If you’re here, then you want to know if it’s possible to be a functioning alcoholic. You know that your alcohol consumption is more than you’d like, but things are going well. You still feel in control.
That’s a very good thing.
However, based on everything we’ve learned over our decades of treating alcohol abuse in rehab clinics, high-functioning alcoholism is mostly a myth. It’s just a moderate form of alcohol addiction. It might not be severe, but it’s still an addiction.
All of the following can be true, and you can still be an alcoholic:
- You have a great job and pay your bills
- You’re a great mom or dad
- You don’t drink at work or in the mornings
- You don’t always blackout, get angry, or lose control
- You engage in social drinking where you only drink expensive wines and liquors
The truth is that “functioning alcoholism” is just an alcohol use disorder (AUD). It might not be severe AUD, but AUD is still AUD whether it’s mild, moderate, or severe.
And since alcohol addiction is a progressive disease, it will very likely get worse over time.
We guarantee you that most members of Alcoholics Anonymous didn’t start off drinking at work or losing control. They were probably great parents, husbands, wives, or students in the beginning, too.
But eventually, it all fell apart. If you have an alcohol use disorder, it almost always does.
If you’re worried that you’re a functioning alcoholic, we’re going to cover how to recognise the signs of AUD, a checklist you can use to evaluate your drinking, and how to stop before it’s too late.
What is a High-Functioning Alcoholic?
A functioning alcoholic—or “high-functioning alcoholic”—is someone who suffers from alcohol use disorder but might not be suffering any severe consequences or displaying the telltale signs of alcoholism.
The functional alcoholic looks like they have their lives together. They’ve got a job that pays well, lots of friends, and a loving family. High-functioning alcoholics may only get drunk at bars or events and drink only when it’s socially acceptable…at least to the public’s knowledge.
They might not even drink every single day and just save it for Friday and Saturday (and Sundays, too, of course!). The truth still remains that it is AUD, and AUD is a serious issue. You don’t have to drink every day to be considered an addict.
Someone that society calls a high-functioning alcoholic looks like they have control over their drinking habits. But underneath that disguise, they’re battling addiction. And they could lose control at any moment.
In fact, most people do. That’s because the term high-functioning alcoholic is mostly a myth. For the most part, it’s a term alcoholics use when they’re in denial. Many in the mental health and addiction world are even starting to call it “currently functioning alcoholic” to emphasise that it can go off the rails at any moment.
What Are The Signs of a High-Functioning Alcoholic?
Typical signs of a high-functioning alcoholic are different than the signs of a severe addict. Severe addicts typically have very noticeable outward signs of their drinking problem.
Here are some telltale warning signs that you or someone you know is in the “high-functioning” stage of alcohol use disorder:
NOTE: Drinking heavily doesn’t automatically mean you’re an alcoholic. It’s not necessarily how much alcohol you drink that determines if you have AUD or not. Much of it comes down to mental well-being, external consequences to your personal or professional life, and the reasons why you are drinking in the first place. Either way, it’s a dangerous game.
Your High-Functioning Alcoholic Checklist
Here’s a quick checklist to help you tell if you’re a high-functioning alcoholic:
If you answered YES to more than one of those questions, it may be beneficial to consider how alcohol treatment could improve your overall health and well-being.
Why High-Functioning Alcoholism is Just Alcohol Use Disorder
If you look it up in the DSM-5 (the Handbook of Substance Abuse and Mental Health published by the American Psychiatric Association), you’ll see that alcohol use disorder is roughly defined as any problematic pattern of drinking leading to significant impairment or distress. And that it can be diagnosed as mild, moderate, or severe.
So, clinically speaking, someone who is a functioning alcoholic really has mild or moderate AUD. And it doesn’t matter if your condition is mild, moderate, or severe—alcohol addiction is still alcohol addiction.
While we do understand that alcohol isn’t causing any severe problems in your life (yet), you have to see it from our perspective as rehabilitation specialists.
For one, it’s common for addicts to use the term to deny or minimise their drinking issues.
And even if you do recognise that you have an issue, calling yourself a “functioning addict” might discourage you from seeking help. You’d be surprised at how often we speak to families of addicts who struggle to get their family members into treatment simply because the addict refuses to admit they’ve got a problem.
