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These include 24-hour hotlines, detox centers and rehab facilities. All types of alcohol use disorder, including high-functioning alcoholism, are treatable. Treatment can be done through medications, therapy, support groups, or a combination. Additionally, individuals can opt into treatment programs that offer varying levels of care depending on the person’s unique needs. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can impact short- and long-term physical and mental health. Getting help early on can reduce the risk of developing alcohol addiction.
There are many rehab centers and support groups, both online and in-person, for people who are working to achieve sobriety. If you’re ready to get started, contact a treatment provider today to learn more about your treatment options. If you know a high-functioning alcoholic, you have the power to make a difference. The best way for someone to help a high-functioning alcoholic is to have a forthright conversation with them about their addiction.
What is Mental Health Awareness Month and How Can I Get Involved?
Alcohol poisoning is a potential threat to high-functioning alcoholism, too. Injuries from accidents, burns, acts of aggression, and domestic violence are also possible. Sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies can be consequences of engaging in risky sexual behavior while drinking. To the outside world, someone who is a high-functioning alcoholic often does not show many signs and symptoms of someone with AUD. Below the surface, they face many of the same struggles of having an AUD, including cravings and unsuccessful attempts at quitting. You or someone you care about can get help before hitting rock bottom, but you have to start by diagnosing the problem.
Alcohol abuse left untreated can be very dangerous, as alcohol addiction tends to be progressive in nature. This means that over time an individual will build a physiological tolerance to alcohol, resulting in them needing more of the substance over time to produce the same desired effect. Delay of treatment coupled with progression of alcohol abuse can result in more damage being done over an extended period of time, especially to relationships and their physical and mental health. Furthermore, just because an individual does not meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder does not mean that their alcohol use is not problematic. Heavy drinking, which is by definition having more than three drinks a day or seven a week for women, and having more than four drinks a day or fourteen a week for men, can lead to significant problems. Heavy drinking increases the risk for liver disease, pancreatitis, cancers, brain damage, high blood pressure, and cognitive deterioration.
Risk Factors For Alcoholism
When most people hear the term, “alcoholic,” they are likely to picture a person who is unable to function in day-to-day life. They may have issues holding down a job, or being able to afford a house or a rental. But in many instances, some people with alcohol use disorder are able to function while still struggling with an alcohol dependency https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/what-is-a-high-functioning-alcoholic/ issue. An HFA may frequently not be viewed as an alcoholic by loved ones and society. This possibly places the HFA in a more dangerous situation than those traditionally viewed of an individual with an AUD. Many of these individuals experience functioning co-occurring mental health conditions while struggling with addiction.
Essentially, a high-functioning alcoholic is a person who is addicted to alcohol but has yet to really suffer from the negative consequences of their drinking. A high-functioning alcoholic may experience some consequences related to their drinking, but they are not enough to limit their ability to maintain their responsibilities. Working alcoholics can still hold down a job and possibly excel in that job. They also tend to avoid legal and social repercussions of drinking, at least for a while.
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High-functioning alcoholics don’t tend to show signs of an AUD on the surface, making it difficult for loved ones to see that they have a problem and offer help. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) now use alcohol use disorder (AUD) as an umbrella term to describe all alcohol-related issues, including high-functioning alcoholism. People who are concerned about their drinking habits, and those who are showing signs of an AUD, may wish to reach out for help and support. According to the NIAAA, the majority of people with an AUD can benefit from some form of treatment. As Josh thrives over the next few years, his drinking starts to increase.
Can you be a heavy drinker and not an alcoholic?
A study published by the CDC based on data from 138,000 study participants (the largest study of its kind ever published), found that 90% of those who identified themselves as “excessive” or “heavy” drinkers were not alcoholics; i.e., did not meet established criteria for a diagnosis of Alcohol Dependence.
Our treatment facility is accredited by the Joint Commission and LegitScript Certified. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders outlines criteria identifying substance use disorders. The treatment for a high-functioning alcoholic is the same as for any other type of addict, Benton says. Ask your doctor about getting help — whether it’s from a therapist, psychiatrist, or other addiction specialist. Organizations like the American Society of Addiction Medicine can guide you to help, too. Functional alcoholics may seem to be in control, Benton says, but they may put themselves or others in danger by drinking and driving, having risky sexual encounters, or blacking out.
What Is a Functional Alcoholic?
Furthermore, inpatient rehab and one-on-one therapy sessions and support from loved ones are critical for making a full recovery. If you or a friend are suffering from high-functioning alcoholism and alcohol dependence, speak to a licensed therapist today and get the help you need to overcome addiction. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals.
You may operate machinery or drive after drinking, putting your life and the lives of others in danger. It’s important to know that though you’ve developed a tolerance to alcohol, your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) remains unchanged by how much you drink. Even though you may not feel as drunk, your judgement is still clouded, and you will still suffer ramifications like getting a DUI if you’re pulled over while driving drunk. For example, people reference recent conversations with you, but you can’t remember them because you were drinking. These memory lapses can be severe enough that they’re considered blackouts.