The 9 Characteristics Of The Behavior Of The Alcoholic Person
Alcoholism is a very present disorder in our society, and in recent years it has become more widespread among increasingly younger people, among other things due to the leisure and recreation dynamics of adolescents in our country.
How to detect the warning signs that are expressed in the behavior of people addicted to alcohol? There are a series of essential characteristics shared by those people who have alcoholism, and knowing them is essential to identify them and seek professional help.
If you are interested in knowing what the typical characteristics of an alcoholic’s behavior are, keep reading, because here you will see a summary. Of course, it is important to highlight that each of these behavior patterns can also occur individually in non-alcoholic people at specific times, and that is when they occur at the same time (all or many of them) and continuously throughout the life. time when alarms should go off.
1. Irritability
One of the main characteristics of people who suffer from alcoholism is the progressive increase in irritability, especially when the person has not drunk for several hours or does not have access to an alcoholic beverage at a given time.
This irritability occurs in greater magnitude the greater the addiction to alcohol which may sooner or later cause other more serious reactions such as aggression and violent behavior, after a prolonged period of consumption.
That is why another of the signs that may indicate a case of alcoholism consists of constant arguments, which do not always have to be related to the person’s addiction, and general discomfort with the closest social circle, family and friends. .
2. Drinking alone
Another of the classic signs that characterize the behavior of the alcoholic is the tendency to drink alone regularly, especially when it is not during meals of the day. Generally, alcohol consumption is a social activity or linked to the table at which a lunch or dinner is shared with others, which is why the moment a person starts drinking on their own and in loneliness, especially if it is not only in quantities that are only sufficient to quench thirst implies a greater probability of having developed alcohol dependence.
Alcoholic people often drink alone for many reasons, some of which may be to cope with depression or any other disorder associated with alcoholism, or the need to hide such consumption from other people.
3. Always ensure the reservation of alcoholic beverages
People who suffer from alcoholism often show great interest in ensuring in advance the presence of alcoholic beverages in the place where they will spend time or where they live.
This interest in always having alcohol reserves available at home can be shown in public or also maintained discreetly so as not to raise suspicions among family members, roommates, etc.
4. Loss of social relationships
Another characteristic feature of alcoholic people is the progressive deterioration that their social relationships experience. This is due, again, to the irritability, bad mood or aggressiveness that these people usually show with their circle of closest friends and family, as well as the displacement of social relations to the background on their list of priorities, since consuming becomes the main thing.
Alcoholics develop a high tolerance to alcohol, which results in your ability to drink more than most people before noticing the intoxicating effects of any alcoholic beverage.
On the other hand, this also makes people with alcoholism more frustrated as it is difficult for them to satisfy their desire to consume the amount of alcohol they feel they need to be well.
6. Physical and psychological degradation
Alcoholism is a tremendously destructive disease for the person who suffers from it and has both physical and psychological effects, the longer the period of alcohol addiction lengthens.
Some physical symptoms of alcoholism are sweating, anxiety about drinking, tremors, dizziness and vomiting, loss of self-care and also loss of personal hygiene.
As we have seen, the psychological symptoms are usually irritability, mood swings, loss of control over oneself, isolation and recurrent memory losses, but we must also keep in mind that many forms of addiction cause the chances of developing other severe psychological and psychiatric disorders to skyrocket such as schizophrenia (if there is a genetic predisposition).
7. Withdrawal syndrome
When an alcohol addict stops consuming alcoholic beverages for a time, they usually experience a withdrawal syndrome, which is another unmistakable characteristic that we are dealing with a case of alcoholism.
This withdrawal syndrome also It is linked to a series of physical symptoms that usually appear 8 hours after stopping the last consumption of alcohol, the most relevant being: cold sweat, palpitations, nausea, anxiety, or nightmares.
8. Tendency towards denial
Alcoholic people often deny their condition to other people and tend to get angry when someone tries to talk to them about it and become defensive at all times.
Another of the classic characteristics of an alcoholic is to rationalize his disorder whenever someone tries to talk to him about his problem, and to make excuses that free him from all responsibility. This does not mean that they are “bad people.”, in many cases it is usually the result of the development of the disease. Unfortunately, sometimes it is difficult to convince them to go to therapy, which means that by the time they finally go to professionals, the problem has worsened.
9. Change in daily habits
Another sign by which alcoholism can be detected in a person is the fact of changing habits in all aspects of life
And people with alcoholism can end up changing their hygiene habits, to the point of neglecting it, their eating habits, the healthy activities they carried out before the addiction, such as playing sports, and even changing their circle of friends. . Additionally, their sleep schedule is often disorganized and up and down.
Are you looking for treatment to overcome alcohol addiction?
If you or someone in your close circle has developed symptoms of alcohol addiction, we invite you to contact our team of professionals. In CITA Clinics We have been specializing in the treatment of addictions for many years, and we offer a full therapeutic coverage that ranges from therapy sessions to the possibility of entering our residential module located in the middle of nature and with a wide variety of equipment. On this page you can find more information about how we work.
