High-Functioning Alcoholics Signs and Treatment
Although it’s important to recognize the early signs of AUD, it’s never too late to seek help and start a journey towards recovery. To get a better understanding of the long-term effects of excessive alcohol consumption, let’s take a look at what alcohol use disorder is, as well as the signs and symptoms of high-functioning alcoholism. If you are a high functioning alcoholic, you may start to experience problems in your relationships or at work or school.
- However, if your husband is in denial about the extent of his drinking, then he may not be ready or willing to consider seeking treatment.
- People who are close to high-functioning alcoholics need to avoid becoming codependent.
- Alcoholism is a chronic and progressive disease that causes many sufferers to continue drinking despite the negative consequences.
- These achievements often lead to an increase in personal denial as well as denial from colleagues and loved ones.
- An important sign of alcoholism, including high-functioning alcoholism, is having a high tolerance to alcohol due to excessive drinking.
Center for Teens, Young Adults and Families
Managing AUD is a lifelong process, so the earlier you or your loved one seeks help, the more likely you are to succeed in overcoming the disorder and limiting recurrence. Since people with high-functioning AUD can be on the milder spectrum of the condition, the earlier treatment happens, the more it may be possible to avoid a progression. A doctor may also diagnose AUD by asking about your health history and drinking patterns. If you give permission, they may speak to your family or loved ones regarding how much you drink. There is research showing that about 19.5 percent of drug addiction people with AUD are middle-aged, well-educated, and have stable jobs, homes, and families.
Day Inpatient Rehab in Colorado
He has a solid career, loves you and the kids and is the life of the party in social situations. But if people could see what he is like in the privacy of your home, they may form a different opinion. He comes home from work each night and gets a beer or a glass of whiskey before doing anything else. Even worse, when your husband isn’t drinking, your home life is filled with emotional unpredictability—you don’t know what moods he will be cycling through so you often feel on edge. If this sounds like the scenario in your marriage, your spouse may be struggling with an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Speaking about the issues you’ve been facing may seem small, but it’s an important step towards bringing your addiction under control.
High Functioning vs Non-High Functioning Alcoholics
There are different treatment options available depending on your situation. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an effective worldwide organization of peer-facilitated support groups that helps people recover from alcoholism. It does not necessarily “treat” AUD but can help people with AUD cope. Unfortunately, being in denial will only prevent you from getting early treatment for alcoholism. Even if you consume small amounts https://ecosoberhouse.com/ throughout the day, it will cause your alcohol tolerance to build up slowly.
Our levels of care include medical detox, inpatient rehabilitation and intensive outpatient programs (IOPs). No matter where you are in your recovery journey, our team will be there every high functioning alcoholic step of the way. High-functioning alcoholism can carry an especially heavy burden because it is easy for someone with this type of alcohol use disorder to live in denial that there is a problem. After all, they think that they are still able to drink while handling their daily responsibilities.