So, work this week was the literal worst.
You deserve to kick back with a glass of merlot!
Or, maybe you’d rather hit the club for a drink or two with friends, to blow off some
steam.
Nothing wrong with that, either.
Even doctors say a glass of red wine a day is excellent for your health.
The problem creeps in when you start becoming dependent on alcohol, which could quickly
become a dangerous addiction — and be very difficult to overcome.
So here are some warning signs your drinking is starting to get out of hand.
“We’re going streaking”
Booze is #bae
Can't imagine a weekend or even a day without alcohol?
That may be a warning sign.
In fact, feeling that every activity has to include drinks could be a sign you've become
dependent on booze.
Having one drink each day can be good for your health, but chugging a week's worth of
glasses in a single sitting destroys every single benefit alcohol can offer.
"Blarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"
Binge drinking is particularly dangerous because it raises blood pressure and interferes with
certain medications.
The dark side of binge drinking also includes alcohol poisoning, accidental injury, sexual
dysfunction, and liver damage.
But where’s the pre-party at?
Liquid courage
With a little alcohol in your system, do you feel like the life of the party?
Are you suddenly the sexiest, prettiest, most intelligent, and funniest person around?
Watch out.
You might be looking at yourself through your own beer goggles.
“I’m excited, and I feel relaxed, and I’m ready..."
"to party.”
There's even a little science that backs up the notion that alcohol boosts confidence.
Researchers conducted an experiment at a bar, asking 19 people to assess their attractiveness
on a scale of one to seven after drinking some booze.
Their alcohol levels were then measured, and the results were pretty interesting: the higher
their blood alcohol content, the higher their reported self-confidence.
“Alcohol.”
Sadly, this liquid courage can be quickly replaced with “#shame” at your unpretty,
unfunny, very drunk behavior.
Need a little “hair of the dog”?
Fuhgeddaboudit
One sure sign that your drinking is becoming a problem is you shirk your usual responsibilities
at work or home.
“I’ve got a hangover.
Who knows what that means?”
"Doesn't that mean you're drunk?"
"No, it means I was drunk yesterday."
Do you call in sick repeatedly because of hangovers?
Do you find yourself putting things off because you'd rather have a drink, instead of doing
the laundry, or finishing a project?
“What’s everybody thinkin for dinner?”
“We just ate breakfast?”
Maybe you're distracted at work because all you can think about is that martini at the
end of the day.
If any of these sound familiar, you’ve got a problem.
Friend-zone
When your relationships become affected by your drinking, that’s a huge problem.
Have those closest to you commented on your drinking, or voiced concerns that something
is just not right with you?
Or do you find yourself avoiding friends or family, to dodge any confrontations?
Maybe you think you’ve got it all under control, and those people just didn't understand
the difficult stuff you’re going through.
Do you find that you hide your drinking so no one knows just how much you're consuming?
While you might not be an alcoholic, drinking alone is certainly a red flag.
“Everybody put your glasses up and I drink to that."
Doses + mimosas
Is your drinking tied to your emotions?
Do cocktails make you feel better when you're down?
Do you drink to avoid facing the difficulties of life or a traumatic experience?
If so, you're self-medicating and this is never healthy.
“Doses and mimosas," "champagne and cocaine,
"help to get me through”
One study even found self-medicating to be the coping mechanism of choice for many suffering
from PTSD.
If you reach for a drink when you start feeling down, it may be time to unpack the real issues
behind your feelings instead of covering them up.
“Never drink to feel better, only drink to feel even better.”
“That’s fantastic!”
Raising the bar
If you’ve got a problem with alcohol, you may need more and more to get that warm, fuzzy
feeling again.
That's because your body and your brain have developed a tolerance.
As this tolerance increases, you may soon fall into dependency and eventually, full-blown
alcoholism.
Other organs in your body adapt to high alcohol consumption as well.
When you drink a lot on a regular basis, your liver adapts by producing greater amounts
of the enzymes needed to break down the alcohol more rapidly, compared to what it does in
people who rarely drink.
The liver actually becomes more efficient at metabolizing alcohol so you need more to
get the same effect.
"Shots, shots, shots, shots, shots.”
If you don't get your drinking in check, the only way you’ll feel normal will be when
you have those high levels of alcohol in your system.
You've crossed the line where alcohol is “fun”.
In fact, you completely stop feeling any buzz at this point.
Get real
Hey, you may not have a problem with alcohol — and can enjoy a glass of wine now and
then.
Awesome — you are also reaping the health benefits of moderate drinking.
Cheers!
But be careful that you’re not lying to yourself.
“I had no idea you could get drunk on mouthwash.”
If you’re experiencing any of the warning signs, it may be time to bail on the booze,
and enjoy a different way of living.
Think about it.
Giving up alcohol may be the best decision of your life.
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