According to a recent National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism survey, nearly 15 million Americans age 12 and older have alcohol use disorder (AUD). They may try to quit independently, but the withdrawals are too unpleasant or severe. Therefore, they continue to drink to keep the withdrawals at bay, and the cycle continues. There is a cumulative impact that can lead to an increase in stress that builds up over time. So often, books and treatment are focused on the partner with the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) while spouses receive significantly less support but are equally in distress.
Signs of a Functioning Alcoholic
Alcoholism can take a devastating toll on a person’s physical health, emotional well-being, personal relationships and professional life. However, many alcoholics manage to function effectively, holding down jobs and maintaining households. A high-functioning alcoholic may hide their alcohol abuse for years without suffering any major losses. Under the surface, this form of alcoholism can cause severe psychological and emotional damage to the alcoholic and also their loved ones..
What is a Functioning Alcoholic?
While being a high-functioning alcoholic might not seem like a big issue because it doesn’t yet impact your daily life, when left untreated, it can eventually catch up with you. Psychotherapy, or “talk therapy,” is a popular counseling method for treating alcohol addiction. Both individual and group therapy sessions are offered at most alcohol treatment programs, both at the inpatient and outpatient levels. A high-functioning alcoholic can go about daily life and take care of their obligations (like work or school) primarily undetected. Someone struggling with alcoholism may find it hard to accept they have a problem if it’s just coming from your observations. An alternative route to breaking through could be with screening questions like the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT).
What is a High-Functioning Alcoholic?
AUD is a chronic (long-term) but treatable condition with available treatment options. Regardless of where the person with AUD is in their recovery or addiction, it’s important for loved ones to consider getting support for themselves. While the term “alcoholic” was used in the past but is now viewed as outdated and stigmatizing. Today, healthcare professionals would say that a person has an alcohol use disorder (AUD). When your loved one drinks or is experiencing withdrawal symptoms, their mood can become unpredictable. They might be friendly one moment, only to become angry and violent the next.
- Emotional abuse includes threats, insults and controlling behavior, according to the Office on Women’s Health website.
- Boyfriends, girlfriends or partners of functional alcoholics may also experience emotional or relationship problems.
- There is a cumulative impact that can lead to an increase in stress that builds up over time.
The best way for someone to help a high-functioning alcoholic is to have a forthright conversation with them about their addiction. Your conversation should happen when the person you are trying to help is sober. Most importantly, while you should avoid being judgmental or accusatory, you should high functioning alcoholic also be honest about how alcoholism is affecting you and the alcoholic. The person may offer excuses or attempt to explain away their addiction, but stay firm and offer to help the person start treatment. If possible, get other family member and friends involved and stage an intervention.
How To Deal With A High Functioning Alcoholic?
Children who grow up with a parent with AUD are more likely to misuse alcohol themselves later in life. They’re also at a higher risk for other challenges, including difficulties forming close relationships, lying, and self-judgment. If a parent has AUD, a child may experience excessive stress because they don’t know what mood their parent will be in from day to day. Children may no longer be able to rely on the adult with AUD, which can place undue pressures on them.
In simple terms, precontemplation is not being aware there is a problem, and the contemplation stage is being aware there is a problem. If parents and family members assist along with the roommates, this can provide a wider range of awareness to the alcoholic. The alcoholic is more likely to see that nonfamily members are affected, too, as a result of the alcohol abuse. Living with an alcoholic can be overwhelming, especially for a spouse or significant other. When children are present in the home, it can and will take a toll on their mental health and emotions.
- High-functioning alcoholics crave alcohol, develop tolerance to it over time, and experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking.
- Instead, the DSM-5 has established AUD as the term to replace previous stigmatizing terms such as alcohol dependence, alcohol abuse, and alcoholism.
- Some of the most common risks are the damage to your emotional and mental well-being.
- High-functioning alcoholics are more often than not in denial over having a problem.
How to help a person with AUD?
The type of relationship you have with the person with alcoholism often affects how his or her disease affects you. A high-functioning alcoholic often does such a good job of hiding their issues that other people don’t know the issues exist. Functional alcoholics may not even realize they’re actively concealing symptoms of their disorder.
Children of High-Functioning Alcoholics
- If you’re the partner of someone with AUD, you might feel isolated — or tempted to isolate out of embarrassment or shame.
- Sadly, according to the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, only 25 percent of alcoholics ever receive treatment—indicating a serious problem of denial on a societal level.
- For example, high-functioning alcoholics are at greater risk for driving under the influence and committing other alcohol-related crimes.
- Advice on what to say and do to help your loved one living with a functioning alcoholic.
The recovery process from Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) has evolved over time. It also shifts for individuals throughout the course of their sobriety. Sometimes, a person’s personality can influence their tendency for denial. Certain traits, such as independence and perfectionism, can add to a person’s hesitancy or reticence to seek help, says Grawert.