What is a High Functioning Alcoholic?

Red Flags for High-Functioning Alcoholism

Several symptoms are present in someone who has an alcohol use disorder. Knowing the signs could be the difference between thinking you enjoy alcohol and knowing if you have a problem. Some believe that being a high-functioning alcoholic is an acceptable option.

 You might be able to perform tasks and other daily actions with ease, but you will begin to face problems sooner than later. Unfortunately, the effects of alcoholism catch up with everyone.

Very Well Mind discusses several important red flags that you are experiencing alcohol abuse and should consider help.

Here are 12 Signs of Functioning Alcoholism:

1. Are you the first one at the bar after work, or do you pour yourself a drink the moment you come home from work?
2. Do you get agitated, irritable, or nervous if a meeting or other occurrence prevents you from having a drink?
3. Are there often when you drink more or longer than you intended?
4. Do you tend to joke about alcoholism?
5. Do you constantly talk about drinking or brag about stockpiling liquor, so there’s “enough” alcohol available?
6. Do you “drink” your meals or use mealtime as an excuse to start drinking?
7. Have you engaged in any high-risk behaviors, including binge drinking, driving under the influence, drinking while caring for your children, or practicing unsafe sex?
8. Has a loved one ever confronted you about drinking? Did it make you feel angry or irritated?
9. Have you ever experienced an alcohol-related blackout, during which you could not remember parts from the night or how you got home?
10. Has your drinking caused any relationship problems?
11. Have you ever hidden your alcohol consumption?
12. Do you experience symptoms of withdrawal when you’re not able to drink alcohol? Not every person is the same, so your answers will vary to these questions compared to others. The point of evaluating these kinds of questions isn’t to judge your situation but to consider getting help to avoid these kinds of pains in the future.

Signs You Might Be a High-Functioning Alcoholic

When it comes to signs that you or a loved one should look out for, denial is one of the first. Someone who has an alcohol abuse disorder will deny it as often as they can. Generally, one of the leading causes of denial in this situation stems from embarrassment.

 Along with that, they will bring up the fact they have a job, have never been arrested, and haven’t suffered finically. Denial will eventually go away once the consequences set in and they watch aspects of their lives change due to their drinking habits.

Tolerance is another sign to watch for when suspecting high-functioning alcoholism. When an individual’s tolerance continues to rise, they will consume as much alcohol as someone who has an alcohol use disorder. There will also be a lack of outward symptoms such as hangovers.

If not addressed promptly, someone struggling with HFA will begin having:

• Alcohol Dependency
• Alcohol-Induced Organ Damage
• Cognitive Problems

Other signs that will begin occurring are withdrawal symptoms. Very Well Mind lays out the most common withdrawal symptoms that are key in spotting a functional alcoholic. Do not assume that an individual must show every symptom or even most of the symptoms. All bodies react differently and will go through differing withdrawal experiences.

The most common universal symptoms of withdrawal include:

• Anxiety
• Loss of Appetite
• Depression
• Difficulty falling and staying asleep
• Dilated Pupils
• Faster Heart rate
• Fatigue and Tiredness
• Headache
• Irritability
• Constant Changes in Mood
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Nightmares
• Unable to Think Clearly
• Pale Skin
• Shakiness
• Sweating
• Tremors

If you or a loved one experiences any of these signs regularly, specifically if you haven’t had a drink in a certain amount of time, you should consider getting help. Overcoming these symptoms alone is difficult and will only make your problem worse if not addressed.

 It’s common for those dealing with HFA to continue drinking to maintain that high tolerance level and try to reduce how often they experience withdrawal. Outside of the symptoms making your personal life more challenging, some dangers come with maintaining high drinking levels.

The Dangers of High-Functioning Alcoholism

Alcoholism does a lot of damage to your body, almost more so to your brain. It affects the biological side of your Mind and alters how and why you think certain things. There is a level of deception created by alcoholism that causes problematic situations for high-functioning alcoholics.

 A danger that is common with deceptive thinking is the idea that an HFA can just quit. They often approach their condition with excuses that they believe. One excuse that many have used or at least heard is “I have a stressful job.” This might be a fact of life, but using the excuse to drink is a sign of alcohol dependency. There is also a belief that if their family is still doing well, they can afford to continue drinking. This mistaken belief then creates a family dynamic of never confronting the problem.

It doesn’t help that the culture in secondary education has been affecting the perception of alcohol abuse. College students have a higher chance of becoming functional alcoholics after graduation.

 Many college students have a high work ethic and are not seeing a decline in their success. Those students are now using the deceptive thought process of “My work is getting done” and begin ignoring the habit of drinking and its progression.

Universities and community colleges take these issues seriously. Many have transitioned to dry campuses and will hold educational programs to teach students the dangers of excessive drinking. There is generally more acceptance from the community surrounding a school, primarily bar scenes.

It’s also a misconception that alcoholism is only associated with homelessness. According to an article from Bustle, only 10 percent of alcoholics are homeless. Some of the individuals categorized as high functioning will look down on those who are not as successful.

 This way of thinking is destructive because that person can lose what they have just as fast. The consequences of high-functioning alcoholism may not seem obvious, but if not dealt with, will become more of a threat.