The Key Warning Signs That You May Have A Problem With Alcohol

When you think of an alcoholic, in the UK there’s still very much a stereotype. It’s an aged and outdated view of alcoholism that doesn’t really stand up in today’s society, and is perhaps a lazy way for many of us to shrug aside our own relationships with the substance.

“Well, I’m not like that”, would be the excuse. But the fact of the matter is over 5% of the world’s disease and injuries can be attributed to alcohol and it’s believed there are over 600,000 problem drinkers in the UK alone.

But how do you know whether you have a drinking problem? 

Signs You May Have A Problem With Alcohol

While everyone’s relationship with alcohol is different, there are a few tell-tale signs that your consumption may be unhealthy. These include:

Craving Alcohol

Firstly, if you’re craving alcohol more regularly, then it’s perhaps time to start thinking that it’s becoming unhealthy. 

That doesn’t mean fancying a pint of beer or glass of wine at the end of a stressful day at work, unless it became a regular thing, it’s more the regular want or need for alcohol for little reason at all. 

Prioritising Drinking

If you’re making more and more plans around drinking that is having an impact and becoming a priority ahead of other hobbies, interests, responsibilities and plans then there are issues that need addressing.

It’ll mean you fall out of love with the things you love, losing touch on hobbies and interests, while it will also impact your everyday life and relationships. For example, if you’re ditching chores for a trip to the pub frequently, someone else is going to have to pick up that slack, heaping pressure on then and ultimately leading to breakdowns in relationships. 

Morning Drinking

It is always 5pm somewhere, but that doesn’t mean you can pour yourself a glass of alcohol at 7am, or in fact any time in the morning.

Drinking in the morning is a sure sign of a problem with alcohol and will have a huge impact on your day-to-day life. Nobody wants to do the school run smelling of booze or endure a morning of spreadsheets with a fuzzy head. It will limit production, cloud judgement and ultimately not allow you to function effectively.

Drinking In Secret

If you’re hiding the amount you’re drinking from loved ones, or hiding it completely then you may wish to assess your relationship with booze. 

It would suggest you are drinking an unhealthy amount and are afraid of what a loved one may say – which is probably something you already know. 

Getting Help

That could indicate it’s time to get help and focus on your relationship with alcohol. There are many charities and private centres such as UKAT that can help people in their alcohol addiction, whether that be taming the consumption of it, or cutting it out altogether. 

Alcohol addiction can have such a harmful impact on not only yourself, leading to things such as depression, but those around you, so if you believe that you’re beginning to misuse it, it may be time to do something about it and get your life back on track. 

Whether it be consciously trying to limit the amount you drink and dealing with it yourself, taking part in a program, or even visiting a clinic or treatment centre if you want to kick alcohol completely, taking the next step to repairing your relationship with alcohol will only have a positive impact on your life, improving your health, relationships and more.