A functioning alcoholic is a person who struggles with alcohol use disorder, but their daily life is not affected by it on the surface. They fulfill their obligations and maintain relationships but still have issues with alcoholism.

Functioning alcoholics may seem fine on the outside. However, there are more profound physical and psychological implications to alcohol abuse. Many individuals face mental health challenges and high levels of stress that enhance their struggles with addiction.

In this article, we explain how to recognize a functioning alcoholic. Also, we advise on how to assist them on their journey to abstinence.

Definition of a Functioning Alcoholic

A functioning alcoholic is someone who has issues with alcohol addiction and still upholds a seemingly healthy and functioning lifestyle. They do not experience the consequences of excessive drinking, such as public intoxication, violent outbursts, or legal issues.

They lack self-awareness and can convince themselves and others that they do not have a drinking problem. Functioning alcoholics can maintain this facade for years sometimes. However, sooner or later, the alcohol begins to affect their health, cognitive abilities, and relationships with others.

What are the Signs of a Functioning Alcoholic?

High-functioning alcoholics often display subtle signs of alcoholism. They are very secretive and may seem outwardly stable while struggling emotionally with their addiction in private.

Drinking During Daytime

A functioning alcoholic relies on alcohol to cope with stress and other difficult situations. This may include breakups, workplace challenges, tragedies, etc.

A person at this stage continues to work despite heavy drinking and builds tolerance to alcohol over time. This does not affect their job performance or social functioning. However, they need to drink more to maintain the same feeling of relaxation.

Previous Attempts to Quit

Many alcoholics have previously attempted to quit drinking but relapsed. A person who struggles with emotional or mental health issues is more prone to going back to their old addictive habits.

Losing Control While Drinking

Sometimes, even functioning alcoholics lose control when they drink. This is displayed through getting into fights, neglecting responsibilities, and memory loss. Despite this, a person may not acknowledge the severity of alcohol use.

Not Prioritizing Important Goals

A functioning alcoholic can manage daily responsibilities and often denies having a drinking problem. However, they do not have priorities such as excelling at work or maintaining relationships. Instead, they dedicate their time to drinking or constantly think about their next drink.

Mental or Physical Health Problems

An alcoholic experiences health risks related to excessive alcohol use and faces emotional challenges despite outward functionality. They become more dependent on alcohol as a way to avoid dealing with their issues through therapy or counseling and find the root of their issue.

Lack of Interest in Other Activities

Not practicing healthy habits or pursuing hobbies is a common psychological symptom of alcohol dependence. Instead of spending time with their family and loved ones, they use alcohol as a stress relief for daily challenges.

Early Intervention: Why It Matters

Early intervention is a critical first step in successful addiction recovery. It minimizes the physical and psychological consequences on a person’s health.

Try to perform an intervention in a secure environment. Approach them with positive encouragement and compassion when addressing the issue. It is common for spouses of alcoholics to gather other family members and friends for an intervention.

The person mustn’t feel attacked or shamed for their drinking problem. Instead, show support and encouragement for their well-being.

Suggest researching addiction treatment options together, such as rehab, detox, or support groups. Here, they can learn healthy coping strategies and regain emotional stability.

Alcoholic vs. Functioning Alcoholic

The main difference between an alcoholic and a functioning alcoholic is the intensity of their dependency.

An alcoholic typically shows signs of alcohol dependence through their behavior and appearance, including:

• Repeated heavy intoxication
• Tiredness and irritability
• Bloodshot eyes
• Pale skin
• Missing deadlines at work
• Acting violently
• Having legal or financial troubles

A functioning alcoholic, on the other hand, hides the extent of alcohol consumption quite well. This person appears functional while regularly consuming alcohol and is prone to binge drinking in secret.

They can function without apparent signs of impairment. They also engage in social situations where drinking is expected and encouraged without struggling. Functioning alcoholics fulfill their social obligations and appear quite socially adept in various situations that may be stressful or challenging for others.

How to Get Help as a Functioning Alcoholic

Functioning alcoholics often refuse to get help for their alcoholism until they experience more severe consequences. These include organ damage or memory loss. However, asking for professional help is a crucial first step in recovery. It is never too early to take it.

Speaking to Someone You Trust

Alcoholics usually choose to talk to a person they love and trust about their alcohol struggles before turning to a healthcare professional. This support can come from a spouse, family member, friend, or any individual whom they consider knowledgeable and supportive.

