Signs & Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction

Life Works – the leading specialist in the treatment of alcohol addiction.

Do I have a problem with alcohol? How can I tell?

The signs and symptoms of alcohol addiction are easy to spot. While they may vary slightly from person to person, most alcoholics present the same patterns of behaviour.

At Life Works Community's alcohol rehabilitation centre, we believe that drinking has become a problem when you continue to drink in spite of negative consequences.

Take a moment to look at the signs & symptoms of alcohol addiction we have collated below, for a more comprehensive list email us now using our contact form or call on 0800 081 0700 .

Recognising the Signs of Alcohol Addiction

• Have you started neglecting your responsibilities because of your addiction to alcohol? For example, performing badly at work, failing in school or university, neglecting your children, skipping out on commitments because you’re hung over, not feeding yourself properly, etc.

• You may be abuse alcohol in situations where it’s dangerous to do so, such as drinking and driving, operating machinery while intoxicated, or mixing alcohol with prescription medication against doctor’s orders.

• You may have started experiencing legal problems on account of your addiction to alcohol. For example, getting arrested for driving under the influence or for drunk and disorderly conduct.

• Perhaps you are continuing to drink even though your alcohol abuse is causing problems in your relationships. Getting drunk with your buddies, for example, even though you know your wife will be very upset, or fighting with your family because they dislike how you act when you drink.

• Drinking as a way to relax or remove stress. Many drinking problems start when people abuse alcohol to self-soothe and relieve stress. Getting drunk after every stressful day, for example, or reaching for a bottle every time you have an argument with your spouse or boss. While this does not mean drinking every day, it is still binge drinking and cand be dangerous.

If you think any of these symptoms of alcohol addiction match your experiences, or if you recognise these symptoms in someone else, please contact us via email or call us on 0800 081 0700 .

Denial: A key symptom of Alcohol Addiction

Denial is one of the key signs of alcohol addiction. It may sound strange, but one of the symptoms of alcohol addiction is that it tells you that you don't have a problem. This is one of the reasons why individuals struggle to find alcohol addiction treatment and often stay trapped in alcohol addiction for a lifetime. We advise you to stay open to the feedback from others and professionals and look at the evidence. Denial is common effect of alcoholism and symptomatic of problem drinking, so you may deny that you have a problem both to yourself and to others, through:

• Minimising the effects of your drinking.
• Criticising those around you for making too much fuss about your drinking.
• Considerably underestimating the amounts you drink.
• Placing the blame for your drinking on other people or situations in your life, such as "I drink because my job is so stressful".

Get Help!

As a leading private alcohol rehabilitation clinic, Life Works is able to help you. We can answer any questions or concerns you may have and help you find the right alcohol addiction treatment.

If you need help or advice about alcohol addiction treatment for yourself or a loved one, please call us on 0800 081 0700 to speak to one of our alcohol rehabilitation counsellors in confidence. You can also fill out our contact form for a quick confidential discussion.