The sooner you recognise that you’ve got a problem, the better because this is a progressive disease that almost always gets worse.
What Are The Risks of High-Functioning Alcoholism?
People with mild alcohol use disorder are just at the early stages of a very severe condition. If you continue to abuse alcohol, then there’s a strong probability that you will develop severe alcohol addiction.
Research shows that the more you drink to cope, the more your body craves alcohol.
A study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol And Drugs in July 2015 called Drinking to Cope Motivation as a Prospective Predictor of Negative Affect by Armeli, Stephen, et. al., found that drinking to cope with negative emotions like stress only ENHANCES negative emotions like stress, anxiety, and depression. This then motivates you to drink more the next time, which only makes those negative feelings even worse.
Even just mild alcohol dependence has severe risks. The following list contains some of the risks of alcohol use disorder:
We would also like to warn you that there are risks to your physical health as well. The World Health Organisation has finally declared that no amount of alcohol is beneficial to human health. But it doesn't stop there.
According to a November 2015 study published in The World Journal of Hepatology and featured in the National Institutes of Health called Binge Drinking: Burden of liver disease and beyond, binge drinking causes 75,000 deaths a year in the United States alone. That study went on to say that "A recent study showed that frequent consumers (5-7 d/wk) have a higher mortality rate compared with persons with lower rates of consumption (1-4 d/wk)".
We think it's plain to see here: Any type of alcohol abuse is dangerous. You don't have to have a severe case of substance use disorder to have a major problem.
Did You Know?: According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism, binge drinking refers to the consumption of 5 or more drinks in two hours for males and four or more drinks for females.
Is There a Treatment for High-Functioning Alcoholism?
If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol, the key to breaking your substance abuse pattern is early intervention. Break your bad habit now before it gets worse.
If you drink excessive amounts of alcohol, have a history of regular drinking, and are suffering from symptoms like mood swings, anxiety, depression, and cravings when not drinking, then get treatment now before it's too late.
Because remember what we said: This disease progresses. You may be functional now, but it will only get worse and worse.
One study from the National Institutes of Health from 2007 entitled Researchers Identify Alcoholism Subtypes found that 19.5% of people are "functional", but one-quarter of them had a major depressive disorder. And nearly one-third have a family history of alcoholism. Those are similar risk factors to the "intermediate" and "chronic severe" subtypes.
Here are a few treatment options for alcoholism that will improve your quality of life exponentially:
1. Support Groups
There are plenty of free and paid support groups, both in-person and online. Alcoholics Anonymous is the most famous and is available in nearly every location imaginable. There are also free self-help groups on Facebook that can help in your recovery process. If you’re waging a hidden struggle against this disease, don’t do it alone.
2. Alcohol Counselling
Alcohol counselling helps you better understand your drinking patterns, the reasons why you drink, and healthy coping skills for stress that don’t involve alcohol or drugs. This can be done online or in person depending on your availability.
3. Outpatient Rehabilitation
Outpatient rehab for alcohol treatment, lets you get help without putting your life on hold. It combines therapy, like group therapy and trauma therapy, with medical support if needed. You can continue working, going to school, or taking care of your family while receiving therapy and support. Depending on where you live, medical treatment and other services may be covered by your insurance.
4. Inpatient Rehabilitation
Inpatient rehab gives you a chance to step away from everyday stress and focus fully on getting better. It’s hard to heal in the same environment that made you sick. You’ll stay in a supportive environment with 24/7 care from medical professionals, therapy, and structure at treatment facilities like ours in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Get Help at The Cabin, Chiang Mai
If you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol addiction, The Cabin Chiang Mai is here to help.
We’re Asia’s longest-running and most respected luxury rehab, and we offer an addiction treatment programme, unlike anything you'll find in the Western World (and at a fraction of the price).
We combine therapy with yoga, meditation, Muay Thai kickboxing, and stunning mountain excursions to help heal your mind and body in a peaceful, supportive environment.
Reach out today for a free evaluation and take the first step towards changing your life for the better. At The Cabin, we’re ready to help you reclaim your life.