Am I An Alcoholic?
08/09/2011
Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are due to many related factors including genetics, how you were brought up, your family, your friends and your emotional health. People who have a family history of alcoholism or who associate closely with heavy drinkers are more likely to develop drinking problems. Finally, those who suffer from a mental health problem such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder are also particularly at risk, because alcohol may be used to self-medicate.
Since drinking is so common in many cultures and the effects vary so widely from person to person, it’s not always easy to figure out where the line is between social drinking and problem drinking. In the end what matters if how your alcohol is affecting you. If your drinking is causing problems in your life, that means you have a drinking problem and should seek help.
You may have a drinking problem if you...
- Feel guilty or ashamed about your drinking.
- Lie to others or hide your drinking habits.
- Have friends or family members who are worried about your drinking.
- Need to drink in order to relax or feel better.
- “Black out” or forget what you did while you were drinking.
- Regularly drink more than you intended to.
