What is a high functioning alcoholic? The term describes people who drink just as much as alcoholics but do not exhibit visible signs of alcoholism. Despite their drinking, the functioning alcoholic can still keep their job and maintain bonds with their friends and families.
Be careful not to confuse a functioning addict with a moderate drinker.
Moderate drinking involves men and women taking utmost two drinks and one drink per day, respectively. On the other hand, a functioning alcoholic will exceed the recommended number of drinks daily. So, drinking daily does not necessarily constitute alcoholism but the amount you drink.
High functioning alcoholism is an alcoholic disorder that we need to nip in the bud. Unfortunately, identifying this disorder is not easy. However, with our high functioning alcoholic quiz, you can get help for yourself or others.
After the alcoholism quiz, we will also identify people likely to engage in this disorder and how best to assist them.
The high functioning alcoholic quiz aims to help reveal the signs of a high functioning alcoholic. The quiz is suitable for those seeking help for themselves and others. If you answer yes to all or most of these questions, then it may be the best time to get help.
Your friends may drink less than you and stagger. Do you see it as an opportunity to mock them for being weak after having a few drinks? You may even go ahead and boast that you can drink more than them without being intoxicated like them.
Also, do you poke fun at alcoholics who end up in a rehabilitation center despite having drinking troubles? Joking about alcoholism could signify that you are yet to understand its harmful effects on you and society in general.
In gatherings like birthday parties, it is understandable that you would expect drinks to be there. However, are you the kind of person who expects drinks during a staff meeting or a seminar? You may have to distinguish between professional and social gatherings.
The last thing a company wants is to have intoxicated staff members. So rather than focus on finishing their tasks, some will engage in sex or pass out. Regardless of the outcome, that will slow down their productivity.
Alcoholics detest being called out by their families about their drinking habits. As a result, you may end up hiding it from them to avoid such conflicts. Is this your situation currently?
You may successfully hide it, but you will soon exhibit volatile behavior. In addition, your family members will know your drinking habits based on your behavior despite hiding your alcohol.
Stocking up alcohol at home may make sense if you are a bartender. However, do you stock up so that you can always have enough to drink? Some people claim they do that in case visitors show up. It will only be a matter of time before they start consuming the stock before visitors appear.
With such alcohol at your disposal, you will end up taking it for breakfast, lunch and supper.
It is normal to celebrate successful events like marriage, job promotions, or the birth of your first child. However, is your first instinct to rush to the liquor store when you succeed? Besides drinking, there are other ways of celebrating, such as going on vacation, visiting friends or going to an amusement park.
There are instances when it is okay to borrow money. Perhaps you need to pay off your house rent or buy your parent a birthday gift. People borrow money in emergencies, yet some people treat alcohol as an emergency.
Some functioning alcoholics get paid monthly. So they get impatient waiting for the month to end so that they use part of their salary to buy alcohol. Since they cannot wait that long, they borrow money from friends or family members.
What do you take for breakfast when you get up in the morning? How about alcohol? You will be shocked at how normal it is for some people to visit bars in the morning.
Usually, the functioning alcoholic will substitute their breakfast for alcohol. That means they will drink on an empty stomach. However, they could pass out before leaving for work if they overdo it.
Generally, people believe it is okay to drink in the evening rather than in the morning before breakfast.
No matter what alcohol you drink, you will feel tipsy. At that point, some people will reduce their intake or stop drinking.
On the other hand, alcoholics can drink the most potent drink you can think of and not appear intoxicated. As a result, they have to drink a lot of it to get drunk. Should you need a lot of alcohol to be drunk, that may indicate you need help.
As they struggle to get drunk, they unknowingly consume dangerous levels of alcohol. If you know of such a person, do not be tempted to praise their alcohol tolerance levels.
While drunk, did you ever attempt driving? Maybe you realized you were late for work and felt you had no other alternative. Or perhaps you chose to do it for the thrill? Unfortunately, drunk driving not only gets you into legal trouble but can also kill you.
Another risky behavior associated with functioning alcoholism is having unprotected sex. Sometimes, the drinker may not even recall the full details of their sexual encounter. In such a case, the drinker may have an unwanted pregnancy.
Doing your regular job can become high-risk when you are under the influence. For instance, being a typist does not seem that risky. However, you can pass out under the influence and fall off your desk.
