If you’re ready to get started, contact a treatment provider today to learn more about your treatment options. The main risk of high-functioning alcoholism is the potential for a worsening condition. Over time, you may struggle to maintain social and familial obligations and relationships. America’s National Institutes of Health estimate that as many as 20% of all people suffering from alcohol addiction are high functioning. If any of the factors below are familiar with you or someone you love, you might be at higher risk of becoming a functioning alcoholic.
- In addition to managing a successful family medical practice, Dr. Hoffman is board certified in addiction medicine by the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine (AOAAM).
- The professional lives of high-functioning alcoholics are often challenging and stressful.
- If you have AUD but are not connected with treatment, the risk of progressing to more severe AUD is much greater.
- The reality of what an addiction to alcohol looks like in terms of outward appearances varies for different individuals.
- Denial is such that the individual tries to believe there is no serious problem that needs to be addressed.
How Does a Person Become a High-Functioning Alcoholic?
So, we now know a little about the traits of high-functioning stoners. But what about some straightforward tips to get us on the right path? Ultimately, it’s about self-awareness, but there are some key factors we can work on right away that help us to lead a high-functioning life with weed. The term “high-functioning stoner” tells a whole story of its own.
- Nearly20% of alcoholics are highly functionaland well-educated with good incomes.
- Their ability to mask their dependency often delays necessary interventions, leading to more severe health and personal issues down the road.
- The picture of someone struggling with alcohol abuse disorder is often one where people struggle to live life normally as they battle a dependency on alcohol.
- If you think that you or someone you know may be drinking too much, ask your doctor about getting help – whether it’s from a therapist, psychiatrist, or other addiction specialist.
- Reassuring themselves, not just family, is a sign of an addiction.
- They tend to lose all interest in food, and instead, use mealtime as an excuse to start drinking again.
Check your symptoms
The test helps give your doctor an idea of what treatment is best for you. The symptoms and risk factors above should help give you an idea of whether you, or someone you know, may be high functioning alcoholic a functioning alcoholic. Join our expert psychiatrist, Priory’s Dr Renju Joseph, as he discusses the key signs and symptoms of alcoholism – informed by years of experience treating people with addiction issues. You might hear the term ‘currently functioning’ used to emphasise that a person’s ability to function right now is unlikely to last.
Detoxing
- However, some people may use the phrase to refer to individuals who are experiencing an AUD but are still able to successfully function in their work and personal lives.
- The term “currently-functioning” may be used since it’s not likely they will remain functional (and not misuse alcohol) indefinitely.
- Alcoholism can take a devastating toll on a person’s physical health, emotional well-being, personal relationships and professional life.
Functional alcoholism almost always appears manageable on the surface. The undercurrent of this habit is likely to lead a person to severe physical and mental consequences. Like when we bottle up our emotions, risks are likely to ferment and intensify when ignored or come out too strongly after denying them for so long. Since drinking alcohol is a normal activity, high-functioning alcoholics often blend in with their friends and co-workers who also drink regularly, but who are not alcoholics. Some high-functioning alcoholics never binge drink and rarely drug addiction treatment become drunk. Many alcoholics succeed at work and in school and have great relationships.
Treatment Programs
Both residential and outpatient day treatment programs are available for those in recovery. You could have AUD even if you are able to keep a relatively normal life if you fulfill at least two of the DSM-5 criteria for the condition. The best cure for codependency is a strong, healthy sense of self.
Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive, and lifelong disease that needs to be treated, whether the alcoholic is a lawyer or a homeless person. The face of the alcoholic needs to be changed and the walls of denial must be broken down in order that alcoholics everywhere can receive proper diagnosis and treatment. In this article, we’ll explore the definition, signs, and complexities of high-functioning alcoholism. Let’s dive deeper into what it means to be a high-functioning alcoholic and how to recognize the signs. If you’re ready to seek treatment for alcoholism or would like to know more about your treatment options, American Addiction Centers (AAC) can help. AAC is the parent company of Alcohol.org and is a nationwide provider of treatment facilities focused on providing hope and recovery for those in https://ecosoberhouse.com/ need.
