Legacy Healing Center Blog

Social drinking. Heavy drinking. Binge drinking. Problem drinking. All of these classifications have different definitions, but they do not necessarily mean a person is an alcoholic. So, how can you tell if a person you care about is suffering from alcoholism? Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to know for sure. However, there are a few telltale signs that you may be overlooking.

Warning Signs of Alcohol Addiction

1. Your loved one is unable to stop drinking or control how much he or she drinks. Even moderate and problem drinkers are able to exert some degree of control over their consumption of alcohol. For people who are truly addicted, however, this is extremely difficult or impossible.
2. Your loved one is progressively drinking larger amounts of alcohol. If you notice more and more empty bottles or cans in the garbage each week, this may indicate that your loved one is building a tolerance to alcohol that requires heavier consumption to achieve the desired effect.
3.  Your loved one seems to crave alcohol and experiences alcohol withdrawal symptoms when not drinking. Some of these symptoms may include:
   • Mild anxiety
   • Delirium tremens (DTs)
   • Confusion
   • Rapid heartbeat
   • Fever

While drinking alone or experiencing blackouts are clear signs of alcohol abuse, they do not necessarily show that your loved one is physically or psychologically addicted. Combine these behaviors with the three alcohol addiction warning signs above, though, and the likelihood of a clinically diagnosable addiction increases dramatically.

Helping a Loved One with Alcohol Addiction

Whether your loved one is technically addicted to alcohol or not, it’s important to remember that things can quickly get worse. So if you notice these warning signs of alcoholism, you ultimately have a couple of choices: You can do nothing and hope that the problem goes away on its on (it won’t). Or, you can reach out to your loved one with love and support. Learn more about alcohol addiction rehab or call Legacy Healing Center today to speak with an admissions expert.