In a culture where it seems like everyone drinks a lot, how do you know how much is too much? You may be adamant that you do not have an alcohol problem but maybe loved ones have expressed concerns? Because you do not fit the profile of an alcoholic, you may be assuming that you could not possibly be addicted. However, remember that alcoholism can affect anyone. There is no blood test to diagnose the problem; the only way to know for sure is, to be honest with yourself and look at your drinking habits.
Ask yourself the following questions to be sure:
- Have you experienced temporary blackouts or short-term memory loss?
- Do you drink alone or in secret?
- Do you feel hungover when not drinking?
- Have you neglected responsibilities and become disengaged from activities you previously enjoyed, including work, family, hobbies, sport, and spending time with friends? Do you plan your activities around drinking and find that you have less interest if there will be no alcohol involved?
- Do you find that you need more alcohol to feel the effects than you used to?
- Have you participated in dangerous or risky behaviours — drink driving, unprotected sex, etc?
- Are you experiencing relationship problems — difficulty maintaining relationships, conflict with partner, family or friends, loss of friendships, family, or relationship breakdown?
- Do your family and friends worry about your drinking?
- Have you tried stopping and believe you will, however, find you cannot stop drinking?
- Do you suffer from anxiety, tremors, sweating, nausea, and stomach pain when you are not drinking?
- Do you find yourself with a glass in your hand not long after school pick-up, no matter how much you had told yourself (and believed) that morning that you were not going to drink today?
- Is your life controlled by drinking? Do you spend a large amount of time drinking, obtaining, or thinking about drinking?
- Do you lie about how much you’re drinking?
- Is hiding alcohol a problem?
- Do you find it difficult to go to school related events in the evenings, because it is too hard not to start drinking before you go, and then it is too hard to stop?
- Are you embarrassed about your drinking?
- Do you walk to school pick up because you have been drinking?
If you answered yes to any of these, you may like to contact us for help.