What Is High Functioning Alcoholism? Stigma, Signs, Support

Since you only need to fulfill 2 or more of the DSM-5 criteria within the last year to be diagnosed with AUD, you might still be fully contributing to your home life, job, and other areas of your life. While some struggle with their addiction, others can live successful lives. When you call our team, you will speak to functional alcoholic husband a Recovery Advocate who will answer any questions and perform a pre-assessment to determine your eligibility for treatment. If eligible, we will create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. If The Recovery Village is not the right fit for you or your loved one, we will help refer you to a facility that is.

Why Is High-Functioning Alcoholism Dangerous?

It’s a well-known fact that alcohol alleviates stress, temporarily mitigating stressors while helping people compartmentalize. It’s not always easy to see the signs of alcoholism, but there are some red flags. Spithoff, Sheryl, MD CCFP, et al. “Primary care management of alcohol use disorder and at-risk drinking.” NIH National Library of Medicine, June 2015.

• Mission Harbor is dedicated to treating Santa Barbara County and Los Angeles County with specialized mental and behavioral health programs in a convenient outpatient environment.
• Co-Dependents Anonymous is a 12-step program for people who are trying to recover from a codependent relationship.
• While any one of them by themselves may not be indicative of alcoholism, several or all of them paint quite a different picture.
• There are many treatment services available to those battling alcohol abuse.
• A medical or addiction treatment professional can go over the symptoms someone is experiencing and assess where they could fall on the AUD spectrum.

The Three Phases of Alcoholism

However, they are likely struggling with uncontrollable cravings, unsuccessful attempts at quitting, and obsessive thoughts about their next drink—all hallmarks of an alcohol use disorder. If you are living with a high-functioning alcoholic, you may be more likely than someone living outside of the household to notice their seemingly benign drinking habits. Consider having an open and honest discussion with your loved one about their alcohol use and encourage them to discuss it with a counselor or their primary care doctor. Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive, and lifelong disease that needs to be treated, whether the alcoholic is a lawyer or a homeless person.

• High-functioning alcoholics typically joke about their drinking habits.
• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) uses “alcohol use disorder.” It includes various alcohol-related struggles, from mild to severe.
• Due to some people’s ability to mask their AUD, it is difficult to find research on those that are high functioning.

Non-high functioning signs

Even though they think they’re being good parents, high-functioning alcoholics can’t be fully committed to their children’s well-being when alcohol is also a major part of their life. People who live fully functional lives can still have AUD and can benefit from treatment and support. The condition causes changes in the brain that decrease the ability to quit on your own. This makes it important to seek medical treatment and peer support in your recovery process. The longer you live with AUD, the higher your risk of developing complications that can lead to death.

Narcissism And Alcoholism

• Where hard-working professionals may not feel like they have time to take care of themselves or find time for personal relationships, they may turn to alcohol for comfort.
• The longer you use, the higher your tolerance and the harder it becomes to quit drinking.
• The type of relationship you have with the person with alcoholism often affects how his or her disease affects you.
• They often suffer a variety of mental health issues, such as low self-esteem and depression.
• Binge drinking, social pressures, family history, mental health issues, and excess alcohol use can all increase your risk of developing an alcohol use disorder.
• Some high-functioning alcoholics will even keep their alcoholism a secret or fail to recognize it themselves.

A high-functioning alcoholic is someone who maintains the appearance of normalcy while secretly battling alcohol dependence. These individuals are often able to excel in their careers, maintain social connections, and fulfill their responsibilities, making it difficult for others to recognize the depth of their problems. However, behind this façade of control, their alcohol use is progressively affecting their health and relationships. High-functioning alcoholics may not drink openly or excessively in public, but they often consume large amounts of alcohol in private, leading to a dangerous dependency. Until you check into rehab, avoid bars, liquor stores, and other places where alcohol and drinking abound. Finally, be willing to admit that you have a problem and firmly resolve to make a change in your life.

Identifying a high-functioning alcoholic can be challenging due to their ability to maintain a seemingly normal life. This compartmentalization of alcohol use allows them to maintain the illusion of control. They might only drink after completing their work or fulfilling their obligations, but the quantity and frequency of their drinking can still be quite high. This ability to hide their drinking habits from others, and even from themselves, makes high-functioning alcoholism particularly dangerous, as it often goes untreated for longer periods. This is why they can spot early signs of this disease and offer next steps.

• However, impulsive alcohol use often only makes mental disorders worse.
• Unlike the stereotypical image of an alcoholic, high-functioning alcoholics often appear very normal, successful, and composed, masking the severity of their addiction.
• These tests are provided by a healthcare professional and go in depth about your relationship with alcohol.
• Our treatment facility is accredited by the Joint Commission and LegitScript Certified.

How to Treat High-Functioning Alcoholism

Instead, she recommends seeking more formal support with Al-Anon or therapy to help you create boundaries and care for yourself. “For example, you may notice your spouse drinking more beers at dinner, sleeping less and less, and increasingly on edge well before they start missing workdays,” Grawert adds. Since people with high-functioning AUD can be on the milder spectrum of the condition, the earlier treatment happens, the more it may be possible to avoid a progression. Although you might not hit all the criteria for the condition, and the impact on your life may appear minimal, AUD is a chronic and progressive condition. This means the negative impact on your life will likely grow, and the condition will not get better on its own without treatment. However, there are individuals that meet the criteria for AUD but do not experience these impacts.

Their Behavior Changes Significantly While Drinking