Unlike husbands and wives, you may not live with the person you’re dating. Significant others may be able to hide their drinking, and it may be easier for them to keep problems a secret. While cirrhosis scars from excessive drinking are irreversible, quitting alcohol and leading a healthier high functioning alcoholic lifestyle can help your liver heal from alcohol-related liver disease. The first and most difficult step in the long-term recovery process is for them to admit they have a problem. Anytime a substance user moves from the precontemplation to the contemplation stage is a victory.

What Percentage of Alcoholics are Functioning or High Functioning Alcoholics?

The word “functional” is only there because they can hide their drinking problem better than others, for a time. They might spiral into more severe alcoholism by becoming more self-isolated and self-destructive like adding drugs to their addictive behavior. However, even high-functioning alcoholics can’t keep drinking problems a secret forever. Key warning signs that people are alcoholics include always ordering alcohol when they go out or struggling to control how much they drink.

AUD symptoms

Individuals receive treatment through medications, therapy, support groups, or a combination of the three. High-functioning alcoholics don’t tend to show signs of an AUD on the surface, making it difficult for loved ones to see that they have a problem and offer help. Medical professionals now use alcohol use disorder (AUD) as an umbrella term to describe all alcohol-related issues, including high-functioning alcoholism.

Seeking Help for Functional Alcoholism

It can lead to liver disease, pancreatitis, some forms of cancer, brain damage, serious memory loss, and high blood pressure. It also makes someone more likely to die in a car wreck or from murder or suicide. And any alcohol abuse raises the odds of domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and fetal alcohol syndrome. But they may put themselves or others in danger by drinking and driving, having risky sexual encounters, or blacking out, Benton says. That is why alcohol detox and alcohol withdrawal treatment is administered by medical professionals.

The impact of alcohol addiction on children

If needed, your doctor may also order blood tests to check your liver function. Every person who loves someone with an addiction has to choose whether to help the person or to distance themselves from the person. Distancing yourself can seem selfish, but you have to look out for your own well-being before you can help someone else.

How to Help a High-Functioning Person with Alcohol Use Disorder

Professional interventions allow family members to communicate constructively in a safe environment. Individual therapy, combined with marriage or family counseling, can strengthen your self-esteem and help you build a healthy, sober relationship. Liver damage is the most talked about physical consequence and that is a concern almost immediately.

The Myth of Functioning Alcoholism

• Under the surface, this form of alcoholism can cause severe psychological and emotional damage to the alcoholic and also their loved ones..
• One of the symptoms of an alcohol problem or Alcohol Use Disorder is when individuals make “rules” around their drinking.
• It can be difficult to tell if your boyfriend, girlfriend or partner is an alcoholic.
• This may be difficult because the person may think he or she is healthy.

Some high-functioning alcoholics never binge drink and rarely become drunk. Many alcoholics succeed at work and in school and have great relationships. Nevertheless, high-functioning alcoholics have an addiction disorder which requires treatment.

Drinking Heavily and Excessively

However, a doctor should recommend the best type of treatment for each person since the severity and presentation can vary from person to person. Since you only need to fulfill 2 or more of the DSM-5 criteria within the last year to be diagnosed with AUD, you might still be fully contributing to your home life, job, and other areas of your life. 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.

Treatment for High Functioning Alcoholism