People who are in a codependent relationship with an alcoholic prioritize the needs of the alcoholic over their personal needs. They often suffer a variety of mental health issues, such as low self-esteem and depression. If you’re suffering from the effects of codependency, it may be time to take a break or distance yourself from the relationship. Sometimes husbands and wives of high-functioning alcoholics are the only ones who know their spouse has alcohol problems. People addicted to alcohol may be able to function at work or in social drinking situation, but they’re unable to hide the disease from the person closest to them. It is not uncommon for individuals with AUD to experience conflict with family and friends, and have drinking negatively impact their job, schooling, and overall safety.

Characteristics of High-Functioning Alcoholics

Over time, you may struggle to maintain social and familial obligations and relationships. Many alcoholics use denial or aggression as their chosen mode of avoidance, but others have a seemingly rational explanation for their behavior. Despite saying they’re going to have “just one drink,” high-functioning alcoholics are unable to limit their alcohol consumption. functional alcoholic husband They tend to drink heavily while at a party or bar, and when it comes time for last call, they quickly down their drink then run to the bar to order another. Also, high-functioning alcoholics will finish the drinks of others and never leave a drink on the table. It’s not uncommon to see high-functioning alcoholics replace meals with a few drinks.

Signs and Symptoms of Functional Alcoholism

Alcoholics have a stereotype, and the people who have a severe addiction to alcohol are the ones who get all the press and set the standard for what society pictures as alcoholism. This stereotype can also make it difficult for loved ones to recognize moderate alcoholism in a friend or family member. Diseases like addiction tend to be highly personal, and every person’s trajectory, triggers, and prognosis will be different. The symptoms and side effects of the disorder will also differ for each person, and researchers categorize alcoholics into five distinct subtypes. The reason people with alcohol use disorders conceal how much they drink is that they feel guilty or bad about it. They know they have a problem at a subconscious level, but they aren’t ready to face it.

How to Treat High-Functioning Alcoholism

• If both parties are struggling with functional alcoholism it is recommended to attend treatment either together or at the same time.
• By opening the conversation about alcohol use disorders and recognizing potential trouble in our own habits, we can help to reduce the harm of alcohol on our families and communities.
• Discovery Point Retreat is available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have about treatment for yourself or a loved one.

Depending on the situation’s specifics and your concern, you could also work with a professional addiction treatment center or interventionist to arrange an intervention. During an intervention, loved ones come together to share how someone’s drinking is affecting them and show their support if the person decides to get help. Everyone who drinks alcohol is likely to become a high-functioning alcoholic; however, only 20 percent of them end up with this type of alcoholism. Experts have noticed various trends in such people, such as most of them are usually the ones who started drinking alcohol in their late teenage years but did not fully become addicted until their late 30s. Such people are usually the ones who drink at least five or more alcoholic drinks per sitting, and most of them also hold a college degree. There may come a point where the HFA in your life is unwilling to seek help and is continuing to drink alcoholically despite your efforts to offer help.

Why Early Intervention Is Important

Spouses may catch alcoholics drinking in secret or see the emotional side effects of alcoholism. Emotional abuse includes threats, insults and controlling behavior, according to the Office on Women’s Health website. A high-functioning alcoholic often does such a good job of hiding their issues that other people don’t know the issues exist.

Instead of staying at a treatment center, you’ll remain at home but have a regular therapy schedule and other treatment options. If you or your specific treatment provider feel it will be beneficial, medication management may also be incorporated into an outpatient program. Our treatment centers can provide help for co-occurring disorders during your inpatient stay.

What is Functional Alcoholism

Because these types of users appear stable and mostly unaffected by their drinking, the steps to effectively confront a functioning alcoholic and work with them on their behaviors can be even more difficult. Inpatient programs usually consist of therapy, medications, physical health programs and holistic options. Alcohol dependence, regardless of outward functionality, can cause serious health problems. Ongoing substance abuse can lead to depression or make existing symptoms worse. It can also cause cirrhosis of the liver, kidney failure, stomach ulcers and heart disease, to name a few. Following completion of treatment, for the high-functioning alcoholic in recovery to maintain sobriety, participation in 12-step or self-help groups is necessary.

• If your loved one has been exhibiting any of these signs, it’s important that you talk to them about it.
• Al-Anon is a free, anonymous national support for the friends and loved ones of alcoholics and ACOA is a free, anonymous national support specifically for adult children of alcoholic parents.
• Additionally, aftercare aims to help to recover alcoholics and prevent relapses by reducing cravings.
• In reality, this isn’t true, because after they consume their first alcoholic drink, they usually struggle to control their drinking.

A Personal Perspective: How working at the library helped my brain.

But maybe they drinka few glasses of wine each night to help them fall asleep. Or, they get bombed every weekend but don’t skip a beat at their demanding job. You suspect your spouse, close friend, or relative has a drinking problem. These numbers do not include people who have died in alcohol-related accidents or violence, so the overall number is likely much higher. If you have AUD but are not connected with treatment, the risk of progressing to more severe AUD is much greater.

Many even maintain excellent health and only begin to experience consequences as they age. A functional alcoholic may keep drinking throughout the day but never to the point that it interferes with their ability to perform their duties. Their moderate drinking is only an attempt to ward off cravings and keep withdrawal symptoms at bay. However, even high-functioning alcoholics can’t keep drinking problems a secret forever. Key warning signs that people are alcoholics include always ordering alcohol when they go out or struggling to control how much they drink.