception and pain will begin to fade once they enter our top-rated luxury rehab center in Fountain Hills, Arizona.
With an individualized approach, we create a treatment plan that targets their personal struggles. We’re here to tell you that it’s possible for your loved one to recover and regain purpose after addiction. If your loved one is ready to start healing, contact one of our addiction specialists today.
