Signs Your Drinking is Out of Control

Although the consumption of alcohol is socially accepted, it is also easy to abuse. Many people use alcohol as a way to relax, unwind, or just have a fun time—but it is important to know when to draw the line and recognize addictive behaviors. Below are some signs that your drinking is out of control.

Magnolia Recovery is a safe, temptation-free environment outside of Charleston, SC for women to work through the 12-steps. Contact us to learn more. 

You Want to Stop Drinking, But You Cannot

Perhaps you realize that you’re drinking significantly more alcohol than you used to. Although it’s good that you’re able to recognize your situation, if you find that you’re unable to abstain from drinking for at least one week, it may indicative of an emerging addiction.

You Prioritize Drinking Over Your Responsibilities

Often times, alcoholics will prioritize drinking over important daily responsibilities such as cleaning their home, paying bills, attending work, and more. The alcoholic may not even realize or see a problem when they fall behind on these tasks. However, while it’s common for people to procrastinate, it’s a red flag when you begin to put off other tasks in order to specifically drink instead.

You Hide Your Drinking Habits

When you go out of your way to hide how much you’re drinking, it’s usually a sign of an underlying problem. Being dishonest with friends and family members about your alcohol consumption shows that you are, at some level, ashamed of your habits. Or, you may even feel that they’ll try to stop you from drinking if they know the degree to which you indulge. In either case, this is a serious sign that you may be addicted to alcohol.

You “Black Out” Frequently

Another alcoholic tendency is being unable to control the amount you drink. If your goal to enjoy a few cocktails often turns into blacking out, your habits have certainly gone too far. When you cannot remember some or all of the events from the night before, but you could not help yourself from continuing to drink, it’s time to seek professional help.

You Put Yourself in Risky Situations

Another concerning sign is when you consistently put yourself in risky situations while drinking. This includes things like driving under the influence, engaging in unprotected sex, getting into fights, and more. Not only do these behaviors put you in danger, but it threatens the livelihood of others as well. If your drinking is having potentially detrimental effects on both yourself and others, you likely have a problem with alcohol.

You Get Into Legal or Financial Trouble

A result of getting blackout drunk, putting yourself in risky situations, and ignoring your responsibilities is ending up in legal or financial trouble. Alcoholics often lose touch and forget that there are serious consequences to reckless behaviors. A DUI or a late bill notice may be the wakeup call that’s required to show you that you need help with your drinking problem.

Reach out to Magnolia Recovery

If you or a loved one are experiencing any of these signs that your drinking is out of control, it may be time to seek professional help. Magnolia Recovery offers women facing addiction a safe, temptation-free environment to work through our 12-step immersion program. Contact us today to learn more.