Signs of Alcohol Abuse

Signs of Alcohol Abuse

Consumption of alcohol is a common and socially accepted phenomenon. Many people drink alcohol for the purpose of socializing or enjoyment. But when drinking alcohol leads to trouble in job, health or relationships, it is diagnosed as alcohol abuse. Detection of alcohol abuse is possible if one observes the following signs and symptoms:

Physical Signs-
Red-eyes and slurred speech: A person who is abusing alcohol will have bloodshot eyes even during work hours or early morning and his speech will be slurred heavily.
Lack of hygiene: The person suffering with alcohol abuse will be presenting poor hygiene habits and mostly looks unkempt.
Sudden weight gain/loss: Drastic gain or loss in weight in a short period is a major sign of alcohol abuse.
Lowered immunity levels: Alcohol abusers tend to fall sick more often than non-abusers of alcohol.
Change in sleeping pattern: A person suffering from alcohol abuse may be following an irregular sleeping pattern which may vary from sleeping for too many hours to sleeping too little leading to insomnia.

Behavioral Signs:

Mood Swings: A person suffering from alcohol abuse may be undergoing variations in mood ranging from throwing temper tantrums to display of verbal as well as physical aggression under the influence of alcohol.
Lack of interest in enjoyable activities: An alcohol abuser is likely to suffer from depression and may exhibit a lack of interest in pleasurable activities enjoyed previously.
Negligence of duties at home and work area: A person who is drinking and displaying laxity in performing tasks at home or office is decidedly suffering from alcohol abuse. For example- Neglecting ones children, not able to meet deadlines at work due to hang-over, performing poorly in exams and dropping out of college are a few symptoms of alcohol abuse.
Irresponsible social behavior: Drinking and driving rashly on the road endangering other people’s lives, picking up physical fights in an inebriated condition and combining drugs with alcohol tantamount to alcohol abuse problem.
Persistent drinking: Alcohol abusers continue to drink even when their drinking problem adversely affects their relationships at home especially with their spouse and children. Most of the times persistent drinking problems lead to domestic violence and end with divorce.
Irritability: A person shows irritable behavior in the form of aggressive arguments; temper tantrums and restlessness when he/she is not drinking. This is undoubtedly a sign of abuse.
Hiding the drinking habit: An alcohol abuser tends to disguise his/her drinking habit from his/her family members and colleagues. The person may even go to the extent of buying liquor from different sellers in order to camouflage ones addiction to alcohol.
Lack of self-control: A person abusing alcohol generally starts drinking for relaxation or for social obligations but he/she is unable to stop drinking once started. It generally results in the drunken person passing out and his/her inability to remember events later on.