When a lot of people picture an alcoholic, they visualize someone whose life is in complete shambles. They might expect the person to be neglectful of their hygiene, hostile and unlikeable, unemployed, and without family or friends. Sometimes this can be an accurate description of someone whose life has been hijacked by alcohol.
Functioning Alcoholics
On the other hand, many alcoholics do not meet this criteria. In spite of suffering from alcohol use disorder, some people may be able to get up each day, put on a polished appearance, excel at work, raise a family, and socialize, all while keeping their addiction largely hidden. These people are often called high-functioning or functional alcoholics, and they are estimated to make up around 20 percent of all alcoholics. Because they are well-groomed, responsible, productive and fun to be around, people who spend a lot of time with them in a work or social setting may not recognize that they are struggling.
Functional and In Denial
A functioning alcoholic may compare their life against the life of the stereotypical alcoholic and think that they don’t have a problem because they are doing well in life overall. They may excuse their excessive drinking because they only drink “the good stuff” or they drink wine or beer instead of hard liquor. Even so, if the person regularly engages in heavy drinking, they may still be at risk for becoming dependent on or even addicted to alcohol. Heavy drinking is defined as:
- 14 or more drinks per week, or more than four drinks per day for men
- 7 or more drinks per week, or more than three drinks per day for women
Common Traits of Functioning Alcoholics
Researchers have found several things that are more likely to be true about functional alcoholics:
- Commonly middle aged
- Often well-educated
- Frequently hold stable jobs
- Around a third of them have a family history of alcoholism
- 25 percent have struggled with major depression at some point
- Around half were smokers
Spotting a Functional Alcoholic
Though a functioning alcoholic may be adept at hiding their struggle, some signs are difficult to hide:
- The person has a very high tolerance for alcohol, caused by a need to drink larger and larger volumes over time in order to achieve the same effect.
- They may not be aware of how much alcohol they have actually consumed and may exceed limits they have set for themselves.
- The person becomes irritable, restless, anxious, or depressed when they cannot drink when they expected to.
- Their body may start to react to not being able to drink by shaking, sweating, or even having heart palpitations.
- They may have less interest in food, sometimes choosing to drink instead of eating a meal. They may make jokes that they drink their breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
- Their personality may change over time, becoming more focused on drinking and less capable of functioning when they are not able to get alcohol.
Long-Term Consequences
Though it may be possible for a person to drink heavily and maintain their responsibilities for a considerable amount of time, if they do not make changes, those choices will eventually catch up with them and may look like:
- Damage to internal organs, including the liver, pancreas, and brain
- Certain types of cancer
- Memory loss and long-term impaired judgment
- High blood pressure
- Mental health struggles and heightened suicidal ideation
- Inability to continue maintaining their job, family, and friendships
When to Get Help
Once the signs mentioned above are observable to other people, it is likely time for the person to talk to their medical doctor and consider if they need to receive treatment for alcohol use disorder. In addition to alcohol detox and treatment, the person may also benefit from long-term therapy to address underlying issues that led to their substance abuse and reduce cravings and risk of relapse.
If you would like more information about identifying functional alcoholics in your life or how to talk to a loved one about getting sober, Safe Harbor Recovery Center in Portsmouth, Virginia, has a team of substance addiction professionals who are here to help.