Am I An Alcoholic?
Unfortunately, there exist many misleading stereotypes when it comes to alcoholism. When you think of alcoholism, you think of the homeless person living under a bridge or any other stereotype you have in mind. Request a CallbackBy John Gillen - Last Updated: February 2, 2024
Clinically Reviewed on December 2, 2023 by Dr Robert Lutaaya. All information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.
The misrepresentation of alcoholism is that it only happens to people who might be financially disadvantaged. However, nothing is further from the truth.
Alcoholism can happen to everybody – no matter age, financial status or race. Even people who are considered to be high functioning and have well paid jobs and a healthy social life – can still be considered a high functioning alcoholic.
Are you worried yourself about your alcohol intake? Have you been struggling to keep yourself alcohol free?
Are you asking yourself the question “Am I an Alcoholic” too often? You might be suffering from an alcohol addiction.
However, you might also be worrying about it too much on the other hand, and your alcohol intake is normal. On this page, we can help you assess yourself and check if you are suffering from alcoholism.
Am I An Alcoholic If I Drink On A Daily Basis?
Most Alcoholics drink every night, but so do non-alcoholics. If you cannot stop drinking large amounts of alcohol every night, you might be suffering from alcoholism in that case.
However, if you just drink one glass of wine or one beer per night, you might not be an alcoholic.
All is dependent on your intake amount. The government has released a new guideline on alcohol intake per person per week – and the limit is at 14 units per week. 14 units per week calculates to 9 glasses of wine per week or 7 pints per week.
If you have a glass of wine or a pint every night – and you are able to cut it out when you need to – there is nothing to be worried about in terms of an addiction, and if you ask yourself the question “Am I an Alcoholic?” , you can soundly say no.
However, there is a different issue with a daily intake of alcohol. Alcohol is one of the rare enzymes that your liver is not able to break down as quickly as other enzymes. This is why it is recommended you take regular breaks of a day before and after drinking.
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Start your Recovery - Call us nowWhen Am I An Alcoholic?
Alcoholism is not really possible to be defined under a certain symptom. Nor is it possible to be diagnosed as an alcoholic by a doctor. However, you can find out if you are an alcoholic by asking yourself the following questions.
Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
If you have to ask yourself this question, there might be an indication that you might be addicted. If you neglect other interests in order to drink alcohol or you continue to drink alcohol despite being aware of the social, health financial and professional consequences of continuing to do so to – you should be cutting down on your drinking.
Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
There are a few examples of this, for example if you drink in isolation. You thus drink for effect, and not for social reasons. This could lead to you ignore your friends and family so you can drink more alcohol.
Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
Not only will alcohol lower your serotonin levels, but also that of another chemical in your brain, dopamine. Dopamine is linked with your motivation levels and reinforcing pleasure.
If you struggle to fall asleep, it’s most likely cause you have a low level of these, which will in turn makes you less tired and you’ll be up all night before you know it.
Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover (eye-opener)?
If you have been drinking alcohol first thing in the morning, it could indicate an addiction. Many alcoholics feel that they cannot function without alcohol.
Showing signs of an Alcoholic?
If this is the case, you really should consider undergoing alcohol rehab at a residential rehab clinic. Ocean Recovery Centre offers a full alcohol rehab and detox service.
We maintain clinics across the United Kingdom. Get in touch with our admissions team today on 01923 804 139.
John Gillen - Author - Last updated: February 2, 2024
John is one UK’s leading professionals in the addiction recovery industry. Pioneering new treatment techniques such as NAD+ and ongoing research into new therapy techniques such as systematic laser therapy, John is committed to providing the very best treatment for people throughout the UK and Europe. During his extremely busy schedule, John likes to regularly update our blog section with the latest news and trends in the industry to keep visitors to our site as well informed as possible on everything related to addiction treatment.
Dr Robert Lutaaya - Clinical Reviewer - Last reviewed: December 2, 2023
MBChB, MSc Psych
Dr Robert Lutaaya qualified in 1995 from Worclaw Medical University as MBChB, and obtained a MSc Psych from the University of Manchester in 2014. Dr Lutaaya has previously worked for the CGL Substance Misuse Service and as an on-call doctor substance misuse Doctor for 17 years before joining Ocean Recovery. Dr Robert Lutaaya is committed to helping those struggling with alcohol and drug addictions.
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