20 Signs You Drink Too Much

There are at least 20 signs you drink too much. It’s important to recognize these before the situation becomes too late.

You avoid social situations or responsibilities

A heavy drinker often doesn’t want to deal with anything because it’s too difficult, they’re hungover, or both. The effects of alcohol start taking effect after prolonged usage and affect your brain chemistry in a big way.

You can’t stop yourself

With many alcoholics, there’s a genuine fear of stopping, since it means more than just going without a drink. It could mean suffering real physical harm by depriving themselves.

You’re frequently hungover in the morning

This is especially dangerous if you don’t realize why you’re hungover right away, if at all. Anyone who’s had a hangover knows it takes time to get over.

Meeting obligations is too difficult

With a hangover, it’s tough to do anything, but with the constant feeling of numbness or the need to fill that void, it’s even worse. The line between drunk and sober blurs very quickly for an alcoholic.

Drinking is all you think about

A lot of people can’t help but think about what the next drink will be like, what it will do for them, and how it will ‘even them out’. Sadly, this becomes an all-consuming thought.

The thought of ruining your family continues to surface

The guilty conscience that comes with drinking is a sign that someone does know what is going on and does realize they should stop. But like any addiction, alcohol sets its hooks firmly and is hard to shake off.

You attempt to hide your drinking

People will hide their drinking in many ways. But when there’s a bottle in nearly every nook and cranny available it’s a huge problem.

Guilty feelings make you mask your drinking

Some people place their alcohol in water bottles or other receptacles to mask it. But the effects are a little too easy to see, especially for those who have dealt with it.

Even when you’re not drinking you feel ill

The physical sickness that comes from being a chronic alcoholic signifies how far gone a person is into their addiction. At this point medical help is needed since stopping cold turkey would be dangerous.

Drinking is a way to not feel anything

Emotions are hard to deal with when you’re ill-equipped to do so. Unfortunately, drinking numbs a lot of things and can be used to just ‘go away’ when a person wants to.

You need to drink more to feel the same effect

When the same amount of alcohol doesn’t work, meaning it doesn’t make a person feel the same way, many will continue drinking until they reach that sensation. Unfortunately, this means drinking more and more, which is dangerous to a person’s body.

Anxiety sets in after going without a drink for a long period

If you go more than a day, or perhaps more than a few hours, without a drink, anxiety can set in quickly. This type of dependency is dangerous since it indicates that a person needs medical intervention.

Your doctor finally says something

Doctors have to help people as best they can, but they usually can’t demand that someone seek help. When your doctor tells you that it’s time to seek help though, it’s a wise idea to listen since otherwise things might escalate.

Drinking runs in your family

If you know there’s a problem with drinking in your family, it’s smart to abstain from this habit. There’s no guarantee that you’ll end up an alcoholic, but there is an increased risk.

Several days pass in which you remain drunk

Some people say the best way to cure a hangover is to stay drunk. Not only is this one of the worst things to do, but it’s also dangerous because it could damage your body even further.

When hallucinations set in

When you hear things and/or see things that aren’t there it’s time to put the bottle down. It’s easy to say this and harder to do, but it’s vital to your mental and physical health.

Regret starts to eat at you

If this happens then you know that something is wrong and should seek help. Many people need support, but far too few seek it out.

You can’t wait to get the first drink of the day

Some people actually get the shakes when they drink too much since that first drink of the day is of the highest importance. It doesn’t matter if it comes in your morning coffee or something else, your body needs it to function or thinks it does.

You spend time alone feeling guilty

When you can still feel something and experience guilt over what your addiction is doing to others and to you, it’s time to ask for help. This is a sure sign that you’re not too far gone.

You can’t go out with friends unless alcohol is involved

The anxiety that comes when knowing there’s no alcohol involved is bound to keep you from attending or having a good time. This is when it’s obvious that you need help since something like this shouldn’t ruin a good time with friends.