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Getting to Know the Ten Warning Signs of Alcoholism

Would you like to be aware of the ten most common warning signs of alcoholism? Could you benefit from knowing how to spot when someone may potentially be suffering from alcoholism? Alcoholism is a serious, chronic disease that can have dangerous health consequences when alcohol is consumed in excessive amounts over a long time. It can also become lethal if consumed in large amounts over a short period of time.

One common sign of alcoholism is that the individual will withdraw from friends and family members because they anticipate that friends and family members will disapprove of the amount of alcohol they are consuming or the time of day that they are consuming it and they wish to avoid arguments with these individuals.

A second common sign of alcoholism is that the person will lie about the amount of drinking or even that they are drinking and they will actually hide the fact that they are drinking by getting rid of evidence or by hiding the evidence of their drinking.

A third common sign is when they need a drink to "get up and going in the morning".

A fourth common sign is if they say that they need a drink just to "make it through the day". These are two very important comments that should clue others to the fact that they may be witnessing someone suffering from alcoholism.

A fifth telltale sign of alcoholism is when someone needs a drink to calm down after a stressful workday, or when dealing with other individuals or specific situations.

If alcohol disrupts ability to function at work or school this is a very important sign of alcoholism, sign number six.

If the individual is so impaired after drinking that they cannot make safe judgment calls and put themselves or others at risk such as drinking and driving, or by drinking and then operating dangerous machinery or heavy machinery or doing things like downhill skiing while drunk. This seventh sign of alcoholism is obviously a very dangerous situation.

A eighth sign of alcoholism is if they are building an obvious tolerance to alcohol by needing more and more to achieve the same "buzz" or intoxication level; then, they are likely to suffer from alcoholism.

If the person is experiencing "blackout" or times in which there is memory loss that has occurred at the time that the person was drinking. They don't remember things that they do or say while intoxicated. This is a very serious ninth sign of alcoholism.

Lastly, a sign that a person may be suffering from alcoholism is if they are involved in fighting or domestic violence while drinking alcohol or a change in the usual behavior.

Someone suffering from alcoholism will not necessarily suffer from all ten signs listed signs but just one of these signs could signal a problem with alcohol that should be explored by a medical professional.