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As Ms. Benton describes them, high-functioning alcoholics are able to maintain respectable, even high-profile lives, usually with a home, family, job and friends. That balancing act continues until something dreadful happens that reveals the truth to themselves or to others and forces the person to enter a treatment program or lose everything that means anything. Indeed, many high functioning alcoholics are high achievers or people in positions of power. Oftentimes, a person’s success causes people to overlook their questionable drinking habits.
She has great experience with chemical dependency and co-occurring mental health diagnoses as well as various therapeutic techniques. Brittany is passionate about treating all clients with dignity and respect, and providing a safe environment where clients can begin their healing journey in recovery. The longer you live with AUD, the higher your https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/what-is-a-high-functioning-alcoholic/ risk of developing complications that can lead to death. According to 2020 data by the CDC, nearly 30,000 people died that year from alcoholic liver disease (cirrhosis). Since drinking alcohol is a normal activity, high-functioning alcoholics often blend in with their friends and co-workers who also drink regularly, but who are not alcoholics.
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At this point, the person concerned really doesn’t intend to get drunk, but once they start drinking, it typically continues to the point of no return. Stereotypically, people with compulsive or otherwise problematic drinking habits struggle to function effectively day-to-day. This is understandable with any addiction – the substance takes center stage and other responsibilities become progressively harder to meet. High-functioning alcoholics are highly skilled at leading double lives, Ms. Benton wrote. They appear to the outside world to be managing life well and defy the alcoholic stereotype by being fashionable, physically attractive, even elegant. They also tend to hide their excessive consumption by drinking alone or sneaking alcohol before or after a social event, and disguising or excusing the odor of alcohol on their breath.
Suggesting that one is alcoholic is suggestive that one fits into a one-size-fits-all demographic, which stereotypically conjures up images of a low-functioning individual. The truth is that alcoholism is not a one-size-fits-all epidemic, and it looks different for every individual. Mental health professionals and addiction clinicians prefer to use the term alcohol abuse than alcoholism. Clinically, for an individual to be diagnosed with alcohol abuse disorder they must meet certain criteria, or in other words, they must display certain symptoms. Furthermore, alcohol use disorder is classified by severity as mild (the individual meets 2 or 3 of 11 criteria), moderate (4 or 5 of 11 criteria), or severe (6 or more of 11 criteria).
Living with a High Functioning Alcoholic Spouse
Even if you don’t struggle with AUD, drinking alcohol has physical and mental health risks. The more you drink, the greater your chances of developing a physical or mental health problem. High-functioning alcoholics are more likely to develop some types of cancer, high blood pressure, liver and pancreas problems and memory loss. People with mild or moderate alcohol use disorder may perform poorly at work and put their jobs at risk. They may struggle to maintain good relationships with their partners, family members and friends. They are at risk of drinking and driving, using poor judgment with sexual partners and blacking out.
What is the most addictive personality type?
Sensation Seeking
Everyone engages in sensation seeking behavior to some extent, but people who report high rates of this activity are most prone to addiction. Sensation seekers are risk takers who enjoy pursuits such as engaging in adventure sports, attending loud concerts or parties, and traveling to meet new people.
If you’re the loved one of someone in either group, it’s important to know how to deal with an alcoholic effectively if you want to help them get well. “They may be quite skilled at hiding their alcohol use and not fit ‘alcoholic’ stereotypes,” said Travis Chenoweth, a social worker at Banner Behavioral Health Hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona. They may acknowledge that they drink more alcohol than they should but deny that it’s a problem and that need to stop drinking. However, heavy drinking will almost always become a problem over time. If you’re ready to seek treatment for alcoholism or would like to know more about your treatment options, American Addiction Centers (AAC) can help.
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Many people who have developed an addiction to alcohol need alcohol to feel relaxed and confident, and this can be especially true of high functioning alcoholics. In other words, alcohol becomes a crutch for such individuals to perform on the job and socialize. During codependency, the partner might begin to neglect their happiness because they are so concerned about their partner. When a person is dating a functional alcoholic, they must take care of their happiness and health.
