What Is High Functioning Alcoholism? Stigma, Signs, Support

The Recovery Village Atlanta offers comprehensive addiction treatment for drug and alcohol addictions and co-occurring mental health conditions. Second, many people with this form of alcoholism are actually using it to help them with mental illness. Researchers through the National Institutes of Health found that as much as 25 percent of functioning alcoholics also suffer from depression. When you consider that mental illness can’t be treated alone and won’t just go away, it’s clear to see that your loved one needs help.

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While it’s tempting to cover for someone or make excuses for their drinking, this can enable the problem to continue. Instead, try to avoid behaviors that allow them to avoid facing the consequences of their actions. Recognizing this pattern is crucial as it is a common characteristic of high-functioning alcoholism, and addressing it is an essential step toward recovery.

• People should note that the term “high functioning alcoholic” is no longer in use within the medical community.
• The main risk of high-functioning alcoholism is the potential for a worsening condition.
• Alcoholism isn’t always easy to identify, especially when it comes to high-functioning alcoholics.
• In many cases, they may not even fully recognize the severity of the issue themselves because their outward success seems to contradict the stereotype of alcoholism.
• Approaching a high-functioning alcoholic about their drinking can be delicate.

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• Family members may feel on edge and worried about their loved ones drinking.
• For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
• Clearly communicate that you will no longer participate in or excuse their harmful patterns.
• While they may seem OK to the outside world, it’s likely that warning signs and symptoms are appearing elsewhere.
• This increase in tolerance can be a sign that their alcohol use has progressed, even though they may still manage to appear functional in other areas of life.

For instance, the alcoholic may be denied visitation rights or may be faced with a marital separation if he decides not to seek help. An alcoholic in denial may become extremely manipulative, tearful, angry or hostile when faced with the need for alcohol treatment. An experienced intervention specialist can help the participants prepare for these reactions so they can respond effectively. Whether you are struggling with addiction, mental health marijuana addiction or both, our expert team is here to guide you every step of the way.

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Drinking is often covert, and the person may deny they have any issue with their high functioning alcoholic drinking. Left unmanaged, compulsive drinking behaviors can get progressively worse, with their negative impact on your life becoming ever more apparent. Although you may still hear people talking about “alcoholism” or “alcohol abuse,” the official term is alcohol use disorder (AUD). And it’s all still problem drinking, even if you think it’s “mild.” If AUD goes unrecognized and untreated, it’s linked to risks in many aspects of your health and life. After all, they have managed to maintain the appearance of success despite their addiction. But most high-functioning alcoholics have friends or loved ones who help them cover up the consequences of their drinking.

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Although a person with high-functioning alcoholism may appear fine, they are not. Sometimes, only the people close to them will notice their problematic drinking patterns. Although they can live a perfectly normal life, they can still benefit from professional help. Without help, their AUD can worsen and cause long-term health and social problems. While their appearance may not be any different, and they can still fulfill their responsibilities, you’ll start to see a pattern develop of turning to alcohol to cope with family, work or personal issues. Chronic heavy drinkers can display a functional tolerance to the point they show few obvious signs of intoxication even at high blood alcohol concentrations, which in others would be incapacitating.