4 Signs of a Functioning Alcoholic
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What Is a Functioning
Alcoholic?
A functioning alcoholic is
someone who can keep a
normal life while still remaining
dependent on alcohol. This
term is not recognized by the
medical professionals, yet it’s
a description that most people
can relate to.
Learning the signs of a
functioning alcoholic can be
very helpful in getting
assistance for yourself or
someone you know before you
or they reach a point where
the impact of alcohol is so
severe that it’s adversely
affecting your daily activities.
Early intervention can greatly
reduce the amount of time one
is exposed to increased risk of
harm, not only in terms of
health but also relationships
and finances. Most functioning
alcoholics continue drinking
the same way for years before
they get help. Others never get
help at all.
What Are the Most Common
Signs of a Functioning Alcoholic?
1. They are heavy drinkers.
Most alcoholics, functioning or
not, drink a lot. While alcoholism
is difficult to define, it can be
seen as the point where someone
has become reliant on the
substance, physically and
emotionally.
Increased drinking, according
to the NHS, is having more
than 14 units for men and
women. Higher risks drinking is
over 50 units a week for men
and more than 35 units weekly
for the ladies.
How many units a drink can
contain will depend on the
brand and the size. Two
bottles of wine may be an
equivalent to 20 units. A bottle
of vodka is approximately 28
units.
2. They maintain a life with a job
and relationships.
A key characteristic of a
functioning alcoholic is that they
can live a normal life. They can
be highly successful, have a job,
a good relationship, and a home.
It is possible, though, that their
alcohol use has had an impact
on one or more of these things
at times. The fact that a
functioning alcoholic can
manage to continue with their
life is actually a factor in
adding to their own denial that
they have a problem. This m