It’s not a big deal to have a glass of wine with dinner or enjoy some drinks with friends on a warm summer day. However, when drinking starts to impact your life and relationships, that’s when problems begin.
Most people start with small, seemingly harmless drinking habits. Perhaps an occasional hangover is the worst of it, and a day in bed with some Gatorade is enough to bounce back.
But over time, you might feel the need to drink daily to relax, and constantly deal with the consequences. Or maybe you’ve noticed that you’re neglecting responsibilities in favor of a few drinks. At what point should you consider your drinking a problem rather than an occasional indulgence?
Here are some signs that things might have gone too far:
Initially, you might have needed just 4-6 drinks to feel a pleasant buzz, and anything more was to keep that feeling going. If you now need more drinks to feel any effect, it’s a sign that your body is changing because of your consistent drinking. When a six-pack becomes the starting point, things are heading downhill.
People with healthy drinking habits generally have positive experiences from drinking. A few drinks make the occasion more enjoyable and they can look back and say they had fun. However, if drinking makes you feel depressed or anxious, yet you still feel driven to drink more, it’s a clear sign you’re drinking from compulsion rather than for enjoyment.
Being hungover on a Sunday isn’t a huge issue since you can use the day to recover and relax. But if hangovers start making you late for work or causing you to miss your kid’s soccer games, it’s definitely unhealthy. Part of responsible alcohol treatment includes managing the negative effects of drinking, ideally by avoiding it altogether.
When a night of drinking leads to a day or more of poor decisions, your drinking has shifted from being a release to becoming a problem. If your drinking habits begin to blur the lines of socially acceptable behavior, it’s time to take a serious look at your drinking.
The earlier you recognize the path you’re on, the easier it will be to change direction. Sadly, many people wait until they hit rock bottom to make any changes.
By keeping a close eye on your habits, you can prevent a lot of trouble in your personal life.