Signs You May Have a Drinking Problem

Alcohol -- the widely accepted, often misused and frequently abused social drug -- can become anything from a harmless dinner beverage to a full-blown addiction for those who use it. Because of its socially acceptable existence, it is often abused covertly, and the abuser has many opportunities and avenues to conceal the abuse, downplay its effects and deny any lack of control. For many onlookers, it can be confusing and difficult to pinpoint the time when the abuser changes from a social drinker to someone with a drinking problem. And for the abuser himself, it may be unclear where the line is drawn between social use and abuse.

In a society where wine with dinner and after-work cocktail hours are the norm, it’s difficult to nail down who drinks too much, and it’s often even more difficult to know if you drink too much yourself. And the number of abusive drinkers grows exponentially all time. In fact the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the number of Americans drinking within the danger zone is “exploding” and estimates that 38 million adults participate in binge drinking (drinking to excess) an average of four times per month.

So how do you know if you fit into this over-the-edge drinking category? How do you know if you might have a drinking problem? Well, there are some telltale signs that are pretty standard for all drinkers -- and the more of these signs you identify with, the better the chances that you might need help.

Signs You May Have a Drinking Problem

Binge drinking is often identified as four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men consumed in a short amount of time. And binge drinking doesn’t necessarily make someone an alcoholic. There are many categories of drinkers, and drinking behavior varies drastically from one individual to another. There seem to be many people who fit in somewhere in between teetotaler, social drinker, binge drinker and alcoholic.


If you’re worried that you may drink too much, though, you probably do. But whether you have a true drinking problem still may be unclear. Consider some of the following signs that you may have a drinking problem when trying to determine how much is too much for you and whether you may need help controlling your drinking.

  • Your binge drinking episodes begin sneaking up on you: While you might have previously planned the nights when you would participate in heavy drinking, such as a night out with friends, a fraternity party in college or a concert, you might now find yourself engaging in binge drinking without having intended to do so. For example, you may stop in at happy hour after work with the intention of having a drink or two, but five drinks later find you are suddenly being driven home by a coworker. This is a warning sign of a developing or existing drinking problem. Loss of control or failure to monitor your alcohol intake is dangerous and damaging.
  • Your memory fails you: Blackouts are a temporary side effect of heavy drinking. Alcohol affects the brain messenger called glutamate, which handles memory. For this type of memory loss to occur, you must consume several drinks too many, and if this type of memory loss becomes more frequent, you need to take a hard look at your drinking habits. You may have a drinking problem.
  • You sometimes ignore responsibilities or beloved activities: When drinking begins to take priority over doing the things you love or taking care of your personal responsibilities, you face a potential problem. Missing your favorite yoga class due to a hangover or failing to get the kids to school on time may be red flags that it’s time to get a handle on your alcohol intake.
  • You’ve been told by friends or family that they’re worried about you. If someone in your life notices your drinking habits and has expressed concern, this is a potentially big red flag. Concerned co-workers, friends or family members may address the subject with you, and you might brush it off, but consider this: If they take notice of your drinking, there must be a reason.
  • You’ve tried switching types of alcohol: Many drinkers will attempt to switch from hard alcohol to beer or beer to wine, or any other similar combination in an attempt to control their level of intoxication. Rarely does this tactic work, and if you’ve tried this approach with failed results, you may have a drinking problem that needs attention.'

  • You try to quit drinking and can’t. Many people with alcohol problems vow to stop drinking at any given time. Some experience minor success in their attempts, only to begin drinking again at a later date. The problem with these attempts is that drinking nearly always returns to previous habits with a vengeance after being sober for a certain period. And the fact that you’ve tried to stop without permanent success signals that you may need professional help to stop for good.
  • You surround yourself with drinkers: Problem drinkers or alcoholics typically stick together. The reason for this behavior is that they are uncomfortable in social situations that do not involve alcohol. If you are a problem drinker, you might feel that people who don’t indulge in binge drinking are no fun, stuffy or uptight. However in reality, it might be that you only wish to participate in social events that include drinking.
  • Your drinking puts you in dangerous situations: If you find that you participate in risky behavior when you’re drinking, you may have a problem. Binge drinkers and alcoholics often do careless things such as drink and drive, engage in other illegal drug use, or have unprotected or unplanned sex with partners they might not otherwise involve themselves with.
If any or all of these signs apply to you, consider evaluating your alcohol use with a professional counselor who specializes in addiction. It’s possible that you may have a drinking problem and need help getting it under control.