Having someone trustworthy to rely on makes a big difference in the challenging journey toward recovery and healing.

However, if you do not have someone close to talk to about alcoholism and are not yet ready to go to a doctor, try reaching out to support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, in your area.

Here, you will find many people who turned to alcohol due to struggling with anxiety, depression, or other challenges.

Consider Alcohol Detoxification

Addiction recovery begins with a detoxification process. It involves flushing the alcohol out of your system along with toxins and other harmful substances. These could negatively impact your body and health.

Going through alcohol detoxing can be quite uncomfortable. Many patients experience increased irritability and mood swings, sweating, tremors, and other withdrawal symptoms. 

Medical professionals monitor their patients closely during detoxing to ensure healthy progress and avoid serious health complications.

Your doctor can prescribe medications to offset these symptoms and make detox comfortable. As the days pass, the symptoms will subside and be replaced with new strength, energy, and mental clarity.

Residential Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Residential treatment programs for alcohol addiction offer around-the-clock medical supervision, counseling, and support to patients. These facilities conduct intensive therapy sessions that help patients get to the root cause of alcoholism. They aim to prevent self-sabotage in recovery by teaching healthy coping mechanisms.

In addition, many treatment programs incorporate holistic healing methods in specific treatment plans. These help people build healthy habits like fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness practices. This approach also builds a supportive community that alcoholics can rely on during the challenging days of their recovery.

Considering Therapy

Therapeutical approaches that help alcoholics address their issues are:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This method focuses on detecting and changing negative thinking patterns. These patterns are harmful because they lead patients to drink as a way of coping with life challenges.
• Motivational interviewing (MI): This therapeutic method encourages patients to verbalize their tendencies and reasoning for quitting drinking. They need to articulate the reasons for their recovery and the positive outcomes they expect.
• Group therapy: This is a good way for alcoholics to connect with other patients with similar issues and get support. Hearing about someone else’s struggles reminds us that we are not alone in our recovery journey. It shows that ups and downs are common and that sobriety is achievable.

Get Professional Alcoholism Treatment with The Ridge Ohio

At The Ridge Ohio, we offer a comprehensive array of support and treatment services for people struggling with alcoholism. Our medical experts teach personal accountability, resilience, and smart recovery to encourage harm reduction in struggling patients.

We balance therapy and counseling with holistic approaches to teaching healthy habits. We encourage you to maintain a positive and healthy lifestyle.

Professional support is crucial for individuals completing their addiction recovery. Transitioning to their daily lives and maintaining sobriety requires more effort and skills taught by our medical experts.

Key Takeaways

• A functioning alcoholic can hide the impact of alcohol on their life and uses alcohol regularly but appears unaffected.
• Functioning alcoholics can be quite deceptive and in denial about their alcoholism.
• Early detection and intervention are vital for a healthy addiction recovery.
• Treatment options for alcoholics include therapy, counseling, support groups, rehabilitation treatments, and holistic methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Drinks a Day Is Considered an Alcoholic?

There isn’t a specific number of drinks a person consumes that labels them an alcoholic. Rather, you determine that someone is an alcoholic based on their patterns of drinking and the effects the drinking has on their lives.

However, there are some helpful health organization guidelines for how to recognize that someone is an alcoholic. For men, moderate drinking consists of one or two drinks per day, while for women, it is one drink per day. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), heavy drinking consists of 15 or more drinks per week for men and 8 or more drinks per week for women. 

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)  is detected not by the number of drinks but by the effects on the body and mind. This includes alcohol cravings, memory loss, organ damage, and continuous drinking despite these consequences.

How Much Alcohol Is Safe to Drink Daily?

The safe level of alcohol consumption depends on a person’s age, gender, and health status. While one to two drinks are generally not considered an issue, this does not apply to people with previous struggles with addiction or ongoing and underlying health conditions (pregnancy, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.).

What Is End-Stage Alcoholism?

End-stage alcoholism, or severe alcohol use disorder, is the final phase of alcohol addiction. It is characterized by liver damage and cirrhosis, pancreatitis, neurological impairments, and increased risks of cancer. Also, it is followed by the inability to maintain relationships and tend to responsibilities. It requires immediate treatment to avoid fatal consequences.