Author: James Anderson

How to Recognize a Functional Alcoholic

Both residential and outpatient day treatment programs are available for those in recovery. It can also ultimately lead to relationship difficulties as well as legal and financial problems. There are no official diagnostic criteria for what it means to be high functioning.

High-functioning alcoholics can benefit from having an at-home support system before, during and after any form of treatment for their addiction. There are hundreds of resources all over the country designed to address the issue of alcohol abuse and addiction. Certain factors may increase your risk of developing an alcohol problem.

Because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website. Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today. We may receive advertising fees if you follow links to promoted online therapy websites. The incredibly important first step is to recognize your need for help and move past denial. It can be hard to stop enabling someone you care about once you’ve recognized it. Try to talk openly to the person about your concerns, and encourage them to seek help from resources like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

If you think that you or someone you know may be drinking too much, ask your doctor about getting help – whether it’s from a therapist, psychiatrist, or other addiction specialist. Organizations such as the American Society of Addiction Medicine can guide you to help, too. The classic picture of someone with alcohol use disorder is someone who always drinks too much and whose life is falling apart because of it. Family members may feel on edge and worried about their loved ones drinking. They may take steps to avoid the person while they are drinking, or they may experience feelings of guilt, shame, or self-blame. An individual who is suffering from addiction is more likely to socialize with others who drink and attend social events where drinking is encouraged (i.e., at bars, clubs, or cocktail parties).

Drinking As A Reward

As their reliance on alcohol increases, you may begin to notice that your loved one downplays the role alcohol has in their lives and makes excuses for their actions, especially their drinking. You may hear them called “functional” or “high-functioning” alcoholics. But those aren’t official medical terms. A functional alcoholic often consumes as much alcohol as someone with an alcohol use disorder. One of the main reasons that people who misuse alcohol seek help is the eventual negative consequences of their alcohol consumption. When the pain or embarrassment gets bad enough, they can no longer deny that their drinking needs to be addressed. Multiple areas of a high-functioning alcoholic’s life are greatly affected by the addiction.

These criteria are often internal struggles, not observable to others. Someone can live with alcohol use disorder without anyone else noticing. Outpatient programs make it possible for you to get treatment during the day and still live at home. The National Institute of Health suggests that loved ones should start by talking about their concerns. Instead, voice your concerns, share how their drinking is affecting others, and suggest ways that you can help them talk to a doctor or join a support group. If you are concerned about your loved one’s drinking, it can be helpful to join a support group such as Al-Anon.

1. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals.
2. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism.
3. However, this and other related misnomers such as “functional alcoholic” are no longer used because of the potential stigma that can prevent someone from seeking help.
4. This could include people with high-functioning AUD, but these criteria are not definitive characteristics.
5. High-functioning alcoholics can benefit from having an at-home support system before, during and after any form of treatment for their addiction.
6. An individual who is suffering from addiction is more likely to socialize with others who drink and attend social events where drinking is encouraged (i.e., at bars, clubs, or cocktail parties).

It may also cause an individual to refuse to travel to areas where alcohol access may be limited. You may begin to notice that a couple of beers after work has turned into a six-pack or even a case. As time goes on and tolerance increases, they may attempt to hide the growing problem, and a growing number of empty bottles or cans, from friends and family. While their appearance may not be any different and they can still fulfill their responsibilities, you’ll start to see a pattern develop of turning to alcohol to cope with family, work or personal issues.

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I, too, struggled to see that I could be accomplished academically and then professionally while drinking alcoholically. My image of the alcoholic was always an individual who could not hold his or her life together, and I certainly did not fit that description. My denial was deeply rooted and was reinforced not only by my loved ones but by society as a whole. As alcohol use increases, high-functioning alcoholics may begin to cancel appointments or other engagements in an effort to hide hangovers, withdrawal symptoms, and other indications of addiction. The reality of what an addiction to alcohol looks like in terms of outward appearances varies for different individuals.

Intervening in the addictive behavior may be seen as a threat to the family’s financial security — even if the family must put up with emotional neglect or physical abuse. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics noted that nearly 60% of violent incidents against a domestic partner or family member were committed under the influence of alcohol. The most in-depth care allows you to live full time at a treatment facility. These setups can also work along with 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

Today, healthcare professionals would say that a person has an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Sadly, according to the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, only 25 percent of alcoholics ever receive treatment—indicating a serious problem of denial on a societal level. Many are not viewed by society as being alcoholic, because they have functioned, succeeded and/or over-achieved throughout their lifetimes.

Binge drinking, social pressures, family history, mental health issues, and excess alcohol use can all increase your risk of developing an alcohol use disorder. Functional alcoholics are often intelligent, hardworking and well-educated. Their professional status or personal success can make it hard to approach them about having a “problem” with alcohol.

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Although you may still hear people talking about “alcoholism” or “alcohol abuse,” the official term is alcohol use disorder (AUD). And it’s all still problem drinking, even if you think it’s “mild.” If AUD goes unrecognized and untreated, it’s linked to risks in many aspects of your health and life. Unfortunately, even when functional alcoholics begin to recognize that they have a drinking problem, they still resist reaching out for help. By the time they admit the problem, their withdrawal symptoms—which can begin within a few hours after their last drink—can become more and more severe. My understanding of HFAs is also from a personal perspective—I have been in recovery from alcoholism for almost five years.

How to Recognize a Functional Alcoholic

In addition to the health effects of having an alcohol use disorder, it can also take a toll on relationships. Drinking doesn’t just affect the individual; it affects the entire family unit. However, they are likely struggling with uncontrollable cravings, unsuccessful attempts at quitting, and obsessive thoughts about their next drink—all hallmarks of an alcohol use disorder. Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp. Increasing difficulty and conflict in family and social relationships is common as the person’s mood and thought process become more erratic and influenced by their addiction.

Although an intervention can take many forms, many of these meetings open with each participant stating how the alcoholic’s behavior has harmed or disappointed them. The alcoholic is then presented with a plan of care, including a proposal of consequences if they decide to refuse. For instance, the alcoholic may be denied visitation rights or may be faced with a marital separation if he decides not to seek help. An alcoholic in denial may become extremely manipulative, tearful, angry or hostile when faced with the need for alcohol treatment. An experienced intervention specialist can help the participants prepare for these reactions so they can respond effectively.

It can lead to liver disease, pancreatitis, some forms of cancer, brain damage, serious memory loss, and high blood pressure. It also makes someone more likely to die in a car wreck or from murder or suicide. And any alcohol abuse raises the odds of domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and fetal alcohol syndrome. But they may put themselves or others in danger by drinking and driving, having risky sexual encounters, or blacking out, Benton says. For the functional alcoholic, the denial runs deep, because they have yet to encounter significant negative consequences.