The signs of alcoholism can be difficult to pinpoint when the disorder is set in motion. Signals soon build up as the problem worsens. Alcoholics, along with their friends and loved ones, notice a pattern taking place that becomes destructive. Recognizing signs can help everyone take the necessary steps for the alcoholic's safety.
Preoccupation
Drinking for relief from problems is an excuse for the alcoholic as excess drinking becomes routine. Planning activities around drinking is common, the Cleveland Clinic explains. An alcoholic starts to lose interest in activities or hobbies that were once of interest. Events that include drinking start to take over. There may be a tendency to gulp drinks at bars or at social events. The alcoholic can even become edgy or irritable when drinking time nears. Drinking becomes a kind of a ritual that is necessary before, during or after meals. The alcoholic may become annoyed when these habits are interrupted, the Mayo Clinic says.
Guilt
The problem drinker often has guilty feelings about drinking and refuses to talk about them when someone expresses concern. There may be an increasing number of blackouts, according to the Betty Ford Center. These blank spots in memory may lead to failed commitments to family and friends. The alcoholic doesn't remember what was promised during the drinking episodes. Guilty feelings lead the alcoholic to drink alone or hide alcohol in unusual places in the home, at work or in the car. Relationship, employment and financial problems start accumulating. Despite the problems caused by drinking, the alcoholic makes excuses for or rationalizes the consequences.
Tolerance
The alcoholic may rarely appear to be drunk because of a physical tolerance to alcohol that has built up from chemical changes in the brain, Psychiatric Disorders notes. This soon results in a loss of control as the person begins drinking more over longer periods than intended. The alcoholic develops a craving for alcohol that can become as strong as the desire to eat and drink. The urge to continue drinking cannot be controlled.
Health Warnings
The high tolerance for alcohol will soon take a toll on the alcoholic's health, Psychiatric Disorders points out. The alcoholic continues to drink alcohol for fear of what will happen when not drinking. Withdrawal symptoms of nervousness, shakiness, sweating, headaches and nausea take hold when the alcoholic stops drinking. Having a drink first thing in the morning is common for many alcoholics, who need to calm their nerves and provide a temporary soothing effect. The way alcoholism develops is different among problem drinkers, but continued drinking leads to later stages when brain changes cause mental impairment and serious health problems begin.
