Alcohol abuse is when a person consumes alcohol to the point of causing poor judgement and taking risks while intoxicated. Alcohol abuse can lead to alcoholism, which is a disease where a person becomes physically and emotionally dependent on alcohol. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse often cause problems in a person's relationships, workplace and health.
Drinking While Alone
While many people who do not abuse alcohol drink in social situations, a person who has alcoholic tendencies may prefer to drink alone. He may hide his drinking from his family and friends, and may drink before going out to a social event instead of waiting until he is with others. He may also keep alcohol in places that it is not likely to be discovered, instead of keeping it in more common places.
Loss of Control
A person who is abusing alcohol may try to quit drinking, but is unable to stop. She may also begin drinking with a limit in mind, but loses control and drinks more than she had planned to. Her need to drink may become a compulsion, and she may feel as though she needs alcohol at certain points of the day, such as with dinner every night, or first thing in the morning.
High Tolerance
A person abusing alcohol may find that he needs more liquor in order to feel its effects, and may drink a larger amount of alcohol more often. He may only feel good when he has alcohol in his system; the high that alcohol produces becomes his new "normal." He may drink very quickly in order to become intoxicated intentionally.
Blackouts
An alcoholic or alcohol abuser may have episodes of blacking out, or not remembering things that happened while she was under the influence of alcohol. Blackouts can also occur in non-alcoholics who have had a large amount of alcohol, but an increase in forgetting things that happened while drinking can be a sign of alcohol abuse.
Denial
Alcoholics often deny that they have a problem. They may become angry when confronted or questioned about their drinking. They may say that they can stop drinking at any time, even if they have tried to stop before without success.
Physical Withdrawal
When an alcoholic does not have access to alcohol at a time that she normally drinks, she may become angry and irritable. She may suffer from physical alcohol withdrawal symptoms, such as sweating, shaking and nausea.
