First Signs of Alcoholism

The faster you can notice the first signs of alcoholism, the easier it can be to treat this problem and stop it before it gets worse. Alcoholism is not a problem that occurs overnight. It involves a pattern of behavior that continues to build over a period of time and often the alcoholic is either not aware of it or they may end up denying that it is occurring. Knowing and spotting the first signs of alcoholism can help to prevent health and emotional problems in the life of the alcoholic. Here is a look at some of the first signs of alcoholism you should be looking for. Sign #1 - Mood Swings One of the first signs of alcoholism is mood swings. You may notice that they become very irritable or angry when they drink. Sometimes feelings of despair or depression may occur. On the other hand, some people become happy and find many things humorous when drinking. Sign #2 - Alcohol Tolerance Another of the early signs that can point to alcoholism is high alcohol tolerance. Eventually it starts taking more and more alcohol to get the effects that they want. If you notice that they are gulping down drinks or ordering doubles to get that feeling, then a tolerance may be developing. Sign #3 - Drinking in Secret Often alcoholics will begin to drink in secret because they are more comfortable and they want to avoid any criticism. You may find a stash of alcohol and if they are interrupted or confronted, they may become upset. Sometimes they may even lie about drinking to cover it up. Sign #4 - Drinking to Cover Emotional Problems Another sign that alcoholism may be a problem is when people begin to drink to cover up emotional problems. They may use it to escape reality or they may keep drinking until they begin to feel happier. Sign #5 - Compulsive Need to Drink Sometimes an early sign of this problem is a compulsive need to drink. They may be fixated on the alcoholic beverage they want and may start planning all their activities around drinking. Once they start drinking, it can become harder and harder to stop drinking and they may show that they aren't able to stop when the night ends. Sign #6 - New Rituals If you notice someone drinking in a ritualistic way, this could be an early sign of alcoholism as well. Often alcoholics come up with drinking rituals, such as drinking right before or after dinner or having a drink at a certain time each day. They may start to drink before they attend events where they will have alcohol. If the rituals they have are interrupted, they may become irritated and angry too. rnThese are just a few of the first signs of alcoholism. If you notice that you or someone you love has one or more of these signs going on, make sure that they receive help as quickly as possible before the problem becomes any worse.