How to Spot High Functioning Alcoholism

Functioning alcoholism is when someone is addicted to alcohol but still able to perform their personal or professional duties. As noted by the experts at AION Health Group, these types of alcoholics are, “generally middle-aged, educated people with families and careers, but have a history of alcoholism somewhere in their family lineage.” However, functioning alcoholics can often hide their illness, making it difficult to spot. As such, here are some tips for spotting functioning alcoholic symptoms.

Hiding Their Drinking

A functional alcoholic may be able to carry on with their usual personal and professional responsibilities, but that also means that they are aware enough to know that their drinking is a problem. As such, you may notice that they are drinking in private and hiding their drinking from others. You may not even notice that they are drinking from their look, smell, or behavior, but you may notice other secretive behaviors, like spending time alone in a home office or private space, or having a separate, less visible trash can for their empties. It’s also possible that you will find alcohol in hidden places, like desk drawers, that you wouldn’t be expected to look.

Unexplained Physical Changes

Many people who drink excessively in private often wind up having a change in appearance that cannot be explained by any other behavior. This includes:

• Changes in weight that have nothing to do with diet or exercise
• Yellow tint to skin or dark circles around the eyes
• Worsening hygiene, smell, or general degradation of their physical appearance

The Need for Alcohol

Yes, a high functioning alcoholic may be able to participate in society and not miss work or family events, but they may still “need” alcohol to function. In other words, if in a social situation, anxious, needing confidence, or any other place that requires a change in mood, a high functioning alcoholic will turn to alcohol in order to make themselves feel better and more prepared. This is obviously dangerous – “needing” an outside substance in order to function in a society means that you have a dependency problem, one that has the potential to grow worse by the day.

Have a Social Life that Revolves Around Alcoholism

For many of us, alcohol is a part of our lives. However, just how much of a part it is can make an important difference. A high functioning alcoholic will need alcohol in order to unwind and have fun. As such, their entire social life may soon twist itself so that it entirely revolves around alcohol. This may cause a loss of friendships if others are not as interested in alcohol. In turn, this accelerates friendships with people who do enjoy alcohol, and this can deepen the spiral of addiction.

The important thing to remember when it comes to high functioning alcoholism is that the “functioning” nature of alcoholism can only last for so long. Alcoholics of all types deserve love, support, and therapy in order to help them get their lives back on track.