High functioning alcoholics primarily engage in risky behavior for the fun of it. Could this be the case with you?
People mainly regard drinking as a social activity. It would explain alcohol’s popularity in parties or bars. Even people who purchase alcohol for themselves will not mind when a stranger joins them.
Drinking alone could signify you are trying to combat anger, depression or frustration. However, if you drink alone on most occasions, you may need help overcoming the negative feelings.
Did the ten-part quiz help you answer the question: what is a high functioning alcoholic? Having understood the term, we need to explore a group of people likely to fall into the trap of this alcoholic disorder. Then, we can take preventive measures not to fall prey to the condition.
Here is a list of people likely to become functioning alcoholics:
There are a number of ways you can positively assist a high-functioning alcoholic. Through the process, it is wise if you remain patient with them.
The best way to assist functioning alcoholics is by talking to them. First, however, you need to know how to speak to them without aggravating them.
When you finally decide to talk to them, please choose a time when they are not drinking. Both parties will be sober and presumably speak calmly during this time. Also, alcohol will distract the functioning alcoholic, and they will likely not concentrate on what you are saying.
As you ensure the functioning alcoholic has no distraction, you too should remove potential distractions like your cellphone or laptop. After removing the distractions, choose a place with fewer distractions. For example, it will be frustrating for you to talk over honking vehicles or wailing babies.
As you probe them about their drinking, remain non-judgmental. If you rebuke the functioning alcoholic’s drinking, they will refuse to open up about their behavior. Consequently, that will drive them to hide their alcoholism from you.
Make the drinker understand how their behavior is affecting their health. You can begin by explaining how their compulsive habit can lead to alcohol poisoning and then death. Even as you remind them of the dangers of alcoholism, remember not to come off as a scaremonger.
Remind the drinker that their drinking also impacts how they interact with others. For instance, you could inform the alcoholic that their spouse or children get scared whenever drunk. Otherwise, the family members may choose to move out to avoid the intoxicated person’s shenanigans.
Do not also forget to ask them why they feel the need to drink in the first place. Maybe they are unhappy, bored, worried, or frustrated. Based on the answer they give, you might be able to come up with a suitable substitute for their alcoholism.
For instance, a drinker may drink to relieve their stress. With the high functioning alcoholic, you can brainstorm positive ways of reducing stress. Some valuable methods for relieving stress include exercising, cooking, listening to music, watching funny videos or calling a friend.
Remember not to blame yourself when your family member becomes an addict. So, avoid asking yourself or the addict where you went wrong when raising them. But, at some point, individuals have to be held accountable for their behavior.
There is a chance that your talk with the alcoholic may not go well. Despite being friendly or non-judgmental, the functioning alcoholic may refuse to listen to you. For example, they might refuse to admit that they have a problem.
To further demonstrate their lack of commitment, they may insult you. Resist the urge to insult the addict back. Also, please do not engage in desperate actions such as punishing, threatening or preaching to them.
Since talking one on one may not work as planned, you can stage a family intervention. Each family member has different temperaments. For example, a functioning alcoholic may ignore advice from some family members yet take advice from other members. Through the family intervention, you will identify the most suitable person that can talk with the addict.
When you stage a family intervention, choose your family members carefully. You want to avoid selecting relatives who like gossiping or are pessimistic. As the intervention continues, remind your family members to talk to the alcoholic from an empathetic place.
Some family members may get carried away and say hurtful remarks to the addict. Others may raise their voice, which will increase the probability of a war of words happening.
If the one-on-one talks or family interventions fail, you can consider looking for a rehabilitation center for the functioning alcoholic. The center will not only rely on talking to the alcoholic to help them. It will also prescribe some medication where necessary and help them develop other interests besides drinking.
The high-functioning alcoholic quiz is a helpful guide for an addict to achieve sobriety. You can ask the addict useful questions through the quiz when you talk to them. But, since talks may fail, what is a high-functioning alcoholic supposed to do?
At Sober Partners, we employ various treatment plans for high functioning alcoholics. Some of the treatment programs we have include detoxification, inpatient treatment, and interventions. With a strong team of therapists and doctors, you can be sure the addict will not relapse. If you know a high-functioning alcoholic that needs help contact us today.
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