You Can Stop Drinking Now

There are certain behaviors that go along with becoming an alcoholic and being addicted to alcohol.  Here is an extensive list of 35 tip offs that you may have developed an addiction to alcohol.

Some problem drinkers know they have a problem fairly early in the drinking process, but there are many people who are addicted to alcohol who really are the last to know.

• 1.   You believe you can stop drinking anytime you want to, but just don’t.

• 2.   When you go to the doctor you hide the fact that you are drinking excessively.

• 3.   Your friends and family have a growing suspicion that you have a drinking problem, and may mention it or have a  talk with you about it.

• 4.   You deny the mounting evidence of your excessive drinking.

• 5.   You trivialize the amount and frequency of your drinking as much as you can.

• 6.   You can’t acknowledge the serious consequences of your drinking.

• 7.   You are forced to make constant excuses for wild or irresponsible behavior.

• 8.   You have a tenancy to blame others or situations in your life for your drinking.

• 9.   You can’t stop drinking for more than a few weeks.

• 10.  You constantly have the urge to drink.

• 11.  Once you start drinking, you usually can’t stop.

• 12.  You keep drinking until you run out of alcohol.

• 13.  You are spending money you need for necessities for alcohol instead.

• 14.  You see people who “want to help” as a nuisance if not an outright threat.

• 15.  You will sometimes start having money problems, and may have to borrow money (for the first time in some cases).

• 16.  You get angry when someone mentions your drinking.

• 17.  If you go into rehab, will finds reasons or makes excuses to stop treatment.

• 18.  Some will have problems with the law. DUI’s, etc.

• 19.  You are absent or late for work more frequently.

• 20.  More advanced alcoholics can’t keep a job or can’t or won’t get one.

• 21.  If you are a student, you may be suspended from school for drinking.

• 22.  You are more easily upset and have more mood swings.

• 23.  You feel very alone with this problem.

• 24.  You get angry more often.

• 25.  Under the influence you engage in very reckless and/or irresponsible behavior

• 26.  You find yourself continually not meeting your responsibilities.

• 27.  Your relationships become more unstable.

• 28.  Further down the road, you find yourself spending time with people who drink as much as you do.

• 29.  You keep the people close to you at an arms length (keeping a drinking problem secret is difficult particularly with those closest to you) even though you really do want the relationship.

• 30.  Your problem solving abilities don’t seem to work anymore.

• 31.  With more advanced drinking, changing your drinking pattern becomes more difficult if not impossible.

• 32.   You feel much more intense guilt and depression.

• 33.   You need more support from others than you used to.

• 34.   You can’t keep your promises, and tend to avoid social activities.

• 35.   You can’t allow yourself to dwell on your behavior under the influence because it’s too painful.