How do I know if my drinking has become a problem?
From the RecoveryHome team. We write some questions from situations people often ask us about, and answer them with general information from public health sources. Been through this yourself? Your answer could help the next person who finds this page. How we write team posts
RH
RecoveryHome team Team
asked 2 days ago
People often ask this quietly, before they're ready to tell anyone. What are the signs that drinking has moved from a habit into a problem?
RH
RecoveryHome team Team
answered 2 days ago · general information, not medical advice
Doctors use a checklist of signs over the past year. A few of the most common:
- Drinking more, or longer, than you meant to
- Trying to cut back and not being able to
- Spending a lot of time drinking or recovering from it
- Cravings, a strong urge to drink
- Drinking getting in the way of work, school, or family
- Continuing even though it's causing problems in relationships or with your health
- Needing more to feel the same effect
- Withdrawal symptoms when you stop, such as shakiness, sweating, poor sleep, or anxiety
Having two or more of these in a year can point to alcohol use disorder, which ranges from mild to severe. It's a health condition, not a moral failing, and it's treatable.
Next steps: the free tools at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's Rethinking Drinking site can help you look at your own pattern, and a doctor can do a confidential screening. If you've been drinking heavily every day, talk to a doctor before stopping suddenly.
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